# 70 Sit Ups in 1 minute



## Soldado (Mar 23, 2013)

So, here's my question: How to get to 70 Sit-ups in 1 minute?

My record has been 60 in a minute and 104 in 2 minutes and I've followed this program until the end: http://300situps.com/ . Please do not answer 'Go to the gym' or 'Go to Crossfit' :), because all I need is my self weight :).


----------



## RackMaster (Mar 23, 2013)

Why?  Is there a standard you are trying to reach or just competitive nature?

I'd say it'll be just like any other exercise plateau, change up your routine.


----------



## Ranger Psych (Mar 23, 2013)

Swap things up. Flutter kicks, half ups, all the way ups, half downs from the top, supine bicycle... then get buddy leg throws in.

Buddy leg throws: On your back, buddy stands at your head, hold his ankles. Feet together, try to kick him in the chest. he throws your feet left/right/straight to work abs/obliques with more resistance than gravity gives. Go for 2 minutes.

Also helps if you can do flutter kicks off a bench or platform so you get a deeper low point in than if you're just lying on the ground.


----------



## Soldado (Mar 23, 2013)

RackMaster said:


> Why? Is there a standard you are trying to reach or just competitive nature?


 
I want to improve myself and I want a very good mark on my tests.

Thank you both for helping.


----------



## dknob (Mar 24, 2013)

Does the time allotted for the range of motion for a sit-up even allow for 70 reps in 60 seconds?

That's something you should research first lol


----------



## TheSiatonist (Mar 24, 2013)

Looks like you did 1 full sit-up in 1 second to get 60 sit-ups in a minute!

That is awesome in my book if you did it properly (hands to the side of the head, feet flat on the floor, legs 90 degrees and shoulder blades touching the floor as your body comes down).


----------



## Soldado (Mar 24, 2013)

dknob said:


> Does the time allotted for the range of motion for a sit-up even allow for 70 reps in 60 seconds?
> 
> That's something you should research first lol


 

Yes, at least here in the 2005 it was one of the test to go to the Ranger School and one of the marks you have to do to earn the Warhawk is 70 Sit-ups in a minute.






What is a Warhawk?(Click here)


TheSiatonist said:


> Looks like you did 1 full sit-up in 1 second to get 60 sit-ups in a minute!
> 
> That is awesome in my book if you did it properly (hands to the side of the head, feet flat on the floor, legs 90 degrees and shoulder blades touching the floor as your body comes down).


 
I DO NOT cheated myself .


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Mar 24, 2013)

I would work on flexion challenge exercises, not more flexion movements....but that's just me.

Side note:

The goal of the abdominals, glutes, lats ect. all of which is the "core" is to stop motion through the spine/pelvis and generate power through the shoulders and hips where the motion should take place.....punching, cutting/changing direction...all require a snap, a spring, a force generator like a whip.

Anyone who does hundreds of situps everyday is robbing their athletic capacity. You can equate the spine to a credit card or coat hanger. Eventually through repeated cycles of flexion/extension the spine will break (disc hernation).

Top MMA fighters who have reached their late 20's/mid 30's and choose to continue competing have stopped doing flexion/extension exercises because they have burned up their capacity to do so. Now, the smart ones atleast, save the flexion/extension for when it's really needed...in the ring. Just as soldiers should save their capacity for when it's needed, in the field, doing their job.


Hope this didn't come across as being a dick, I'm just pretty passionate about helping others avoid injuries, improve athletic performance smartly.


----------



## dknob (Mar 24, 2013)

GHD Sit Ups. Transition all training to the GHD machine and when you do your regular test it'll feel incredibly easy


----------



## Soldado (Mar 24, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> I would work on flexion challenge exercises, not more flexion movements....but that's just me.
> 
> Side note:
> 
> ...


 
Thank you very much for the information, but *"Source?"* Medic? Internet? Neighbor?



dknob said:


> GHD Sit Ups. Transition all training to the GHD machine and when you do your regular test it'll feel incredibly easy


 
Nice idea, but I do not have the machine  .


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Mar 24, 2013)

Soldado said:


> Thank you very much for the information, but *"Source?"* Medic? Internet? Neighbor?
> Nice idea, but I do not have the machine  .


 

Myself, self study and time spent with Dr. Stuart McGill a professor of spine biomechanics out of the University of Waterloo in Canada. He's considered the world's best expert in the field and top athletes, teams, military, Olympic personnel along with the most difficult back cases are often referred to him.


----------



## pardus (Mar 24, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> I would work on flexion challenge exercises, not more flexion movements....but that's just me.
> 
> Side note:
> 
> ...


 
Very interesting. What would you recommend exercise-wise then?


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Mar 25, 2013)

Bird dogs, side planks, McGill curl up done in a Russian style of descending sets. Example with the side plank... 6 reps left side for 10 secs, then 6 for the right 10 secs.....5, 4, 3, 2 ect.

