Q & A: What's Wrong with Sit-ups?

Q: "What's wrong with sit-ups? I've read SAPT rarely programs them.  I also read that doing lots of reps will not reduce belly fat.  My wife wants to argue with me about it!  Do they just plain not work?  Are the somewhat effective?  What makes the wrong?

Thank you!!!"

A. I wouldn't go so far as to say that sit-ups are WRONG, per se. It's just that the majority of people's time would be better spent throwing themselves in front of a moving school bus, or traveling back to the 14th century to ensure a solid infusion of the Black Plague into their bloodstream. Either one, really.

All kidding aside (even though I wasn't really kidding), when it comes to performing sit-ups: there's a time and a place. When people tell me they they "need" to perform sit-ups, I usually ask them a very simple question:

"WHY do you feel the need to do sit-ups?"

To which they'll usually respond with one of four answers:

1. "I like feeling my abs burn. You know, because I enjoy that sort of thing." 2. "I want six-pack abs." 3. "I partake in activities that require repeated spinal flexion (ex. MMA or military training)." 4. "Now that you mention it, Steve, I actually do not know why. Please kick me in the balls, repeatedly, to remind me not to be so stupid."

Maybe #4 is made up, and maybe #4 only applies to males, but I digress. Let's briefly tackle responses #1-3.

1. "I like feeling my abs burn. You know, because I enjoy that sort of thing."

Sure, I get it....fair enough. Allow me to present you with a myriad "core" exercises that will allow you to satiate your palate craving for all things burning abs without putting your spine at risk.

According to Dr. Stuart McGill (professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo), when you perform a sit-up, it places roughly 3,300 N (or, 730lbs) of compressive force on the discs of the lumbar spine. In case you were wondering, that's not a good thing.

Given that 80%+ of Americans will experience significant back pain during their lives, why include something in your routine that will only make your odds even more unfavorable? Maybe, perhaps, if we still lived in hunter-gatherer societies, we could get away with them. Not so much anymore thanks to the invention of the computer, office work, and sitting 8+ hours a day.

And please, for the love, never perform something like this, let alone for a bazillion repetitions:

I'll still train the heck out of people's "core", and give them plenty of what they need to reach their desired goals, but I do my best to do it via methods that AVOID placing that kind of ridiculous compressive force on lumbar vertebrae.

Try a few sets of any of the following, and I guarantee that both you - and your low back - will thank me later.

Pot Stirrir Plank

Bodysaw Plank (performed by my beautiful wife) If you don't have sliders, you can use towels on a tiled floor.

TRX Jacknife with Neutral Spine

Plank with Band (or Cable) Row

Reverse Crunch (hold a towel - or a half foam roll - between your calves and hamstrings)

Landmine (again, performed by my better half)

Any of these:

Not to mention, I didn't even include any of the myriad chop, lift, and pallof press progressions. Be consistent with training spinal stability (ex. using variations similar to the above), for a few months, then get back to me and let me know if your midsection didn't become stronger.

You're welcome.

What it comes down to is that if someone is paying me to help them look, move, and feel better - oh, and not to mention virtually putting me in charge of a large portion of their spinal health - I'm not willing to roll the dice with sit-ups.

Could they get away with it? Maybe. But why not strengthen their core via safer, and more effective, means?

2. "I want six-pack abs."

I have a very simple answer to this one: Be less fat. And, maybe, choose a different set of parents.

Don't mistake my tone here...my aim is not to appear cold, aloof, and perhaps even narcissistic toward their situation. I'm simply trying to save them some time, give them some realistic expectations, and save their spine to boot.

Possessing visible abs is a function of two things, and two things only: Bodyfat %, and genetics. The former is pretty self-explanatory, and with regards to the latter - well, some people will "unveil" their abs at a higher bodyfat than others.  Also, typically, it's easier for people with longer torsos - relative to their legs - to see their abs sooner than those with shorter torsos. There are other forces at play, of course, but in general it is how it is.

Do you really think that performing sit-ups is the way to a shredded midsection? How about putting away the Oreos, and maybe saving dessert for weekends and special occasions? (Hint: getting home from work doesn't count as a special occasion.) Every one of us, as Homo sapiens, possesses a six-pack. Some are just more insulated than others.

I'm not going to elaborate on this point any further simply because I feel that the majority of you are able to put these puzzle pieces together for yourselves.

