The sit-up is a strength training exercise commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles The human abdomen is the part of the body between the pelvis and the thorax. Anatomically, the abdomen stretches from the thorax at the thoracic diaphragm to the pelvis at the pelvic brim. The pelvic brim stretches from the lumbosacral angle (the intervertebral disk between L5 and S1) to the pubic symphysis and is the edge of the pelvic inlet. The. It begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the knees bent in an attempt to reduce stress on the back muscles and spine, and then elevating both the upper and lower vertebrae A vertebra is an individual bone in the flexible column that defines vertebrate animals, e.g., humans. The vertebral column encases and protects the spinal cord, which runs from the base of the cranium down the dorsal side of the animal until reaching the pelvis. From there, vertebrae continue into the tail from the floor until everything superior to the buttocks is not touching the ground. Situps can be dangerous due to high compressive lumbar load[1] and may be replaced with the crunch The crunch exercise was one of the most common exercises for the abdominal muscles in late 20th century America, said to primarily work the rectus abdominis. A safer alternative to the standard crunch is a variant of the crunch known as the curl-up, as taught by spine biomechanics professor Dr. Stuart McGill. This curl-up is considered to be a in exercise programs[2].

Contents

Criticism

Although still common in military training, martial arts Martial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of combat. Martial arts all have similar objectives: to physically defeat other persons or defend oneself or others from physical threat. Some martial arts are also linked to beliefs systems such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism or Shinto while others follow, and mass exercise classes, the conventional sit-up has been considered dangerous, for the following reasons:

Risks to vertebral column

Full sit-ups involve the hip flexors, as well as the abdominal muscles There is a common set of layers covering and forming all the walls: the deepest being the extraperitoneal fat, the parietal peritoneum, and a layer of fascia, which has different names according to what it covers. This can cause the back to arch, with the risk of spinal damage Damage in the case of breakage due to mechanical stress, or gradual, called wear and tear. This is a particular risk for individuals with weak abdominal muscles, but also for individuals who train aggressively, exhausting their abdominal muscles in a training session. Even if these risks are avoided, the leverage exerted by the hip flexors risks compression of the lumbar In tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum . The lumbar region is sometimes referred to as the lower spine. In human anatomy the five vertebrae in the lumbar region of the back are the largest and strongest in the movable part of the spinal intervertebral discs Intervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Each disc forms a cartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together.[3]

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a straight leg sit-up generates approximately 3,500 newtons The newton is the SI derived unit of force, named after Isaac Newton in recognition of his work on classical mechanics (790 lbf The Pound-force is a unit of force in systems of measurement including English Engineering units and British Gravitational units. It is equivalent to 4.44822162 newtons. In most contexts, the shorter name "pound" is used, but this can introduce confusion with the mass unit of the same name (see Pound (mass))) of force on the spine, and a bent-knee sit-up 3,350 N (750 lbf), both levels above the 3,300 N (740 lbf) that correlates highly with lower back injury.[4]

Hip flexor involvement

Modern research suggests that the abdominal muscles are responsible for only the first 30° of lift in a sit up—effectively the part of the motion where the shoulders The shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint (Shoulder joint). In human anatomy, only leave the ground. The hip flexors are responsible thereafter. This diversion of effort from the abdominals reduces the effectiveness of training for purposes of abdominal isolation[3] and makes the sit-up a test of combined spinal and hip flexion rather than spinal flexion alone.[5]

Abdominal muscular hypertrophy

Strength exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups A press-up or push-up (American English) is a common calisthenics exercise performed in a prone position by lowering the body using the arms do not cause the spot reduction Spot reduction is the idea that reduction of fat in a specific area of the body, can be achieved through exercise of specific muscles in the desired area. E.g, exercising the abdominal muscles in an effort to lose weight and fat in or around one's midsection. It is commonly held that spot reduction is a myth, and that fat is burned from body areas of fat. Gaining a 'six pack The rectus abdominis muscle is a paired muscle running vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the human abdomen . There are two parallel muscles, separated by a midline band of connective tissue called the linea alba (white line). It extends from the pubic symphysis/pubic crest inferiorly to the xiphisternum/xiphoid process and lower' requires both abdominal hypertrophy Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. It should be distinguished from hyperplasia, in which the cells remain approximately the same size but increase in number. Although hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two distinct processes, they frequently occur together, such as in the training and fat loss over the abdomen—which can only be done by losing fat from the body as a whole.[3]

