abdominal training

[jrlefty]

Hello,
I own a copy of Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching and now own a copy of Science of Sports training and find the information priceless and review them continuosly. I would like to start at the beginners level and get my trunk strength up so I can be ready for the strength training that is ahead. I would just like to know if anyone knows of a good way of getting my abdominal strength and endurance to the level advised by Thomas Kurz, in his column, of about 500 sit ups in one set. I currently can do 100 sit ups straight but am having a hard time going past that point. Ive started using a five pound weight with my sit ups (I can do twenty five straight with the weight then I put it aside to complete one hundred) but Im not sure if this is the best way to go about it. I also train my abs every other day but Im going to change that to twice a week because I get fatigued very easily (Im tired a lot and have a hard time waking up in the morning) and im planning on adding running into my training to help stop my fatigue.

I am a student of Tae Kwon Do and I go twice a week to class. Usually on monday and friday, im planning on training my abs and doing other calisthenics (hindu squats, floor back extensions, etc) on tuesday and saturdays instead of every other day as I was doing before, and running on wednesdays and maybe on saturdays after the calisthenics or instead of them. I do the dynamic stretches twice a day and I relax stretch every night and sometimes do active stretches. Hopefully this is enough information for anyone to help me in my quest to break out of beginner level and in ultimately obtaining the side split.

thank you

p.s. To Thomas Kurz,
I love your website and the books and videos and I hope to one day send you my picture.

[UKfightfreak]

Be careful of just hitting sit ups!

Tom Kurz used this as a guide but the abs and back need to be strong before really hard work on the hip flexors takes place.

As for weight, there is no need. You will be best exhausting your hip flexors (do as many sit ups as you can, but watch the form and make sure the back doesn't arch) and then work on ab exercises such as crunches/reverse crunches as described in 'Secrets of stretching'

As for frequency most people I know have got their six packs through doing ab exercises 2 or 3 times per week.

As for getting past 100, why not try two sets of 60? then work up to two sets of 100, or maybe try in 3's such as 3 sets of 40 to start, then 3 sets of 50 and up the amount of sets, at first giving a large break and reducing the break down until you are doing them as one continuous set. You will probably be suprised the progress you can make by mixing it up a little.

In the end listening to your body and improving athletic form is more important than reaching 500 sit-ups!

[jrlefty]

ukfightfreak
thank you very much for your reply. I will start slow and do 3 sets of 40 and see where it goes from there. I have been listening to my body (I am trying hard not to be fatigued all the time, im also looking at my diet as well as my aerobic fitness level) and Im doing my best to replicate the form for sit ups and crunches shown on secrets of stretching.

[paul-scotland-uk]

Hi all,

I see this is an old thread, but I'll try anyway!

I know that the abdomain and lower back need to be several steps ahead of your adductors and Secrets Of Stretching explains why. However, what I'm not too clear on is just how strong your abdomain needs to be. How do I know when my abs are strong enough ? ... How many sit ups should I be able to do before I consider my abs strong enough to move on to adductor flys ? - If I picked up the info correctly on the video, I know my lower back should be strong enough to lift a 3rd of my body weight with additional weight.

Help on this would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul.

[dave6626]

Paul: The answer to your question can be found in Kutz's column that is in TaeDwonDo Times. The index page is:

http://www.stadion.com/column.html

You want article 19 which covers the sequence of strengrh and endurance exercises.

[paul-scotland-uk]

What ??

You mean I need to be able to do at least 500 situps before I can begin stretching my legs ??

Is that even possible !?

[jrlefty]

What ??

You mean I need to be able to do at least 500 situps before I can begin stretching my legs ??

Is that even possible !?

No you do not need to be able to do 500 situps before you can start stretching. Tom Kurz suggests that you work you way up too 500 situps before you begin more strenuos strength training for the lower body like deadlifts and weighted back extensions off the bench.

"When your abdomen and hip flexors have good endurance (when you can do a set of 500 sit-ups without extra resistance), then you can start using weights in your back extensions on a bench, and add more functional back strengthening lifts: good mornings, and eventually deadlifts." (Kurz)

I got this qoute from stretch yourself #19 from his column. Here is the link just in case you dont know where it is. http://www.stadion.com/column.html

You can definitely get your split without doing 500 situps but to be able to have Tom Kurz's type of flexibility, which I personally do want, that allows you to do suspended splits and powerful high kicks with no warmup, then it is recomended you follow his sequence of training that he outlines in the columns, stretching scientifically book and secrets of stretching video which includes you doing many situps.

On a very good day I can do about 150 situps straight without stoping. 500 situps feel faraway at this point but hey I never thought I would be able to do a 100 when I first started training. I have also seen women do 300 situps straight without strain so 500 is definitely possible.

[paul-scotland-uk]

Thanks jrlefty,

I have emailed a copy of those two articles to instructors at my Tae Kwon Do club.

I'm currently going over "Science Of Sports Training" and "Stretching Scientifically" in order to get a better understanding of what I need to do, as I need to improve my strength in my legs/adductors.

Like many, I thought it was just a case of getting down and doing a few pushups and situps. Those articles are a right eye opener !

500 situps is way out of my league for now, but I'll certainly improve up on them.

Thanks again,

Paul.

[Dean]

I was wondering, when you are able to do 2 sets of crunches at 100 reps a piece are you ready to go on to doing sit-ups? After you go on to sit-ups, do you continue doing crunches or do you leave those behind and only do sit-ups?

Do you only do reverse crunches when you can do a sufficient number of regular crunches (what is that number) or can you do those in conjunction with the regular crunches?

What is the speed of crunches and sit-ups? I know you say moderate speed but was wondering if by moderate you mean the speeds shown on the video Secrets of Stretching.