The sit-up workout YOU'RE NOT DOING to get a true six pack from Hell
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Millions Knives
Members Posts: 249 ✭✭
Kind of a long read but only for those who truly wants to improve they body
The "six-pack" has now become the ultimate "show-piece" of a top-notch physique. And for good reason: As the level of obesity continues to rise, a lean abdomen becomes more rare.
And what is rare will always be considered attractive.
Naturally, we are all searching for the best ab exercise. Late night infomercials promise a lean flat stomach in just six minutes a day.
But you had to know it wasn't that easy.
Still... you have to wonder if maybe there's a better way. Let's be honest: The sit-up is a terrible exercise. When performed with strict form, it's a little better... but it's still a poor choice if your end goal is work the ab muscles.
The crunch is a little better, but still leaves much to be desired. Until recently, trainers everywhere were stuck with sit-ups and crunches. But one man changed all that and invented a far more effective exercise.
The reason sit-ups and crunches suck
Traditional sit-ups don't work the ab muscles. Instead, they tend to work the hip flexors.
Let me demonstrate:
I want you to make a fist. Focus on squeezing the fist as tight as you can. If you truly squeeze as hard as you can, you'll notice that your biceps will tense up as well.
This is an interesting phenomenon.
When you tense a muscle, the surrounding muscles tense up as well. When trying to isolate the ab muscles... this is a problem.
You see, when you do a sit-up or a crunch... your ab muscles tense up. But this in turn also activates your hip flexor muscles.
Your hip flexor muscles will overpower your ab muscles and you will never truly exhaust your abs. Luckily, there's a solution.
Try this:
Flex your bicep. Now flex your tricep on the same arm. Now flex your bicep and your tricep (on the same arm) at the same time.
You CANNOT do it. This is because these muscles are antagonistic pairs. When one muscle is flexed... the other must be relaxed. Now, the antagonistic muscle of the hip flexor is the hamstring. When the hamstring is tensed... the hip flexor must be relaxed.
So... how do we flex the hamstring while working the abs?
Enter Professor Vladimir Janda... inventor of the Janda Sit-up. Janda discovered that you can disengage the hip flexors by working with a partner. Simply get in the sit-up position... feet flat on the floor.
Have a partner place his/her hands on your calves. Now, pull on your partner's hands as if you were trying to drag your feet closer to your butt. Your partner should resist. Now, continue to try and drag your feet towards your butt... and with your partner still resisting... try to sit-up.
A lot harder, right?
If you can't manage even a single rep... then start at the top of the movement and work out lowering your torso as slowly as possible.
But What If You Don't Have A Partner?
Odds are, you won't have a partner available to hold your calves. But don't worry, I have a solution. And best of all, this solution does NOT involve buying any over-priced ab gizmos.
I'm going to give you a battle-tested, simple solution and all you need is an ordinary, household... broomstick!
Here's what you do:
Put the broomstick across the frame of a doorway and (while in a sit-up position) hold the broom with your calves.
Pull on the broomstick with your calves to flex your hamstrings and then go through the sit-up motion.
Many people can only do a few Janda sit-ups at first. But continue to work hard at the "Janda" and you will see noticeable strength gains in about two weeks.
The "six-pack" has now become the ultimate "show-piece" of a top-notch physique. And for good reason: As the level of obesity continues to rise, a lean abdomen becomes more rare.
And what is rare will always be considered attractive.
Naturally, we are all searching for the best ab exercise. Late night infomercials promise a lean flat stomach in just six minutes a day.
But you had to know it wasn't that easy.
Still... you have to wonder if maybe there's a better way. Let's be honest: The sit-up is a terrible exercise. When performed with strict form, it's a little better... but it's still a poor choice if your end goal is work the ab muscles.
The crunch is a little better, but still leaves much to be desired. Until recently, trainers everywhere were stuck with sit-ups and crunches. But one man changed all that and invented a far more effective exercise.
The reason sit-ups and crunches suck
Traditional sit-ups don't work the ab muscles. Instead, they tend to work the hip flexors.
Let me demonstrate:
I want you to make a fist. Focus on squeezing the fist as tight as you can. If you truly squeeze as hard as you can, you'll notice that your biceps will tense up as well.
This is an interesting phenomenon.
When you tense a muscle, the surrounding muscles tense up as well. When trying to isolate the ab muscles... this is a problem.
You see, when you do a sit-up or a crunch... your ab muscles tense up. But this in turn also activates your hip flexor muscles.
Your hip flexor muscles will overpower your ab muscles and you will never truly exhaust your abs. Luckily, there's a solution.
Try this:
Flex your bicep. Now flex your tricep on the same arm. Now flex your bicep and your tricep (on the same arm) at the same time.
