Hi guys, i recently bought a decline sit up bench since normal situps/crunches and medicine ball situp/crunches weren't enough for me. I understand that there are a ton of variations but i thought i'd try it with a decline bench. I've watched videos online and some people sit up all the way and only go about halfway down, not letting their backs touch the bench. Others start with their back on the bench and only go up halfway, then rest on the bench again. I am confused as to what the correct way of doing them on the decline bench is. I've tried doing the first method, and i don't really feel anything. When i tried the second i feel pain in my lower back as i lift and lower it from the bench. What am i doing incorrectly? Thanks
Whats wrong with situps? how else would you target the lower abs? And while you may not agree with them you didn't explain why.
Sit ups work the hip flexors more than they do the abs and overdeveloped hip flexors are a major cause of lower back pain.
I see. I barely just started working my core on a weekly basis so i doubt they are overdeveloped. They were overly tight which i believe was the cause of my lower back pain for years. It wasn't untill i started doing Judo and Jujitsu and started to work on my flexibility that i stretched them out and now i have no backpain. As i said earlier, while i thank you for your input my original question remains to be answered. What is the proper way to use the decline bench?
I suppose you might be able to use it for decline bench press, or, as with most exercise equipment, it will make an awesome clothing rack.
this is probably why i don't visit this site as often anymore. The ****** attitude most of its "respected" members have is really annoying. I didn't really expect to get any information out of this thread anyway, thanks for contributing
What do you want me to say? You bought a piece of equipment that is pretty much useless. You want to know how you can make that useless piece of equipment useful. I could tell you that you are t3h awesomeness and that you should ignore you lower back pain and plough on through. Then in 6 months time I could chuckle softly to myself when you ask for advice about training with a herniated disc. But I wont, because I'm not that much of a dick.
Translation: 'Any opinion that deviates from my own is wrong and I will throw a tantrum if people don't show me the respect I haven't earned.'
The secret to a strong core: front squat, overhead squat, deadlift all the oly lifts etc. Hip flexors do have their usess however, particulaly for MA's. (kneeing people in the face) I'm going the be diplomatic and say use the bench now and again, bot get your main core workout from compound lifting, and search for some good abb and hip flexor stretches. T-nation has a great one for HFs Personally I'd go all the ay down and all the way up throw some twists into the ROM and a few static holds (try and keep your body parallel to the floor. I've one in the house and i have to admit, its never used appart from the very rare decline DB bench sesh.
Personally I've never thought of sit-ups as bad or useless. You just have to make sure there's more variety in your program than just sit-ups themselves when working your midsection.
I've gotten GREAT benefit from decline crunches to target upper abs and incline leg raises (just flip around on the decline board) for lower abs and hip flexors, which in martial arts, are pretty important. It boils down to angle/direction of pull/push and the ability to concentrate on the muscles you want to use. I often use the touch principle. Place your hand on the desired muscle while performing the exercise and it helps the mind/muscle connection. Sounds flaky but it works. I have a hard time with my left bicep. Its strong and all but I can't seem to get the same contraction out of it as I can my right unless I touch it and focus on it intently. Oh, and OP, easy buddy. One response does not a thread make.
I always liked doing decline sit-ups with a partner, and when you sit up your partner raps you in the gut with a boxing glove he's holding.
you mean the respect I THINK I've earned don't you? Because with only 28 posts he really hasn't had a lot of time to earn anything... jus sayin...
nice drill! We used to do that with a block of wood with foam on it, never thought about using the decline board for it though. Thinking of donating my sit up bench to the boxing club, I never do any training at home really and do more sit ups at boxxing than anywhere else.
To be honest, apart from a few 'pavelesque' crunches I do as part of my pre-lifting warm up/mobility work, I don't currently do any direct 'core' work. But then I am doing deadlifts, front squat, OH squat etc and about 8hrs of BJJ/Judo a week The cool thing about BJJ is that you spend about half the drilling time on your back trying to get up Hence, why overwork my midsection!