See also

Crunch (exercise) The crunch exercise was one of the most common exercises for the abdominal muscles in late 20th century America, said to primarily work the rectus abdominis. A safer alternative to the standard crunch is a variant of the crunch known as the curl-up, as taught by spine biomechanics professor Dr. Stuart McGill. This curl-up is considered to be a- a safer alternative

References

  1. ^ McGill SM (June 1999). "Stability: from biomechanical concept to chiropractic practice". J Can Chiropr Assoc. 43 (2): 75–88.
  2. ^ McGill, Stuart. Low Back Disorders: Evidence-based Prevention and Rehabilitation. Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) code created by Gordon Foster, now Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin, for the booksellers and stationers W.H. Smith and others in 1966 978-0736066921.
  3. ^ a b c Kravitz, Len. "SuperAbs Resource Manual". http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/abdominal.html. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
  4. ^ http://sportscenteraustin.blogs.com/the_view/2006/01/stop_sit_ups_an.html
  5. ^ Szasz A, Zimmerman A, Frey E, Brady D, Spalletta R (November 2002). "An electromyographical evaluation of the validity of the 2-minute sit-up section of the Army Physical Fitness Test in measuring abdominal strength and endurance". Mil Med 167 (11): 950–3. PMID A PMID is a unique number assigned to each PubMed citation of life sciences and biomedical scientific journal articles. The related Pubmed Central archive may additionally assign a separate number, a PMCID (PubMed Central Identifier), normally written with a PMC prefix 12448625. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200211/ai_n9165660.
Strength training Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity or elastic/hydraulic forces to oppose muscle contraction. See the resistance training article for information exercises Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health or wellness. It is performed for various reasons. These include strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance and for enjoyment. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune
Quadriceps The quadriceps femoris , also called simply the quadriceps, quadriceps extensor, quads, is a large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the great extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large fleshy mass which covers the front and sides of the femur. It is the strongest and leanest muscle in the (front of legs) Squat In strength training, the squat is an exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body. Squats are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength and size of the legs and buttocks. Although the squat has long (compound) • Leg press The leg press is a weight training exercise in which the individual pushes a weight or resistance away from them using their legs. The term leg press also refers to the apparatus used to perform this exercise. The leg press can be used to evaluate an athlete's overall lower body strength (compound) • Lunge The lunge is a weight training exercise that is used to strengthen the quadriceps muscles, gluteal muscles and the muscles comprising the "hamstrings", the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. A long lunge emphasizes the glutes whereas a short lunge emphasizes the quadriceps (compound) • Leg raise Leg raise is a strength training exercise used for strengthening the abdominal muscles and hips (compound) • Leg extension The leg extension is a resistance weight training exercise that targets the quadriceps muscle in the legs. The exercise is done using a machine called the Leg Extension Machine. There are various manufacturers of these machines and each one is slightly different. Most gym and weight rooms will have the machine in their facility. The leg extension (isolation)
Hamstrings In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris. In quadrupeds, it (back of legs) Deadlift The deadlift is a weight training exercise where one lifts a loaded barbell off the ground from a stabilized bent-over position. It is one of the three gauges of powerlifting, and is an excellent exercise for overall body development if done properly (compound) • Leg curl Leg curl is an exercise intended to strengthen the hamstring. Some experts claim[who?] that the leg curl is extremely targeted and does not represent a real world exertion. Because of this, they claim it does not strengthen all of the muscles groups involved and may actually cause injury when used in a real world situation (isolation)
Calves In humans, the gastrocnemius muscle is a very powerful superficial muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg and also called the calf. It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel, and is involved in standing, walking, running and jumping. Along with the soleus muscle it forms the calf muscle. Its function is plantar flexing Calf raise Calf raises are a method of exercising the gastrocnemius, tibialis posterior and soleus muscles of the lower leg (isolation)
Pectorals The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle, situated at the chest of the body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles in the male and lies under the breast in the female. Underneath the pectoralis major is the pectoralis minor, a thin, triangular muscle (chest) Bench press The bench press is the second of the three powerlifts, and is used to test the upper body strength of a lifter. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to hypertrophy the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While the person lies on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up (compound) • Fly (isolation) • Machine fly A Machine fly, alternatively called a seated lever fly or "Pec Dec" fly is a strength training exercise based on the free weight chest fly. As with the chest fly, the hand and arm move through an arc while the elbow is kept at a constant angle. Flyes are used to work the muscles of the upper body, primarily the sternal head of the (isolation) • Press-up/Push-up A press-up or push-up (American English) is a common calisthenics exercise performed in a prone position by lowering the body using the arms (compound) • Pullover (isolation)
