View Full Version : Need to increase situps/crunches
I ship in two weeks and I have a big problem. My crunches are and have been at 65 for 2 minutes since I joined DEP (they may have started at 40). Anyway I need helpful tips on ways of increasing the number I do. I know the easiest thing to do is just to do them, but for some reason my tailbone hurts when I do them on thin carpet/hard flooring and I have no one to hold my legs. So I have been doing bicycle situps (not sure if that is the proper name for them) and planks (but not as much because they start to hurt my back after a few sets). I was wondering if anyone (Marine or Poolee) knew of any excercises that were helpful too that could be performed without the assistance of another person. Thanks for any advice/tips.
PS. My IST is wrong I believe. When I had scored 87 and 91 I had been gripping my elbows. The other day my Staff Sergeant walked past me and noticed that I was gripping too low and now I am gripping my biceps. Will change IST information now.
Sorry for posting again but it would not let me re-edit my previous post. I have been practicing my endurance with crunches by trying to do them for 1 minute straight. Usually my problem is I do about 30-40 then stop and do sets of 5 untill time is up. Have been doing bicyle crunches for 30 seconds hard or at a decent pace for 1:15 minutes.
tangovictor87
08-16-09, 12:30 AM
try doing side sit up's and hanging leg lifts if possible. mix it up. if you're doing 22 PU you should have no problem getting 100 crunches by final PFT.
The way I was told to work on them while I was in the DEP was to do 100 proper crunches each night. Don't time yourself, but do 100, whether you start by doing 50, stretch, then do another 10-25, but get to 100. After a few days you'll notice that when you do time yourself, you'll increase in the amount you can do before having to take a break. You're basically building your abs up.
In the rack at night during boot camp, you can do this method to... many people did it when I was in boot camp.
Trust me, crunches are the easiest thing to improve. Best of luck to you!
Pete0331
08-16-09, 02:18 AM
It sounds like your problem is that you need a pad when doing sit ups.
Lower back pains are not uncommon, eventually you just have to deal with it.
For doing sit ups on your own:
Similar to regular sit upsthe only difference is to cross your legs indian style and do them that way.
An alternative method is to keep your legs straight and feet as far apart as possible but still do the rest the same way.
Let me know how that works for you.
Supersquishy
08-16-09, 05:31 AM
Focus on doing 100 situp/crunches regardless on how long it takes. Do 100 every day. I was in kinda the same boat, now I can knock out 100 in one minute 30 seconds and Ive been out for 5 years now.
PS wedge your feet under your couch or someting to hold your feet.
Thanks everyone for your tips. I have tried the sitting down and not stopping until I got 100 crunches. It took me 9 minutes. In my defense I was talking and not really going for time and I had to move several times because I was in the way of someone. Anyway should I be doing that everyday? I have been killing myself (or so I think) since last Thursday. Like doing planks, bicycle abs and everything as much as I can. Finally yesterday I BARELY did 50 crunches and then stopped.... Its getting harder. Should I be doing this daily or every other day? Sorry, just beginning to worry because time is winding down before I ship and I am still disappointed in myself. Again thank you for all the tips
Pete0331
08-18-09, 08:39 PM
Thanks everyone for your tips. I have tried the sitting down and not stopping until I got 100 crunches. It took me 9 minutes. In my defense I was talking and not really going for time and I had to move several times because I was in the way of someone. Anyway should I be doing that everyday? I have been killing myself (or so I think) since last Thursday. Like doing planks, bicycle abs and everything as much as I can. Finally yesterday I BARELY did 50 crunches and then stopped.... Its getting harder. Should I be doing this daily or every other day? Sorry, just beginning to worry because time is winding down before I ship and I am still disappointed in myself. Again thank you for all the tips
Abs can be worked everyday.
Make sure you do the following stretch afterwards: facedown on the ground, hands in the push up position, keeping your pelvis planted on the ground, fully extend your arms.
Extend slowly, hold it for a count of 10, slowly down, repeat.
TRosa06
08-18-09, 09:24 PM
Try doing several sets a day. When I was in DEP I would do a set of 100 in the morning and a set at night at least. Also consider doing them when your sitting around watching tv, not necessarily 100 though. From my experiences, doing them slow also works your abs out more. Proper form also helps, I usually hit 100 around a minute. They come from muscle memory and practice, that's about the only advice I can give. I hope it helps.
The way I was told to work on them while I was in the DEP was to do 100 proper crunches each night. Don't time yourself, but do 100, whether you start by doing 50, stretch, then do another 10-25, but get to 100. After a few days you'll notice that when you do time yourself, you'll increase in the amount you can do before having to take a break. You're basically building your abs up.
In the rack at night during boot camp, you can do this method to... many people did it when I was in boot camp.
Trust me, crunches are the easiest thing to improve. Best of luck to you!
I think his concern is that he wants to pick-up... if he fails the ist at boot camp there's no telling what they'll do.... they may even sep him...
I like some of the advice here... doing 100 sit-ups regardless is the way to go, but I wouldn't get up and stretch... I'd stay in my position and rest... then after a few breaths do more... those will get you the best rewards...
exhausting yourself first can help increase your muscle as well... a Japanese study shows increase muscle when the muscle is starved of oxygen... so go run your 3-5 miles or whatever it is you do then do you max set of crunches and then don't get up until you get 100 of them.
this should help out quite a bit.