Lower back sore from crunches?

[LoneWanderer]

Hello Marines. Lately I've been really focusing on my crunches because I leave in less than one month and they aren't as good as they can be. I can do 63 on a good day but I don't want to be that close to the minimum.

Anyway, I've been doing 3 max sets a day (which is about 150ish) five days a week, and my lower back is starting to get sore. It isn't in any pain at all, it's just that when, for example, I bend over, I feel like an old man lol.

Do any of you experience this? I'm pretty sure my form is correct because when I do them at IST's and PT my recruiter never says anything. I'm just worried that I might injure my back and that's the last thing I want to happen before I ship out.

Thanks!

Also, can someone clarify what the 'minimum' for crunches is? We have to do 55 at my recruiting station but I've heard 45 is the minimum from others.

[MOS4429]

Hello Marines. Lately I've been really focusing on my crunches because I leave in less than one month and they aren't as good as they can be. I can do 63 on a good day but I don't want to be that close to the minimum.

Anyway, I've been doing 3 max sets a day (which is about 150ish) five days a week, and my lower back is starting to get sore. It isn't in any pain at all, it's just that when, for example, I bend over, I feel like an old man lol.

Do any of you experience this? I'm pretty sure my form is correct because when I do them at IST's and PT my recruiter never says anything. I'm just worried that I might injure my back and that's the last thing I want to happen before I ship out.

Thanks!

Also, can someone clarify what the 'minimum' for crunches is? We have to do 55 at my recruiting station but I've heard 45 is the minimum from others.

It's called overuse. 3 times a day is too much and you are straining your back without opportunity to rest. Go to every other day, and don't try to max it out every time. Insteady do repeat sets so you make it a workout. So do 5 sets of 15 the first week, 5 sets of 20 every other day 2nd week, 5 sets of 20, and rest between sets. Do other core workout instead of just crunches. You are overworking the same muscles over and over and over and straining your back muscles.

Quite frankly, if I was in this situation, I would take 3 days off, no nothing, and then start up doing sets. Back in the day we did situps. I always maxed them every PFT, but when working out, I never did max sets of situps. Instead, I did sets of situps in conjunction with my other workout routine.

Can't help you with the minimum number.