Situps vs Crunches

[ExtraMile]

Was doing decline cable situps at the gym the other day as part of my core strength circuit and the gym owner comes up to me and says "you know doing that is 90% hip flexer" I said "well i feel it in both" and he shrugged and walked off. Then he walked past a few mins later and I said "if situps are 90% hip flexor what would you suggest I do?" cut a long story short he said if I wanted to do situps then I should do them with my feet up on an exercise ball and use one of those wierd situp cage things which you lie in. I asked how he would apply extra weight and he said hold a medicine ball on your chest. He said crunches would be even better like that for the abs.

I hate using plated or medicine balls on my chest for extra weight as I find using a cable lets me round me back more and really use the abs more.

He also said "if you can do 100 situps and then u hit failure, at 90 your hip flexors will probably wear out, only the last 10 you do will work your abs"

I always read people who are training abs for better stability and strength like powerlifters, strongmen etc did weighted situps. Are situps better for strength then?

 

[bblazer]

I do essentially no ab work.

B-

 

[Jocques Straap]

Personally I like situps.

The abs are concentrically contracting during a crunch, or the crunching phase of a situp. They are isometrically contracting during the final phase of a sit up, similar to a plank.

Same goes for hanging leg raise variations. The work to lift your legs is being done with the hip flexor. The abs are contracting isometrically during the leg lift, to stabilize your hips. Once your legs reach about 90, you can "crunch", flex the lower back and get some concentric/eccentric contraction of the abs.

Core isometric training, is great, for function. But your not going add size from isometrics.

However, I find that hip flexion, is a movement that is often over looked. Squats, Deads, and most other leg exercises, the hip flexor is acting as a antagonist/Synergist at best. Do we need to target the hip flexor? Well, that's a hot debate. Some coaches argue that it's not necessary, and time is better spent squatting. But I'll tell you this, someone who trains their hip flexors, will have stronger hip flexors, and when is having a stronger muscle a bad thing? Kill two birds with one stone. Get your crunches in, and train your hip flexors at the same time, with full sit-up variations and hanging leg raises.


EM, I know you know this, but it's worth noting, you aren't going to get a six pack from abs exercises.

 

[skullcrushin22]

Honestly if you can get a copy try the Ab Ripper from the PX90 or whatever its called. Thats the only CD I use the other stuff is not my cup of tea. But the ab ripper is a brutal 15 minutes.

 

[fortunatesun]

Wikipedia sheds some light on the subject:

Sit-up (exercise) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My take on above is that people are weaker than they thought and/or overexert themselves.

That part about the last ten sit ups out of 100 makes no sense. Abdominal muscles are fast twist. Anything after 15 is a waste.

Here's an alternative that will take hip flexors out of the equation - Janda Sit-ups

Bodybuilding.com - David Whitley - Exercises You Probably Don't Do, But Should!

If you don't have a partner you can tuck your feet under whatever's handy or against the wall.

 

[NJL52]

Was doing decline cable situps at the gym the other day as part of my core strength circuit and the gym owner comes up to me and says "you know doing that is 90% hip flexer" I said "well i feel it in both" and he shrugged and walked off. Then he walked past a few mins later and I said "if situps are 90% hip flexor what would you suggest I do?" cut a long story short he said if I wanted to do situps then I should do them with my feet up on an exercise ball and use one of those wierd situp cage things which you lie in. I asked how he would apply extra weight and he said hold a medicine ball on your chest. He said crunches would be even better like that for the abs.

I hate using plated or medicine balls on my chest for extra weight as I find using a cable lets me round me back more and really use the abs more.

He also said "if you can do 100 situps and then u hit failure, at 90 your hip flexors will probably wear out, only the last 10 you do will work your abs"

I always read people who are training abs for better stability and strength like powerlifters, strongmen etc did weighted situps. Are situps better for strength then?

Isolation exorcises are retarded. As is your gym owner.

 

[ExtraMile]

Personally I like situps.

The abs are concentrically contracting during a crunch, or the crunching phase of a situp. They are isometrically contracting during the final phase of a sit up, similar to a plank.

Same goes for hanging leg raise variations. The work to lift your legs is being done with the hip flexor. The abs are contracting isometrically during the leg lift, to stabilize your hips. Once your legs reach about 90, you can "crunch", flex the lower back and get some concentric/eccentric contraction of the abs. Thats exactly what I do, crunch my lower back up!

Core isometric training, is great, for function. But your not going add size from isometrics.

However, I find that hip flexion, is a movement that is often over looked. Squats, Deads, and most other leg exercises, the hip flexor is acting as a antagonist/Synergist at best. Do we need to target the hip flexor? Well, that's a hot debate. Some coaches argue that it's not necessary, and time is better spent squatting. But I'll tell you this, someone who trains their hip flexors, will have stronger hip flexors, and when is having a stronger muscle a bad thing? Kill two birds with one stone. Get your crunches in, and train your hip flexors at the same time, with full sit-up variations and hanging leg raises.


EM, I know you know this, but it's worth noting, you aren't going to get a six pack from abs exercises.

Yah I know about not getting a six pack, its just the core strength I do it for. So Ill stick with the situps then?

 

[iggy]

interesting FS.

 

[oso0960]

I do decline situps and never feel it in my hip flexors. Although I make sure to static stretch them before every workout unlike the rest of America that sit all day long.

 

[ExtraMile]

I do decline situps and never feel it in my hip flexors. Although I make sure to static stretch them before every workout unlike the rest of America that sit all day long.[/QUOTE]

LOL!

Yeah but to tell you the truth, I feel it alot in my hip flexors, only when I get past around 7 or 8 reps do my abs start to ache, ah well the day after my abs are sore as fuck but my hip flexors arnt so Ill just carry on doing what Iv been doing.