Crunches Advice please

[92Runner]

Ok so I've read a few of the threads on this that I could find but couldn't find exactly what i was looking for.

Ok so I'm supposed supposed to leave for Boot camp very soon and have just encountered a problem. At home I can do 60-70 crunches. But at the office with someone holding my legs all I can do is 48. Reason is; the way they hold my legs(i guess?) makes my calves and feet tops cramp up horribly to where I literally cannot do another. My back and abs arent even almost starting to hurt.

What can I do to relieve pressure on my legs in my crunches? I only tech need 2 more but I'd like to do 60 thursday so they can really only say good job. Lol.
Any advice is much appreciated

[Sergeant M]

Have you tried stretching your calf muscles before doing crunches? Most of the time, you will do the crunches after the run. This being said, your muscles should be warmed up and you shouldn't cramp up after 2 minutes of sitting down. Make sure you are hydrated, and try getting a little more potassium in your diet.

[92Runner]

Have you tried stretching your calf muscles before doing crunches? Most of the time, you will do the crunches after the run. This being said, your muscles should be warmed up and you shouldn't cramp up after 2 minutes of sitting down. Make sure you are hydrated, and try getting a little more potassium in your diet.

Il get some bananas on my way home today. A couple days ago I did 48 and my calves cramped up. So I kept stretching them and today it was mostly the top of my feet. Little bit calves. That's what I don't really understand. Could I be pulling to much with my legs in the crunch? Il try streching my ankles and feet alot. I HAVE to do 50 atleast on thur.

[MOS4429]

I had a similar problem doing sit-ups. (Old Corps.) But I think the situation is the same. The way I resolved it was to first get myself positioned the way I wanted to do my sit-ups, especially getting my feet at the angle I wanted them. If the person holding my feet straightened my feet and held my knees too close together and held too tightly, it made it worse.

So I got my feet at the angle I wanted them, about 45 degrees, got my knees at the distance I wanted them, and then have the person sit on their but with the under part of their thigh on your feet, not their butt and definitely not their knees. Have them hold around your calves loosely. If they cinch up and it causes your knees to come together, tell them to loosen their grip. You are doing the crunches. Have them adjust to the position that works for you, not the other way around. While doing crunches, if they start to tighten up, tell them to loosen.

You probably do better on your own, also, because your feet may be slightly coming up.

Work with it.

[iamspartacus]

First of all, if you don't like the way someone is holding your feet, it's your responsibility to tell them to adjust. These are your crunches. And as long as your feet and butt stay on the ground, they can hold them however you tell them to. Secondly, make sure your feet are as close to your butt as possible. When I do crunches the back of my feet nearly touch my butt. Why? Because the closer your feet are, the more upright your thighs are. And the more upright your thighs are, it's a shorter distance you have to come up to touch your forearms to your thighs. Which obviously means you're expending less energy than you would if your feet were further out and you had to come up farther to touch your forearms to your thighs. I think by moving your feet in, it will naturally take some pressure off your calves.

And when you are doing them, deliberately focus on engaging your abs more than your legs. You're probably trying to lift your toes when you do a crunch. When you do that, it pulls on your calves. And obviously puts strain on your feet. So consciously make an effort to keep your feet relaxed.

Last thing, make sure you're not going ALL the way down. I'm pretty sure your shoulder blades are the only thing that need to touch the ground when you come down. You don't have to put your shoulders and head on the ground before you come back for your next crunch. If you're doing that, and your feet are pulled in, you're really only crunching a matter of inches from your forearms to your thighs.

[92Runner]

First of all, if you don't like the way someone is holding your feet, it's your responsibility to tell them to adjust. These are your crunches. And as long as your feet and butt stay on the ground, they can hold them however you tell them to. Secondly, make sure your feet are as close to your butt as possible. When I do crunches the back of my feet nearly touch my butt. Why? Because the closer your feet are, the more upright your thighs are. And the more upright your thighs are, it's a shorter distance you have to come up to touch your forearms to your thighs. Which obviously means you're expending less energy than you would if your feet were further out and you had to come up farther to touch your forearms to your thighs. I think by moving your feet in, it will naturally take some pressure off your calves.

