Stupid sit up question

T

tango29

Youngest is doing physicals while applying to police departments, and sit-ups are one of the exercises. They have to be done touching an elbow to a knee while someone is holding your feet. I can do all the other stuff they do in times and/or quantities, but I can't do a sit-up and touch an elbow to a knee, or at least without a lot of a big jerk motion coming up. As part of my workout routine I spend about 30 minutes plus doing core exercises 3 times a week, and the abs are strong.
Is it a loss of flexibility or what, that I can't easily touch an elbow to a knee for a sit up? I don't do them at all as part of my core work, but seems like they should be a piece of cake. I can't let the kids think they can do something better than me! lol
 
tango29 said:
Youngest is doing physicals while applying to police departments, and sit-ups are one of the exercises. They have to be done touching an elbow to a knee while someone is holding your feet. I can do all the other stuff they do in times and/or quantities, but I can't do a sit-up and touch an elbow to a knee, or at least without a lot of a big jerk motion coming up. As part of my workout routine I spend about 30 minutes plus doing core exercises 3 times a week, and the abs are strong.
Is it a loss of flexibility or what, that I can't easily touch an elbow to a knee for a sit up? I don't do them at all as part of my core work, but seems like they should be a piece of cake. I can't let the kids think they can do something better than me! lol
More...

maybe mind muscle connection?
 
The reason you can't do the elbow-to-knee easily is because that movement requires strong obliques, which are the muscles that sit on each side of your abs. Google "oblique muscles" and you'll see what I mean. You can have the strongest abs in the world but if your obliques are weak, that twisting movement that the elbow-to-knee requires will be very difficult.
 
Last edited:
Baron said:
The reason you can't do the elbow-to-knee easily is because that movement requires strong obliques, which are the muscles that sit on each side of your abs. Google "oblique muscles" and you'll see what I mean. You can have the strongest abs in the world but if your obliques are weak, that twisting movement that the elbow-to-knee requires will be very difficult.
More...
That could be the answer, but I do work those also. I put in a couple of exercises specifically to target those about 2 months ago. Possibly I am only hitting part of them.
When I go to try the sit ups it is like my abs are in the way. No I am not claiming I have super huge abs, just saying that is how it feels, like I can't make the rest of the move up because the abs are protruding in the way.
I'll look up some more exercises to target the oblique muscles and see if I am not hitting them completely.
Actually now that I think about it, I have a kid working on his PhD in Kinesiology, and should ask him for some ideas. The kid owes me for all his stinking college.
Thanks for the input. I can't let the youngest think he has got me beaten.
 
If you feel like your abs are in the way, you might want to practice vacuums, which are the muscles that allow you to suck or pull your abs straight into your spine. So when you go towards the top of the situp position, you want to be doing it in a way that allows you to suck your abs in as you go up, not pushing them outward (which is very easy to do). That will allow you to more easily do the twisting motion at the top for the final elbow-to-opposite-knee movement.
 
Baron said:
If you feel like your abs are in the way, you might want to practice vacuums, which are the muscles that allow you to suck or pull your abs straight into your spine. So when you go towards the top of the situp position, you want to be doing it in a way that allows you to suck your abs in as you go up, not pushing them outward (which is very easy to do). That will allow you to more easily do the twisting motion at the top for the final elbow-to-opposite-knee movement.
More...
I looked it up, and will give it a shot. Kind of a weird exercise.
Thanks Baron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top