View Full Version : Pull up/Chin up? Sit up/Crunch?
AndreBlanks
05-14-08, 08:03 PM
I have a question about what the PFT contains--I read pull ups and chin ups. I know one is an over-hand grip, one under. I've read you can choose. Was wondering if there's a definate answer to whether it's over or under hand? Same thing with sit ups and crunches. Sit ups, which I've always heard defined as coming all the way up to your legs--or crunches, which I've always heard defined as coming up so that just about your shoulder blades lift off. Thanks for any info.
Haffner
05-14-08, 08:13 PM
Pullups (chinups) can be done overhand or underhand; it's your preferance.
The crunches (situps) are performed with someone else sitting on your feet, your arms crossed, hands grabbing the opposite bicep, remaining in contact with your abdomen the entire time. The repetition is halfway done when your elbows touch your quadriceps and on the way down your shoulder blades must meet the ground to count as a full repitition.
Hope that helps.
Echo_Four_Bravo
05-14-08, 08:32 PM
The sit up question may come from the fact that it wasn't all that long ago that we did sit ups and not crunches.
The pull ups you can do either way- it is just easier to say pull ups rather than pull ups and/or chin ups.
AndreBlanks
05-15-08, 04:57 PM
Thanks for info--I've always heard underhand is easier and uses your biceps a lot more as opposed to overhand which uses your back and is supposed to be harder so I'm surprised they let you choose but thanks.
You can even switch your grip halfway through your set if you like. Long as your feet don't touch the ground.
AndreBlanks
05-15-08, 06:28 PM
Wow, I'm surprised but I'll have to start training on both.
Echo_Four_Bravo
05-15-08, 06:39 PM
Actually, overhand is usually much easier for people. The back is a major muscle group, while the biceps are secondary. There is much more muscle available to pull you up in your back than there is in your biceps.
The thing I'm still surprised about is that until 1997 or 1998 we were allowed to "kip" which ensured that just about everyone was able to get the 20 pull ups.
AndreBlanks
05-15-08, 06:58 PM
Actually, overhand is usually much easier for people. The back is a major muscle group, while the biceps are secondary. There is much more muscle available to pull you up in your back than there is in your biceps.
Yeah true. That is wierd that you'd be allowed to kip--kind of like a cheat.
Haffner
05-15-08, 07:05 PM
It's preferance and my suggestion is to train in one or the other. One of my mistakes was working them both, to be honest. That kept me at only doing 9-11 pullups for my first year in the Corps, as I've noticed amongst many others.
Then came a day in school when one of my Sgt's noticed and told me it'd be in my best interests to train the one I could do the most in (underhand). Two months later I was doing 20+.