Are declined sit ups bad?

[RBtrucking4]

The reason i am asking is because i do them on my bench press and lately it seems that they are making my back feel weird but when i do them flat my back feels perfectly fine. Also is it bad to do them with a weight on your chest?

 

[swaptrex]

i do them, and don't have any problems as of now.

maybe if you decreased the weight you would be more comfortable, just add reps.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

There's a fine line between real pain... and "hard to do."

Ex: DB Military presses not being able to push the weight up anymore (hard to do).
Someone else doing the same exercise, ect... has pain in their rotator cuff. (PAIN).

Don't do it if you feel pain, that's how one becomes injured.

Also, if you are strengthining your abs... you should also do back hyperextensions to tighten up your lower back muscles because the newly worked abdominal muscles will pull on your lower back.... it's all about balance.

 

[RBtrucking4]

explain how the hyerextension is done is it like a reverse sit up?

 

[blakeslee]

In all actuality, all sit-ups are "bad." It's an awkward motion and invloves unneccessary stress on the L5 and S1.

I assume it's lower back pain?

I speak from experience, if you experience lower back "pain" of any kind and you're not doing a lower back exercise...stop, stretch and ensure you're doing the exercise correctly.

Maybe try just gettng use to doing them without any weight and if you still experience pain, then move to other ab exercises beyond sit-ups. Your lower back is nothing to gamble with.

Hope this helps at all

 

[*Bunny*]

explain how the hyerextension is done is it like a reverse sit up?

some different examples ...
One

Two

Three

Four

Five (easier on back)

 

[blakeslee]

some different examples ...
One

Two

Three

Four

Five (easier on back)

Love the animated "how to's!" Nice

 

[RBtrucking4]

damn that looks HARD and ya it is lower back pain well its not really pain but i can just tell something dont feel right kinda like its strained it dont hurt but it did only start after i started putting the 33 on my chest

 

[*Bunny*]

Love the animated "how to's!" Nice

For basic instruction I LOVE that site

Even on those demos the "Full range of motion will vary from person to person" ... Some people look like they're arching back to do a flying trapeze move in the circus

damn that looks HARD and ya it is lower back pain well its not really pain but i can just tell something dont feel right kinda like its strained it dont hurt but it did only start after i started putting the 33 on my chest

DROP the weight ... what would you like to achieve by doing weighted declines? Maybe there can be a better alternative to accomplish the same goal?

 

[lacoste]

Try doing crunches on one of the yoga balls. Most gyms have them somewhere, or you can pick one up real cheap at like walmart and do it at home. It takes much of the stress off of your lower back. Also at the gym try doing rope crunches.
http://www.muscletech.com/TRAINING/ROCK_HARD_ABS/Rock_Hard_Abs.shtml
If done correctly you will really feel these exercises in your abs and no lower back pain.

 

[musclemom]

I've got a screwed up back. Sit-ups and crunches are difficult, and I know I'm using my hip adductors to complete the movement. To add to Bunny's suggestions I find these isolate my abdominal muscles without back injury:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/RectusAbdominis/WtHangingLegHipRaise.html

I won't lie, I can't do them with weight, and I can't get my knees that high ...

 

[BeeFeaTeR93]

bump on the Yoga balls...you get more than full range of motion to target all the abs.

 

[DZLS]

how come training questions keep popping up in this forum...?