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Strengthen Your Core

Technique: Sit-up or Crunches | Technique: Pendulums

You've probably heard it a thousand times: sit-ups are good for you; you should do at least a hundred a day. Yadda yadda yadda. Sounds really exciting, eh? Well, sit-ups are good for you, but you do not have to do hundreds a day to benefit.

Let's start with why sit-ups are beneficial not only for the competitive athlete, but for anyone who can do without back pain or poor posture. The muscles of the abdomen help support the back throughout the day. The two groups of abdominal muscles are the rectus abdominus and the external obliques. They support the mid-section of the body along with the spinal erectors of the back. Weak abdominal muscles mean the spinal erectors have to work harder to support the spine and torso. Numerous sports require motion in the pelvis and lower body, using the torso for leverage. Sit-ups strengthen the abdominal muscles, balancing the back muscles. Thus, the importance of sit-ups.

Now, about those hundreds of sit-ups. I'll be the first to admit that I've tried many times and failed to achieve a "six-pack" stomach. I just couldn't maintain that pace of sit-ups that bodybuilders, magazines, etc., swore were the key. I'm happily in debt to the personal trainer who showed me the light. Multiple small sets throughout the day will achieve your abdominal goal, as long as they are performed correctly, and that's also easy.

Now, I have that six-pack stomach, although it's often obscured by, er...extra snacks. More importantly, when I get off the bike after a long ride, or hammering a big gear, my lower back isn't sore.

Technique

Sit-ups or Crunches

1. Put your feet against a wall or on a piece of furniture or exercise ball so that your knees are at a 90 degree angle, and your upper legs are perpendicular to the floor.

2. Tuck chin to chest. Raise your upper body slowly using your abs. Your hands may be held behind your head or neck, but DO NOT pull on them to help the exercise. Hands may also be folded across the chest. The range of motion and speed are controlled. Do not try to reach or touch your knees, since this may strain your back.

3. Lower your body down slowly. Your upper shoulders may touch the ground, but your head should not. In this way the muscles are always contracted and working. Do not bounce or jerk your body.

A set of 15 should take about 30 seconds. Do two sets before working out, and two afterwards. Do one set a day when not exercising. Do extra sets as the urge strikes you. One can alternate these with Pendulums.

Pendulums

1. Set yourself in the same position as the sit-up, without the support for your legs.

2. Keeping your knees at a 90 degree position, slowly lower your feet 4-6 inches, and then back up to the starting position. This is a very controlled movement, and you should feel your lower abdominal muscles contracting as you perform these correctly.

A set of 15 should take 30 seconds. Do two sets before working out, and two afterwards. Do one set a day when not exercising. Do extra sets as the urge strikes you.

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Jonathan Siegel, Director of Coaching
JDS Sportcoaching, LLC

Jonathan Siegel, CSCS, is an RRCA-certified running coach and certified cycling coach. If you have training questions or comments or are interested in a lactate test, contact JDS Sportcoaching,LLC.