Crunches or Sit-Ups?

[Integrity57]

I've read alot of threads with Poolees talking about how many crunches or sit-ups they can do in 2 minutes, but I'm a little confused about which one is actually done in the IST and PFT. If someone could please tell me which one is done in either the IST or PFT I would appreciate it. Thanks.

[osborned]

This is how they had us do it at our pool function for our IST:

You need a partner who sits on your feet and wraps his arms around your lower legs to keep them solidly in front of him. You cross your arms as low as you can, keeping them parallel to each other. Your situp starts flat on your back and ends when your forearms touch your legs. Your legs need to be as close to fully folded up as possible. You can't lift your butt off the ground at any point.

I did the IST a few weeks ago this way and came up with 49 before my abs were burning. Need to work on this.

[Allen870922]

IST and PFT and all your PT sessions you do crunches. Even on the quarter deck and sand pit.

[Integrity57]

Thanks for the answers guys, but is there a certain way you have to do the crunches, like how osborned was explaining the sit-ups?

[ElDiablo]

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Crunches.htm
Check out this site...it shows how to do crunches...and at the bottom are links to other abdominal exercises...

[RuffNight2007]

Crunches:
Lay on your back with your legs up in the air and bent at the knees, forming a 90 degree angle with your legs. Bring your elbows to your knees. DO NOT PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND PULL ON YOUR NECK.

[YLDNDN6]

Wow!!! I've been out 20 years...occasionally, I will "sit up" and grab another Nestle "Crunch" off the nightstand, change one of nephews' "
Pullups" if he gets the "Runs!!! " You guys ROCK!!! I am as proud of this generation of future Marines as I ever was of my generation and those who went before us. Keep up the great work and stay motivated!

[Wolfman07]

To be honest crunches are an art form. lol. It takes practice to build up the abs and if you can get the perfect form down, 100 comes easy. Just gotta get your forearms to touch your legs, shoulder blades to hit the ground, arms stay crossed on your body and dont get lifted off. Thats how I get my 130.

[Integrity57]

I wish I would have known that having your arms crossed was acceptable, I had mine on either side of my head today. But yeah, don't drink most of a bottle of water before you do your crunches, I thought I was going to puke.
:sick:

[RuffNight2007]

I just do sit ups... screw crunches for now, their not part of the PFT. Situps are challenging enough when no one is holding your legs in place.

[Wolfman07]

When I say crunches I mean the ones you do for the PFT.

[osborned]

This is one of the better explanations I've read, taken from www.trulyhuge.com, http://www.trulyhuge.com/news/tips01.htm.


HOW TO DO CRUNCHES THE RIGHT WAY

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet
together flat on the floor and about 10-15 inches from your
buttocks. Your hands should either be crossed on your chest,
by your side, or cupped behind your ears. Without moving your
lower body, curl your upper torso up and in toward your knees,
until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can
get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift--not your back.
As you come to the highest point tighten and flex your abdominals
for a brief second. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting
position. Repeat for reps.</pre>

[Allen870922]

The way they had us do them is someone sat on our feet and held the back of our legs. You lay back and put your thumbs under your arm pits and grabbing your biceps. You keep your arms tight against your body and go up until your elbows touch your legs. Then you go back down and repeat the process over and over. Enjoy.

[RuffNight2007]

Err, I'm confused now. When we did the PFT at one of the pool functions, we did sit-ups, not crunches. But googling "Marine Corps PFT" states crunches. Im confuseddddd. Help meeee!

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You do crunches. I was still in when they made the change. (Same time they got rid of kips on the pull ups) I don't know why they would have you doing sit ups, but that has not been on the PFT sinc 97 or 98.