Topic: Crunches/ sit ups?

[Hannah W]

maybe this is just me being a fitness-y noob, but what is so horrible about crunches/ sit ups? just out of curiosity, i mean.  it seems they've been the standard practice for years...

[David M.]

They don't really help much because you get all the core strength you need from heavy lifts and the like.

[Jake Vigil]

They don't really help much because you get all the core strength you need from heavy lifts and the like.

this... sorta.

The reason they dont help is because they dont train your core to do what your core is meant to do - stabilize. Working L-sits is a MUCH better alternative because it train's your core to be functional. Crunches... Hardly functional.

I'm sure someone will come along in a bit and explain that better.

[Hannah W]

what if you're not strong enough to do L sits and don't have access to weights?

[Matthew Wang]

Like Jake said, your core is for stabilizing the body. Doing a sit-up doesn't really require any stabilization.

I think of them as more of just like flexing and relaxing your abs over and over. Which is what I think it actually is...someone correct me?

[andrewmc]

^^Pretty much, unless your goal is to sit up in bed as quickly as possible, there are much better things you can do for yourself.

[Jake Vigil]

what if you're not strong enough to do L sits and don't have access to weights?

Dunno what you would need weights for even if you had access to them, in relation to L-sit.

To progress, do planks for time (basically in pushup position with your elbows touching the ground instead of your hands, body straight like a plank, engage your abs to hold yourself for as long as possible)

You can also bend your legs a little bit to progress, but work on straightening them as much as possible, till you can hold it straight legged, then go for time.

[Hannah W]

Dunno what you would need weights for even if you had access to them, in relation to L-sit.

To progress, do planks for time (basically in pushup position with your elbows touching the ground instead of your hands, body straight like a plank, engage your abs to hold yourself for as long as possible)

[/quote]

Actually, there are two different types of planks, i use both (really mostly depends on my mood )

Pretty much, unless your goal is to sit up in bed as quickly as possible, there are much better things you can do for yourself.

Wht would you suggest training for more explosive movements, if situps are not the way to go?

[Jake Vigil]

Explosive... Core movements? What do you mean by that? As in, you actually want to see how fast you can sit up?

[Hannah W]

sry, that first quote was be used to mention that David had mentioned heavy lifting

[Hannah W]

Explosive... Core movements? What do you mean by that? As in, you actually want to see how fast you can sit up?

...um.... as in tucking for vaults? help in climb ups? parkour uses a lot of explosive movements.  While the core is a stabilizer, it is also used for... ^these types of things

[Steven Low]

Crunches are useless.

Situps have some redeeming value... but not much. Compared to heavy lifting and other better abs exercises.

Kongs and such as mentioned have explosive abs contractions.

[Jake Vigil]

Best explosive ab workout you will find anywhere = backflips.

[Schuman]

i've read that that doing planks and ab-rollouts are great for your core

[Steven Low]

Best explosive ab workout you will find anywhere = backflips.

Yeah, I like these the most.

Rollouts are awesome as well.

[andrewmc]

Wht would you suggest training for more explosive movements, if situps are not the way to go?


[/quote]

To be honest, I don't train my core that much. My gymnastics training is inherently a good ab workout. What I have done though, for a little extra work is full ROM hanging leg raises. I would hang from rings, but a bar would work just fine. With straight legs, bring your legs up to the side, swing them around in front of you, then down the other side. Rotate the other direction on the next rep. If that's too hard, do it with tucked legs. You can also deadhang, and as explosively as possible, touch your toes to the bar you're hanging from, trying to focus on your pelvis tilting, and not using leg muscles.

As mentioned, back tucks  are sweet for explosiveness

[Alec Furtado]

Best explosive ab workout you will find anywhere = backflips.

QFT. My abs were dead for about 3 weeks when I first started doing backflips... maybe 20ish in the session. Makes me think I actually pulled an ab or something

[Hannah W]

alright, thanks guys

[Dan Frank]

Why would you need to train your core explosively in the first place? If your goal is to strengthen it for movements in parkour and free running, heavy lifting and tumbling (flips and whatnot) are the way to go.

[Hannah W]

Why would you need to train your core explosively in the first place? If your goal is to strengthen it for movements in parkour and free running, heavy lifting and tumbling (flips and whatnot) are the way to go.

dan, this is going to sound very blunt/harsh, but since you may not have read the last few pages, i have no access to weights.  and, explosive core movement is required for tumbling.