You CANNOT do it. This is because these muscles are antagonistic pairs. When one muscle is flexed... the other must be relaxed. Now, the antagonistic muscle of the hip flexor is the hamstring. When the hamstring is tensed... the hip flexor must be relaxed.
So... how do we flex the hamstring while working the abs?
Enter Professor Vladimir Janda... inventor of the Janda Sit-up. Janda discovered that you can disengage the hip flexors by working with a partner. Simply get in the sit-up position... feet flat on the floor.
Have a partner place his/her hands on your calves. Now, pull on your partner's hands as if you were trying to drag your feet closer to your butt. Your partner should resist. Now, continue to try and drag your feet towards your butt... and with your partner still resisting... try to sit-up.
A lot harder, right?
If you can't manage even a single rep... then start at the top of the movement and work out lowering your torso as slowly as possible.
But What If You Don't Have A Partner?
Odds are, you won't have a partner available to hold your calves. But don't worry, I have a solution. And best of all, this solution does NOT involve buying any over-priced ab gizmos.
I'm going to give you a battle-tested, simple solution and all you need is an ordinary, household... broomstick!
Here's what you do:
Put the broomstick across the frame of a doorway and (while in a sit-up position) hold the broom with your calves.
Pull on the broomstick with your calves to flex your hamstrings and then go through the sit-up motion.
Many people can only do a few Janda sit-ups at first. But continue to work hard at the "Janda" and you will see noticeable strength gains in about two weeks.
Comments
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I aint reading all that but I see the word broom stick LOL
My stomach looks nice as it is I do jack knives. I havent done any kind of sit ups in a week though so I need to get on that before I lose my 6 pack.
OK, I took the bait and read some of it. Amma need a diagram bruh. -
lol well i appreciate the effort....but just try it and see how it does for you bruh
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ima try ti cuz crunches aint sjhit
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Get a broomstick and put it on the outside of the door
turn it vertical like a pull up bar
grasp it on your calf muscles tight...almost like you trying push it in
and attempt to do the situps
hope that helps somewhat -
How do ya'll embed pictures up here... so I can post a picture of me doing it
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? I was just going to upload it from my cell phone....like facebook lol
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Millions Knives wrote: »How do ya'll embed pictures up here... so I can post a picture of me doing it
somebody help this man right here. I need to see this ? . I think I have an idea of how to do the exercise but I need to see how its done. -
its just [img][/img] with the link inside..it might have to be approved though..and there are so many ab workouts out here..they all seem to work as long as u have your diet on point..abs are made in the kitchen for the most part..cant see them with fat on em
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http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/image-files/janda-sit-up-2.jpg
its a image i got off google.....just imagine it being a broomstick in front of the door your holding with your calfs -
Bout to get on this now
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Millions Knives wrote: »http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/image-files/janda-sit-up-2.jpg
its a image i got off google.....just imagine it being a broomstick in front of the door your holding with your calfs
So just do a sit up with a broom stick leaning on a door frame like that? -
So just do a sit up with a broom stick leaning on a door frame like that?
Basically....I'm glad someone understood....it really wasnt that hard to envision -
I did 100 of them.......I feel a little bit of a burn but it's not much harder than a regular sit up to me.
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I found this............it makes more sense actually seeing it
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Go to 2:09 do this ? . That ? do have your stomach killing
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I found this............it makes more sense actually seeing it
I've been doing this the past 2 days this is some ill ? . -
Dope ? ! Adding this to the regiment!
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Fundz O' Plenty wrote: »Dope ? ! Adding this to the regiment!
take pics when you do them, ok thanks in advance -
junegemini wrote: »take pics when you do them, ok thanks in advance
I doubt I can do them and take a pic... lol.
How about I post the results?! -
nice I'd do mine ? upside down on the bars at the park, but Ima try this
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Thats interesting. I might try it. I do hanging windmills, barbell rollouts, other funky ? and my abs are decent. I got like a 5 pack cause i think i have like a hernia or something but its cool.
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I'm gonna try this ? . Planning on gradually starting a simple workout regimen... so far I've just been running. But my stomach is definitely a main area I need to work on.
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I'm def on this. I needed a strong ab workout. My boxing trainer needs me to shave 4 pounds anyway.
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Millions Knives wrote: »Basically....I'm glad someone understood....it really wasnt that hard to envision
Not at all.
So you do these regularly?
What about the ab machine at the gym? I feel like it hits the upper part of my abs but I don't feel any burn in the lower pouch area women have... -
Millions Knives wrote: »Get a broomstick and put it on the outside of the door
turn it vertical like a pull up bar
grasp it on your calf muscles tight...almost like you trying push it in
and attempt to do the situps
hope that helps somewhat
I think what you meant here is horizontal