3. "I partake in activities that require repeated spinal flexion (ex. MMA or military "stuff")."

As deep-rooted as my vendetta is against sit-ups, I'd be foolish not to program them for this group. After all, there's a point where we have to respect specificity of training, and it's tough to get good at sit-ups without, well, TRAINING THEM to an extent.

With this group (fighters, military, along with some contact sport athletes), I will indeed intersperse sit-up variations into their training. Heck, we've even given the military guys timed BAND-RESISTED sit-ups in preparation for their testing. (Jason cursed us for this and continued to remind us of how much he hated them.)

Another favorite of mine is the Turtle Roll, which, IMO, looks like the easiest exercise in the world but yet will provide the most insane abdominal contraction of your life:

I've seen many well-conditioned athletes lie on the floor, gasping for breath after turtle rolling for just one set of twelve reps.

And there you have it. 

Basic Speed Development Program

The overwhelming request we get almost daily: Do you guys do speed training?

My answer: Hellz YES!

In an effort to compliment my running related warnings over at StrongGirlsWin.com from earlier today, I wanted to take this post to another level and get all geeked-out over some real-deal sprint training.You gotta present both sides of the coin, ya know?

While I've termed this post as "basic speed development," please DO NOT confuse that for BEGINNER speed development. There's a big difference. This sample program is for someone who has at least a year of regimented general training under their belt that is heavy on both sprint and weight training fundamentals.

Without further delay...

Basic Speed Development Program

• Day 1 - Starts, Speed, & Total Body Lift with Lower Body Emphasis
• Day 2 - Tempo Run
• Day 3 - Special endurance & Total Body Lift with Upper Body Emphasis
• Day 4 - Tempo Run
• Day 5 - Starts, Speed Endurance, Long jump/triple jump Technique (at high intensity and include as overall daily volume), & Total Body Lift (even split)
• Day 6 - Tempo Run
• Day 7 - Rest

Notes:

1. Keep your intensity above 90% or below 65%! The in-between work is trash for developing true speed and will only increase the likelihood for injury, while decreasing the chance for improvements.
2. Avoid the pitfalls of starting with high volume and low intensity. Rather begin with HIGH INTENSITY and LOW VOLUME. Then gradually increase volume while keeping the intensity high.

Sample Program Details:Monday - Speed Work: 2 x 3 x 20-30m accelerations (rest at least 4-minutes between reps); Med Ball Throws @ 6-10lbs: Squat to Overhead Push Throw x 6-8 + Keg Toss x 6-8 (at least 1-minute rest between each throw, we're after MAX EFFORT with every single toss/throw); Weights: Total body lift with lower body emphasis; Core: 100 reps (choose whatever floats your boat) Tuesday - Tempo Run: 8-12 x 100m (easy, basically a fast jog) + complete 10-20 V-Ups (or whatever core work you prefer) between each run - use the runs as the recovery between the V-ups Wednesday - Special Endurance: 2 x 150-300m with 20-25 min recovery; during the recovery (every 7-8 mins) do some light tempo runs, body weight calestenics, core, etc. the goal here is to simply stay warm during the break; Weights: Total body with upper body emphasis; Core: 200 reps (choose whatever floats your boat) Thursday - Tempo Run: Similar to Tuesday Friday - Speed Work: 2 x 3 x 20-30m accelerations (rest at least 4-minutes between reps); Med Ball Throws @ 6-10lbs: Squat to Slam x 6-8 + Falling Forward Chest Throw to Sprint x 6-8 (at least 1-minute rest between each throw, we're after MAX EFFORT with every single toss/throw); Weights: Total body lift (even split); Core: 100 reps (choose whatever floats your boat) ***After several weeks, longer sprints (50-60m) can be added to the speed workouts on Mondays and Fridays.

Good luck, may the Force be with you...

Get it? Force...

...I already said I was getting geeked-out over this one, so I think that was a pretty solid joke.

Lying Knee-to-Knee Mob on Wall for a Better Squat and Improved Running Mechanics

I was recently reminded of this drill as, last week, I tested my hip internal rotation and found it to be woefully lacking, compared to just twelve months ago (pulling SUMO five days a week, along with already possessing extremely overused and stiff external rotators, will certainly have this effect....) While I've been much more diligent at working on my hip extension patterning, I've admittedly fallen by the wayside when it comes to fighting against the loss of hip internal rotation (IR). As such, I began to toss this drill in at the end of my training sessions again and thought I would share it with those of you who may be interested.