Lats The latissimus dorsi , meaning 'broadest muscle of the back' (Latin latus meaning 'broad', latissimus meaning 'broadest' and dorsum meaning the back), is the larger, flat, dorso-lateral muscle on the trunk, posterior to the arm, and partly covered by the trapezius on its median dorsal region and trapezius In human anatomy, the trapezius is a large superficial muscle that extends longitudinally from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae and laterally to the spine of the scapula . Its functions are to move the scapulae and support the arm (upper back) Bent-over row A bent-over row is a weight training exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi muscle. The bent over row is a much used exercise in training for both bodybuilding and powerlifting as it is a good exercise for increasing strength and size. It is important to note that injury is a possibility when done incorrectly and proper form is somewhat (compound) • Chin-up The chin-up is a strength training exercise designed to strengthen the latissimus dorsi (compound) • Pulldown (compound) • Pullup A pull-up is an upper body compound pulling exercise where the body is suspended by extended arms, gripping a fixed bar, then pulled up until the elbows are bent and the head is higher than the hands, utilizing an overhand grip. A traditional pull-up relies on upper body strength with no swinging or "kipping" (using a forceful initial (compound) • Shoulder shrug The shoulder shrug is an exercise in weight training. To execute the exercise, the lifter stands erect, hands about shoulder width apart, and raises the shoulders as high as possible, and then lowers them, while not bending the elbows, or moving the body at all. Shrugs are used to develop the upper trapezius muscle. The lifter may not have as (isolation)
Deltoids In human anatomy, the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. Anatomically, it appears to be made up of three distinct sets of fibers though electromyography suggests that it consists of at least seven groups that can be independently coordinated by the central nervous system (shoulders) Front raise The dumbbell front raise is an exercise in weight training. This exercise is an isolation exercise that only works the anterior deltoid. The dumbbell front raise is normally carried out in three to five sets during a shoulder workout, repetitions depend on the type of training a lifter is using to make their required gains (isolation) • Handstand push-up (compound) • Lateral raise A fly is a strength training exercise in which the hand and arm move through an arc while the elbow is kept at a constant angle. Flyes are used to work the muscles of the upper body. Because these exercises use the arms as levers at their longest possible length, the amount of weight that can be moved is significantly less than equivalent press (isolation) • Military press The military press is a variation[citation needed] of the overhead press weight training exercise (compound) • Shoulder press The press, overhead press or shoulder press is a weight training exercise which focuses on the development of the shoulders. The lift is performed standing, by pressing the weight from the anterior deltoids overhead until the arms are extended. The press is primarily intended for the development of the shoulders, secondarily for the triceps and (compound) • Upright row The upright row is a controversial weight training exercise performed by holding a barbell with the overhand grip and lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that involves the trapezius, the deltoids and the biceps. The narrower the grip the more the trapezius muscles are exercised, as opposed to the deltoids (compound) • Rear delt raise The rear delt raise, also known as the rear shoulder raise or rear deltoid raise, is an exercise in weight training. This exercise is an isolation exercise that only works the posterior deltoid (isolation)
Triceps The triceps brachii muscle is the large muscle on the back of the upper limb of many vertebrates. It is the muscle principally responsible for extension of the elbow joint (straightening of the arm) (back of arms) Dip The dip is an exercise used in strength training. Normal, shoulder-width dips primarily train the triceps, with major synergists being the anterior deltoid, the pectoralis muscles , and the rhomboid muscles of the back (in that order). Wide arm training places additional emphasis on the pectoral muscles, similar in respect to the way a wide grip (compound) • Pushdown (isolation) • Triceps extension (isolation)
Biceps (front of arms) Biceps curl (isolation)
Abdomen and obliques (belly) Crunch (isolation) • Sit-up (isolation) • Leg raise (compound) • (any rotational movement will engage the obliques)
Lower back Back extension (isolation) • Deadlift (compound) • Good-morning (compound) • Hyperextension
See also: Bodyweight exercise • Weight training • List of weight training exercises • Bodybuilding

Categories: Bodyweight exercise

 

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Here ia a good . exercise. for building . up. your thigh muscles which the Olympic skier, Jean Claude Killy, used to do. Cross your arms, and with your upper body, thighs and lower legs all at ninety degrees, . sit. against a wall. ...

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