Curlup tips

[voodooqueen]

From what I gather and have been doing you do the twists while in the up position. Your back should not be touching the bench. It's more work to stay in the up position while twisting as opposed to lying down and twisting.

Of course this wouldn't be the first time I'm completely wrong about something.

I sit back as far as I can and do eight regular curl-ups, then eight twists--alternating sides, sometimes double on each side for variation. When I reach burn-out, I stretch my back and shoulders out, then do it again. I'm still just using the 12 lb. medicine ball and the third notch on the bench. Also, first you should mark your form with your hands behind your head, shoulders down, elbows to the side, look up and breath out as you sit up.

 

[xj220]

I've always done declined sit ups at a fairly steep angle. Tough at first but if you go through the full range of motion they work really well. That and push aways which you start in the same position as the guy in the video but (without medicine ball) you push your feet forward and lean back (keeping balanced) and come back up.

 

[Gatordev]

I think they're Russian because the Russian athletes are extremists--so you know it will hurt. (I trained in fencing with a Ukrainian olympian fencer and he had been in full time training from the age of three.)

I think you haven't been to Bahrain and seen certain "workers" there.

 

[m0tbaillie]

Just checking back in to say that those RUssian twists kicked my ass. And I liked it.

Three days later my ribs/obliques (mostly my ribs) are STILL sore. Good times!

 

[BackOrdered]

Just checking back in to say that those RUssian twists kicked my ass. And I liked it.

Three days later my ribs/obliques (mostly my ribs) are STILL sore. Good times!

I didn't do the Russian twists but I did try weight lifting with my obliques. They really helped out my sit up numbers.

 

[picklesuit]

Any tips on technique as well as exercises to improve curlup numbers would be appreciated.

Well, this doesn't make you stronger, but I never go all the way down on the curl-up (during the test), just until the tips of the shoulder blades touch, and I tend to wear a baggy shirt too! Not the motivated way, but if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying!

 

[Spekkio]

Large amounts of flutter kicks with your hands on your stomach rather than below your ass seem to have worked for me.

 

[Insomneo]

Bogey, could you get the same workout level with an ab ball (one of those giant dodge balls)? Those incline benches are a bit expensive.