Do you care about sound positioning in the bottom of your squat (this = pwnage of heavy weights, by the way), improved running mechanics, or lessened risk of back pain? Do this:

What's it for?

To improve hip IR.  Specifically: a loss of hip IR caused by muscular restrictions (as opposed to passive restrictions such as labrums, minisci, bone, etc.). A couple notes

1. I'd recommend doing this after you've already pulverized your external rotators with a lacrosse ball or other means of soft tissue work.
2. Don't force range-of-motion here, just gently mobilize the knees in and out. You shouldn't feel any sensation of impingement and stop if something feels "off."
3. If you're a female, I wouldn't jump the gun on this one.  A lot of females already tend to have a fair amount of hip internal rotation, due to their hip structure (wider hip bones and thus larger knee valgus at rest).
4. This can be performed before a training session (especially if you're squatting that day, as you'll notice significantly improved hip mobility as you descend into the bottom).  It can also be used at the end of a lifting session or athletic event (especially if you're a baseball pitcher, or partake in a rotational sport) or training session.  This will help loosen up the external rotators of the hip that tend to tighten up over time.
5. This drill can also be done with the feet on the floor (a valid option), but I personally prefer to have the feet on the wall as it tends to be a bit more low-back friendly.

Incorporate this into your routine for improved squatting and running mechanics.

Bridging the Gap Between Rehab and Sports Performance Training

This morning, Sarah and I are meeting with a local physical therapy clinic, in order to discuss working together to better serve our athletes and clients. This reminded me of an article of mine that was published a couple years ago over at ElitefTS.com, that many of you may not have seen yet.

Bridging the Gap Between Rehabilitation and Sports Performance Training

One of the things we at SAPT pride ourselves in, and something that separates us from surrounding training facilities, is our ability and genuine desire to help people train around injuries they are currently experiencing and/or just coming off of. On top of this, we are well aware of the fact that if injured athletes fail to immerse themselves in a sound, science-based resistance training regimen immediately following physical therapy, the odds are quite high they'll be right back in the PT clinic, or, even worse, on the surgeon's table.

However, we also realize that we are not physical therapists, nor do we pretend to be. Which is why we seek to form and maintain symbiotic relationships with PTs. When the strength coach and physical therapist each work within their own, unique sphere of expertise, while simultaneously collaborate with one another, the athlete/client will be in much better hands than if they neglected either of the two options.

Anyway, while it's not the most "sexy" of topics, the article above dives into some practical solutions for the strength coach, physical therapist, and (most importantly) the injured athlete.

Some Get Jacked Recipes

I get questions all the time about what I eat and how I train (mostly from friends and the high schoolers we work with) which I’ve answered before on my blog posts.  However, I don’t do it very often so I figured I’d make it more of a reoccurring thing so here are two recipes I’ve been hooked on lately. Recipes

My nutrition is something that I’m really on top of or something that falls to my last priority; I’m never in the middle.  I get really busy during the week which is what I hear from the high schoolers as well.  With that in mind I need to take time on Sunday to cook my food for the week.  I am always looking for something new that is going to taste good, be healthy for me and will last all week.  Just ask Stevo and Kelsey, anytime they cook something new or are on a new kick I usually jack their style and will bring it in the next day to work.  Lately,they have been utilizing a slower cooker/crock pot to do a lot of their cooking (who am I kidding; KELSEY has been utilizing a crock pot lately for their cooking… just joking Stevo, but seriously…).  So I jumped on the bandwagon and let me tell you, it’s awesome the stuff you can do with it.  I’ve been experimenting with different recipes and here is my favorite one so far.

Spicy BBQ Chicken

-           3-4 pounds of boneless chicken breast into the slow cooker

-          Mix up the following ingredients in a separate bowl

-          1 (12-14 ounce) bottle of spicy or regular BBQ sauce (try and find BBQ sauce with natural ingredients)

-          ½ cup Italian salad dressing (again try to find one with natural ingredients, if you don’t pay attention you’re going to buy one with a lot of artificial sweeteners and flavors)

-          ¼ cup of natural brown sugar

-          3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

-          Once this is all mixed pour it over the chicken in the slow cooker

-          Depending on how big the chicken breasts are you’re going to want to cook it for 6-8 hours on low

The great thing about this is that yeah it takes a long time but the prep takes about 10 min.  Once you throw it in the slow cooker you don’t have to go back to it until it’s done.  By the time it’s done the chicken should be really soft and look shredded like the picture below.  I usually eat this with 4% milk fat cottage cheese and some stir fried vegetables.