And when you are doing them, deliberately focus on engaging your abs more than your legs. You're probably trying to lift your toes when you do a crunch. When you do that, it pulls on your calves. And obviously puts strain on your feet. So consciously make an effort to keep your feet relaxed.

Last thing, make sure you're not going ALL the way down. I'm pretty sure your shoulder blades are the only thing that need to touch the ground when you come down. You don't have to put your shoulders and head on the ground before you come back for your next crunch. If you're doing that, and your feet are pulled in, you're really only crunching a matter of inches from your forearms to your thighs.

I think I am pulling up on my toes when I do them.
Il practice some today an see if I can't find a better position for my feet legs and such that I don't strain my calves and ankles.

And your right about the shoulder blade(according to everything I've ever heard/read) however my RS station (minus my Sgt) tends to not count the crunch unless the middle of ur shoulder blade touches (basically laying all the way down)

[92Runner]

I had a similar problem doing sit-ups. (Old Corps.) But I think the situation is the same. The way I resolved it was to first get myself positioned the way I wanted to do my sit-ups, especially getting my feet at the angle I wanted them. If the person holding my feet straightened my feet and held my knees too close together and held too tightly, it made it worse.

So I got my feet at the angle I wanted them, about 45 degrees, got my knees at the distance I wanted them, and then have the person sit on their but with the under part of their thigh on your feet, not their butt and definitely not their knees. Have them hold around your calves loosely. If they cinch up and it causes your knees to come together, tell them to loosen their grip. You are doing the crunches. Have them adjust to the position that works for you, not the other way around. While doing crunches, if they start to tighten up, tell them to loosen.

You probably do better on your own, also, because your feet may be slightly coming up.

Work with it.

45 degrees with heels apart or toes?

And il try and do some those suggestions. The COs at my RS are kinda strict about feet together and Partners Butt on the feet.

[MOS4429]

45 degrees with heels apart or toes?

And il try and do some those suggestions. The COs at my RS are kinda strict about feet together and Partners Butt on the feet.

Again, this is WHAT WORKED FOR ME! AND...it was for sit-ups, not crunches.

However, when I do crunches, I position my feet the same, and for me, it is toes facing out, not straight and definitely not in.

Is there a reason they want your feet together? Is that required? Because I know when doing situps, that it was recommended feet closer together and butt on feet, too, but NOT FOR ME!

So I think you need to experiment with it and find out what is the best foot placement for you, whether close to butt or farther out, feet further apart, whatever until you find out what helps you pop em out.

Good luck.

[92Runner]

Again, this is WHAT WORKED FOR ME! AND...it was for sit-ups, not crunches.

However, when I do crunches, I position my feet the same, and for me, it is toes facing out, not straight and definitely not in.

Is there a reason they want your feet together? Is that required? Because I know when doing situps, that it was recommended feet closer together and butt on feet, too, but NOT FOR ME!

So I think you need to experiment with it and find out what is the best foot placement for you, whether close to butt or farther out, feet further apart, whatever until you find out what helps you pop em out.

Good luck.

Ya il work on it today. and I'm not sure if it's 'required' il try and position myself the way I want. Whenever someone moves different than outlined they say to move back. Il try saying this is easier for me or something and see what happens. The CO will be there thur and my Sgts get mad if we say anything but yes sir. So idk. Il give it a shot though. Getting yelled at for speaking out of turn is better than getting in trouble for not doing enough crunches.

[Apache]

Is it a requirement to have your feet held ?
Seems to me the simple fix

Course GVT. simple does not compute----

[92Runner]

Is it a requirement to have your feet held ?
Seems to me the simple fix

Course GVT. simple does not compute----

As far as I can tell yes it is a requirement. From the research Ive done on the subject it seems that the marine corps crunch isn't a 'real' crunch. And that's the point. They have their own way of doing it.