Curl Ups, Sit Up's

[Crazy Canuck]

I have one question about fitness that I would like answered, right now I can easily do 50 seats ups, but for curl ups, I can only do about 32 in one minute, does anybody have any ideas on how to increase that number.

[krj]

CC - some LE departments still use full-situps as part of their fitness testing procedures, but many more departments have moved to doing curl-ups instead (as a way to test core-body muscular endurance).

Those depts. that no longer use full situps have made the change because full situps:

1. Incorporate abdominal muscles during the initial phase of a situp, but then use predominantly hip flexors

2. Place strain on the lower back

3. Allow the individual to use momentum (ie. "bouncing" your back and shoulders off the floor at the bottom of the movement, to aid you in coming back up).

The bouncing, the stabilization of your feet, and the incorporation of other muscle groups aside from abdominals, are all reasons why you can do so many more full situps than you can curl-ups.

To improve, you can try to add resistance to your curl-ups (such as placing a weight plate on your chest). But to really keep improving on your performance, I'll quote someone in another recent post on improving in pushups:

"I would say always push yourself to the limit, and never take long breaks. Always have yourself doing a routine. You'll be doing a lot of (curl-ups) in no time."

Sound familiar?? :) ;)