Weighted situps form

[mrRuckus]

It's a form question: not a debate over whether to do them or not or what bench to use or whether to do crunches instead or where to hold the weight.

 

[mrRuckus]

I think as long as you don't let you're self fall down it'll be alright. Stronglifts said here a while back that some exercises don't benefit from a negative motion like the BOR.

Not that it wouldn't benefit but you can't really do a slow negative without losing a ton of weight on that lift.

Two tenets from DC training are "lower the weight 'under control'" and "you're mainly lifting the weight up so you can lower it back down."

 

[fireguy]

Im just passing on information from charles poliquin: After six to eight weeks of ab training, the core can only get so strong using core movments. After that, good mornings, squats and deadlifts will be better for strenghten your core.

Maby he is wrong. After all, he only trained like 500 olympic competitors.

Though, the westside gang tell people to work the abs. So if your aim is to squat 900 lbs, maby its a good idea.

Who to listen to ...

 

[Drum&Bass]

Your absolutely correct fireguy, I personally don't use weight when it comes to ab training (theres no reason for it). But when you use heavy weights for abs, they will get big, and look distended.

 

[spesmilitis]

"Throwing my two cents, been gyming for about 2 yrs now best friend is learning to become a personal trainer. Too much "weighted" situps will likely lead to a powerlifters belly rather than deffinition"

Nope

 

[fireguy]

Your absolutely correct fireguy, I personally don't use weight when it comes to ab training (theres no reason for it). But when you use heavy weights for abs, they will get big, and look distended.

Nope, look at elite powerlifters Dave Tate and Dave Gulledge dieted down. Or jonnie Jackson for that matter. They have waists proportional to their bodyweight and are powerlifters at elite level. I personally trained with 120 lbs on cable crunshes with no distended waist. Overeating and growth hormones distend the waste. So does getting really big. Basicly, the abs grows proportionally to the body just like arms and calves.

I just figured ... after all those heavy cable crunshes. Is it really neceary beyond a certain point?

Edit: For the record, Tate and Gulledge both have done alot of weighted ab work. "Powerlifters belly" is basicly fat. If you've been studying to become a personal trainer for two years, you really need to do some self study. Go to Iron Addicts page and read all the articles.

For kicks, I'll include pictures
Tate before - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/06-042-diet/image002.png - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/06-042-diet/image015.png
Tate after - http://asp.elitefts.com/images/upload/qa/dave-bathroom.jpg - http://asp.elitefts.com/images/upload/qa/dave-4.jpg

Gulledge before - http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/.1122150774032.bigdave2.JPG
After - http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/.1122151094030.DSCN0115.JPG

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Power lifter's belly???? That sounds absurd. I don't get why so many people think the abs are an exception to the other muscles in your body. I watch guys go in the gym cranking out 100 crunches while i do about twenty with weights. Explain to me why doing no weights is better? Doing tons of situps with no weights just gets you so far until you peak. Hell, i think a lot of crunches/situps are bad, just like i think low weight - high rep sets for exercises only destroy muscle. This discussion reminds me of another discussion on here with soome dude who said doing pushups is the way to go and fuk benching. RIDICULOUS

 

[Drum&Bass]

building muscle on your chest without resistance is MUCH different than having defined abs with out weights or light weights. Who said anything about hi-reps ??

having distended abs from weighted situps is a bit of a stretch, so I'll retract that. It all depends on what kind of look your going for.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

how is it different from the pushup debate? Oh wait, its the ABS...I forgot how much different of a muscle it is compared to other muscles in my body.

 

[Drum&Bass]

how is it different from the pushup debate? Oh wait, its the ABS...I forgot how much different of a muscle it is compared to other muscles in my body.

what exactly are you crying about I-tallion ?? If you want a big chest push big weight, if you want defined abs exercise them (big weight not-necessary).

 

[protienpowder]

maybe big weights aren't necessary, but they'll definitively help.

 

[Quiksilver]

This is a really bad argument. Why? It's so subjective.

Guy A might be going for a lean 170lbs, so he goes in and does bench press, curls, mabye even squats, some LIGHT medicine ball abs, and thats perfect for his purposes.

Guy B might be aiming at 400/500/600. Guy B also knows that there's no way in seven hells that he's going to get there without heavy abdominal work. Therefore, Guy B logically includes weighted situps/crunches/cables in his schedule.

Which one are you?

 

[Warboss Alex]

I've seen plenty of skinny guys with low bf%'s who don't have abs despite doing 100s of crunches - if your abs aren't big enough to show through they will not, and if they don't grow from weightless ab exercises then it's time to do situps with a plate on your chest.

for anyone pushing even a semi-respectable amount of weight, weighted ab work is a given.