Homemade Protein Bars

I have been struggling as of late to get in enough calories so I have been looking for ways to help remedy the situation.  I used to eat store bought protein bars back in the day between meals.  However, they are usually really processed and have a great deal of artificial ingredients.  I decided to go find a recipe online that suited my goals.  I found a great one and just made my own modifications to it.  So here is the recipe for a better alternative to a store bought protein bar.

-           Mix up the following ingredients in a bowl…

-          8 whole eggs

-          6 heaping scoops of whey protein (I used Optimum Nutrition’s Vanilla Ice Cream whey)

-          4 cups of oatmeal

-          300ml of almond milk

-          4 tbsp. of brown sugar

-          3 tbsp. of NATURAL peanut butter (if you look at the ingredients it should just say peanuts, that’s it)

-          And my favorite part…. A LOT OF CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!!

Once you have everything mixed up then lightly grease a one inch deep cookie sheet with olive oil or coconut oil and pour on the mixture.  The mixture should look pretty gooey like the picture below; it won’t look as dry as cookie dough does.

Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  It might not look cooked because it does not brown like cookies do so just do the fork/toothpick trick to check if it’s done (picture also below).

In hindsight I should have made two batches because I have been devouring them this week.  This is a great way to get in some extra nutrient dense calories that you can keep in the fridge all week.  So for all the high school kids who tell me they don’t have time to eat, you have no excuse anymore.

Q & A: How to Write Resistance Training Programs, Part 6: A Blueprint

Q: Hi Steve,I’m very new to the powerlifting/strong(wo)man training world … and I love reading your blog! It’s always chock full with information. One thing I was wondering, and maybe it’d be a topic to write about … how do you come up with workouts?? Do you make stuff up?? Have a “grab-bag” of moves and pull out of that?? Borrow and modify from other trainers??  I always wonder where trainers come up with new ideas.

Thank you for all the great info!!

A. For those of you who have missed it, you can find Part 1 (Train Yourself), Part 2 (Coaching), Part 3 (Practice Writing Programs), Part 4 (Try Yourself, and Borrow/Steal), and Part 5 (Perfectionism) in the respective links. FINALLY, we're going to wrap up today with a few "blueprint" suggestions.

This is going to be far from a comprehensive list, but hopefully it will get you started on the right track and shed some light into a few things that go through my brain as I right programs. Honestly, I'm just going to spill out a few bullet points as they come to me, so forgive me for the potential non sequitur and/or lack of structure that may appear below.

6. Bluprint

• Yes, I do have a "grab-bag of moves" that I pull from. I make sure that every program contains at least one exercise from the following categories: Squat, Hinge, Pull, Push, and, stealing a chapter from Dan John's book, a Loaded Carry. I have a list of exercises from each category, and pick and choose from them based on the athlete and his or her needs.

•  For stronger athletes, 10 total REPS is a good number to hit for the main lift in one session. Ex. 3x3, 2x5, 5x2 will be plenty to make them stronger, while at the same time not frying them.
• For the in-season athlete, stop the workout if they begin to feel exhausted and/or more tired than when they walked through the door. In-season training should "fire them up" and allow them to perform better (duh?), so there's no need to beat them into the ground. A general rule of them would be to reduce the volume by 50-65%, and primarily focus on the main, compound movement of the day.In fact, it's funny as we've had numerous baseball players tell us they had some of their best games (in-season) the day after training at SAPT because their CNS was so charged up.
• Everyone needs mobility drills, but not everyone needs them in the same places (ex. while Person A may need some closed-chain ankle dorsiflexion work, Person B may not need it at all).
• 3-4 main movements per day is really all most people need to reach their goals. Anything more than than that and you get become mediocre at a lot of things instead of great at a couple things (and I'm not just talking about the actual lifts in the gym). Give it your all on just a couple lifts each week, instead of half-hearted effort on a bazillion exercises.
• This list could literally go on for pages, but I'll stop now as I'm out of time. In actuality, if you follow Parts I, II, and III from this series for an extended period of time you *should* discover a lot of this yourself.

Note: In case you missed Sarah's notice from yesterday, SAPT is currently giving 25% off for our training sessions. Click HERE for more information, and spread the word!