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Help with ab workout

hgpartyof5 Posts: 2 Joined: 2003/08/30	2003/09/02, 10:04 PM Hi! Please don't think I am dumb, but I am having a HUGE problem with my abs. I am not sure how to exactly tighten my ab muscles when I am doing my workouts. (Gosh, this sounds so stupid.) I know you are supposed to pull your abs in and squeeze, but whenever I start to do a situp, my belly pushes out and I end up straining my neck. How can I successfully do a sit up and know that I am doing it correctly? What kinds of feelings should I have in my stomach? Help! -------------- On my way to achieving my ultimate weight of 130 lbs! Wish me luck! Missy Protecting Your Kids, Owner
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2003/09/02, 10:09 PM Don't do regular situps...with your hands behind your neck, you will just end up pulling with your hands, and strain your neck as you are. Do crunches. Have your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Now come up but 30 degrees or so is all. Then back down, and back up in fairly quick motions. Think of your abs as an accordian, and you are squeezing them togther. Keep your hands/arms crossed over your chest, not behind your head. Hope this helps. -------------- Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better! Ron
inv3rt Posts: 67 Joined: 2003/07/28	2003/09/03, 02:21 AM bb1 is right, crunches isolate your upper abdominals better than situps, and have less strain on your neck and back. Dont forget about your lower abdominals though, which are targeted well with leglifts.
roberta101 Posts: 17 Joined: 2003/08/18	2003/09/03, 03:42 PM Hey HGPartyof5, I was the same way when I first start out. Someone told me this: Get in the sit up position. Put your hands where they feel comfortable (beside you ears on your chest lying on the mat) Visualize there is a winch between your feet. There is a rope attached to it that travels between your feet up to your chest. With back straight winch it up a couple of times (till you feel the burn) then down. Worked wonders for me... now my back doesn't hurt...