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dsacasa
02-08-08, 04:27 PM
How bent are the knees supposed to be for the PFT?

I read this and couldn't get a definitive answer:
"On a flat surface, Marines will lie flat on their back with shoulder blades touching the deck, knees will be bent, and both feet will be flat on the deck."

Are my heels supposed to touch my butt, or as close as they can be?

DIBLO7
02-08-08, 04:47 PM
I think you're over analyzing the crunches... There is nobody that is going to be out there measuring the angle of your legs.

You're on your back. Your feet are flat on the ground. Someone sits on your feet. You cross your arms and grab your biceps. Touch your forearms to your thighs. Rinse and Repeat..

I guess you could say you want the shortest distance from your arms to your thighs so you want to suck in your feet as much as possible. But then again you're talking about inches..If you can't do 100 crunches when someone is on your feet regardless of the angle of your knees you need work.

brian21johansen
02-08-08, 05:00 PM
It doesnt matter how far your ass is from your feet, nobody measures angles. The Drill Instructor's always told us to scoot out ass as close to out feet as possible. That worked for some people but it was uncomfortable for me and I always scooted my ass away from feet.

Before bootcamp I always practiced my crunches with absolute perfect form. In doing so, I always scooted my ass away from my feet to place more resistance on my abs. It got to the point that I'm better at doing crunches that way vs. having my ass close to my feet.

dsacasa
02-08-08, 05:33 PM
It doesnt matter how far your ass is from your feet, nobody measures angles. The Drill Instructor's always told us to scoot out ass as close to out feet as possible. That worked for some people but it was uncomfortable for me and I always scooted my ass away from feet.

Before bootcamp I always practiced my crunches with absolute perfect form. In doing so, I always scooted my ass away from my feet to place more resistance on my abs. It got to the point that I'm better at doing crunches that way vs. having my ass close to my feet.
Yeah that's exactly my situation =P

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.

brian21johansen
02-08-08, 05:48 PM
No problem. I suggest doing what I did and will always do. I practice every exercise with strict form and don't cheat myself. I get more out of doing 15 PERFECT pullups rather than doing 22 half assed pullups. But when it comes to the IST and Final PFT at Parris Island, that's when you can loosen up on your from a little bit to get those last 3 pullups or those extra ten crunches.

SlingerDun
02-08-08, 09:10 PM
About the time i switched from sit-ups to crunches for less lower back pain the Marine Corps had already canked traditional sit-ups. I felt cheated, crunches are the easiest thing in the PFT bar-nun:marine: Been about 17 years since i quit sit-ups and took up crunches so i can stay sound to make a living. 300 crunches about 4 times a week is what i'm at now and i can accurately guarentee that twice as many crunches will not reveal 6 or even 4 pack abs without monitoring feed intake or some kinda regular like humping activities. The ab-roller gut burner contraptions used alone dont, and never will rip your abs.

--->Dave

Tiny90
02-08-08, 09:38 PM
Take your heels touch your butt. Then if you do them the way they want you to, it's like nothing, you have to move a full 4.5" to git your thighs.

And to get toned, i do situps from side to side. its like this

put my right hand behind my head and make my elbow go past the left side of my left knee, know put arms in crunch position and do a forwark crunch/sit-up, now put left hand behind head and make left elbow go past the right side of right knee. now do another regualr situp. Thats one repetition. Count it like push ups 1, 2, 3, 1 1, 2, 3, 2 1, 2, 3, 3 etc... i do 2 sets of 15 and my 3rd i try to get 20.

Just three weeks of this every other day and running monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday and Poolee meetings on Sat. ive gone from a size 38 to a 35 (34 to tight and 36 are loose, so a loose 36) and ive got a 4 pack and the sides are defined and hard. And i havnt lost weight. :)

To get the bottom two (which is harder) hold your feet about 6" off the ground with shoes on, and extend them side to side and go up and down. Do 20 reps of each, take a 45 second break and to them again. Do as many as you can.