You don't want to hold the contraction longer than 10 seconds.


"Keep the duration of isometric exercises under 10 seconds and build endurance with repetitions, not by increasing the duration of the holds. Near infrared spectroscopy of the muscles showed us this was the way to
build endurance without the muscles cramping from oxygen starvation and acid buildup."

http://www.backfitpro.com/pdf/selecting_back_exercises.pdf


----------



## pardus (Mar 26, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> post


 
Thank you Brother.


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Mar 26, 2013)

No problem. Once movement patterns are established to brace the "core" and move throughout the hips and shoulders, more advanced exercises can be added. For example, unilateral suitcase carries.

I was one who thought the bird dog was a wimpy exercise... Well then Dr. McGill had me putting near maximum contraction in it, squeezing the fist to activate all the muscles through my upper back and lats, abs are braced and push through the heel of the foot so it engages all the musculature of the lower body. It sucked..


Same thing regarding pullups. Maximum contraction, bending the bar, ripping yourself up to the bar and when you lower yourself the shoulders never leave the socket. Maximum tension, maximum intensity.

He also shared some photos of the "gyms" of some top athletes. You would be surprised of one, it was nothing more than a rope strung between two trees, a kettlebell and I believe that was it. A very very basic backyard gym.


Also, backfitpro.com is his site. It has many interviews and articles about/from him. One of his interviews talks about his consult with the Olympics. Very good read.


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Mar 26, 2013)

Sorry for  your thread Soldado.

I'll create another one.


----------



## Soldado (Apr 1, 2013)

Well, I found this on internet: http://www.sportchiroplus.com/2012/12/18/sit-ups-are-a-thing-of-the-past/ . It's not too bad perform sit-ups occasionally, at least every armed forces in the world do it.

And what about these sit-ups?





 
An article about what MilkTruckCoPilot has said, but in Spanish :):

http://perdergrasarapido.com/perder-grasa-en-el-estomago/ejercicios-abdominales-dolor-espalda/


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Apr 1, 2013)

I see your first link mentions Stuart McGill a great deal 

Every service in the world performs sit ups you say but that doesn't mean it's a good thing. Remember, it's the cumulative trauma that creates the injury with the back. Your spine has only so many bends (flexion/extension) in it before it breaks (disc delamination). Save those bends for everyday living brother.

Keep the low back sturdy and strong. Train it to do it's job which is to STOP movement in the back and for bearing load.


----------



## Soldado (Apr 1, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> I see your first link mentions Stuart McGill a great deal
> 
> Every service in the world performs sit ups you say but that doesn't mean it's a good thing. Remember, it's the cumulative trauma that creates the injury with the back. Your spine has only so many bends (flexion/extension) in it before it breaks (disc delamination). Save those bends for everyday living brother.
> 
> Keep the low back sturdy and strong. Train it to do it's job which is to STOP movement in the back and for bearing load.


 
Military life's requires sacrifices and you know it.

I'll try to keep it  .


----------



## MilkTruckCoPilot (Apr 1, 2013)

Soldado said:


> Military life's requires sacrifices and you know it.
> 
> I'll try to keep it  .


 
Yes when someone else is forcing you to do situps in a school, smoke session or otherwise. When it's within your own control you should train smartly.


----------



## Soldado (Apr 2, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> Yes when someone else is forcing you to do situps in a school, smoke session or otherwise. When it's within your own control you should train smartly.


 

I agree, but I think I'll need it in a tough selection process(Like SFAS, CSS, UKSFS, etc). For example I'm going to apply to the FFL, after it I won't do more sit-ups till I need it again. But If I'm going to the Airborne School or to the Close Protection Training I won't need to do thousands of sit-ups. That's the point.

At least, I needed to do 75 sit-ups(2 minutes)at a minimum in my CPT's selection and most people failed it  .


----------



## Soldado (May 19, 2013)

I've been doing what MilkTruckCoPilot said but my Sit-ups has decreased .


----------



## Soldado (Sep 16, 2013)

A new Stew Smith's workout program about sit-ups: http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/09/situp-test-help-improve-fast.html Hope this helps.


----------



## 0699 (Sep 16, 2013)

It's funny that I just saw this, as I'm developing my own new Special Operations workout.

It's called "7*1* Sit Ups in 1 Minute".


----------



## SkrewzLoose (Sep 17, 2013)

Seems very "can't see the forest for the trees"-ish.


----------



## TLDR20 (Sep 17, 2013)

MilkTruckCoPilot said:


> Bird dogs, side planks, McGill curl up done in a Russian style of descending sets. Example with the side plank... 6 reps left side for 10 secs, then 6 for the right 10 secs.....5, 4, 3, 2 ect.
> 
> You don't want to hold the contraction longer than 10 seconds.
> 
> ...



Strange that is the opposite of everything I have been told about planks going all the way back to SOPC. Pilates and their ilk use at least minute holds.


----------

