Whats the best way to do sit ups?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:00:36 -0400

I have a pt test in few days. I usually pass but im at BLC and i dont wanna fail im nervous. What is everyones way of doing sit ups? Do you iinhale or exhale when going up ect? I have to get 50 to pass

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 9:04 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:04:21 -0400

I do as many as possible as fast as possible. rest and take a few deep breaths and then k no knock them out 10 or so at a time until failure.
That works for me. Maybe not for you.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 9:07 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:07:28 -0400

Your legs need to be at a 90° angle. You need you exhale when you come up and inhale when you come down. Use your arms as momentum when you try to go back up. Remember, the biggest part of failure and thinking you are going to fail. Push through the sit up event and you will do fine. It’s two minutes if your life you must dedicate to the sit up. You got this!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 9:08 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:08:16 -0400

Sit-ups arente usually hard to grade. Just come up as far as possible and keep your hands in place. If you knock out one Situp every two seconds you'll be fine

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 9:08 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:08:45 -0400

Cpl, I’ve never really given it much thought. If I had to give you an answer I would tell you to exhale pulling yourself up. It’s just like going to gym. When you lift weights you exhale during the rep and breath in between. If that makes any sense. On a side note, you should be exercising daily and keeping your physical readiness at the standard. It takes the worry out of worrying about passing your APFT. Good luck.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Aug 18 at 2019 9:22 PM

CW4 Craig Urban — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:22:54 -0400

Put your feed under your bed and crunch, crunch. Or to to the gym on a incline board.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 9:31 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 21:31:08 -0400

SOFLETE has a good YouTube video that helps with it, just search for it

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 10:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 22:09:07 -0400

I find that breathing in on the way up helps to tighten my core, while breathing out on the way back down helps me to relax and “rest”.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 10:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 22:36:35 -0400

Get someone heavier than you. It will let you use your hip flexors and legs more for the sit ups. You got 2 minutes. Bust out as many as you can in quick succession and then slow down if you need to. Use your momentum to pop back up. I would also suggest doing exercises that increase your hip flexor strength too which will also help with running speed as well.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2019 11:13 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 23:13:41 -0400

To make it easy in explanation, here's what I do to knock out 70-80 with my sciatica aggravating me the whole time:
-toss yourself back and bunch off the mat, do not ease yourself down. At LEAST let yourself fall without resistance
-curl your upper body into the situps instead of remaining rigid. The base of the neck needs to be vertical to the base of the spine for it to count being far enough without fail so curling in produces the need to come higher
-use your hips after you are slowing down, if they hold your toes and you focus on trying to lift them up against the holder....your body will begin to rise. Your muscles will still want to work but with toes locked down your body has the least resistance, do this until feeling the effect and then back to normal
-reduce time for resting until you hit a steady chunk of your total count, if you do 30 w/o rest then work 5 at a time from there and slight rest after 5
-wiggle and keep wiggling, but dive your upper body into the situp to propel yourself up
pop-rock slightly to the sides of your bottom, my hips burn but I relieve pressure and engage muscles differently when i shift my pivot off my tailbone and onto more of a cheek. Still keep knees at a 90 degree and do not raise off the ground
-if allowed, chew a piece of gum. My secret to keeping my mouth from being dry and passing time (reduce time spent worrying about performance and enjoying the fruity flavor) helps put you in a better state of mind.

Best of luck!!!!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2019 1:06 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 01:06:05 -0400

Every day

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Aug 19 at 2019 7:46 AM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 07:46:51 -0400

Don't try to give too much thought or overthink, just do them, they aren't that hard if Your in shape. Overthinking on that can be self defeating.

Response by 1SG Eddie Smith made Aug 19 at 2019 8:49 AM

1SG Eddie Smith — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 08:49:21 -0400

Always exhale when going up!

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Aug 19 at 2019 10:02 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 10:02:15 -0400

Don't waste any energy coming down. When you're at the top just "fall" down to your back, catch yourself before your entire body is on the mat, and spring back up. Remember that your head doesn't have to be on the mat, you just need your shoulders so curl your head forward and try to be as compact as possible.

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2019 10:38 AM

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 10:38:17 -0400

Good advice here. My best advice
1. Practice without anything holding your feet down. It's an extra ab exercise keeping your legs down and it's just tougher. So when game day comes And you have someone holding your feet it will feel way easier
2. On game day, when you're counting your situps, count from your goal number and down. It gives your body extra motivation by convincing yourself you need to make it to zero

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Aug 19 at 2019 12:26 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:26:15 -0400

Use the momentum of your arms to swing yourself back and forth.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2019 4:00 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 16:00:41 -0400

don't bend your knees any more than you have to, it gives you better leverage.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2019 4:18 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 16:18:16 -0400

Exhale when rising to the up position.
Don't fully control your, rather fall back like another member recommended.
Listen to the grader, so you know if the reps are being done properly, so are counted.
Ask the Soldier holding your feet to hold your ankles tightly and rock with you.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Aug 19 at 2019 8:32 PM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 20:32:06 -0400

I would do about 200 a day until you reach muscle failure!

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2019 9:07 PM

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 21:07:50 -0400

Man, I'm gonna missed gaming this PT test when it's gone.

For sure ups I found that doing 10 hip ups about 2 min prior helps to activate your hamstrings. Those puppies are the forgotten key to crushing sir ups. Usually quwds are what stop ppl from knocking out more. Dig your heels in, PULL toward your tail bone with your hammies and sir up. When your hamstrings get tired stop pulling. Then back to it when your quads get tired. That, and dropping with minimal effort. Swing your elbows back up and use that momentum. Those two things can buy you 10-15 reps depending on how good you feel that day. Good luck!

Response by Col John Madison made Aug 20 at 2019 1:50 AM

Col John Madison — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 01:50:36 -0400

Ask your 1SGT for special instruction in atomic situps.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2019 11:53 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 23:53:09 -0400

Not a direct answer to the question but just some advice: as a Soldier you should ALWAYS be in the physical condition to always be able to meet the BARE MINIMUM scores in your age group/gender, even if youre told to perform an APFT right this second. Personally i consider meeting 60-60-60 standards barely in shape, train so you never have to ask this again.

Now to answer the actual question: everyone is different. Personally, i alternate inhales and exhales every 2 situps. Rhythm isn’t super important, just ensure you are constantly supplying yourself oxygen without hyperventilating and youll be fine. Good luck at BLC