Most effective situp for Press assist

[Bloodninja666]

Simple question guys: what do you feel is the most efficient situp form for a guy trying give his Press some extra juice?

Some questions come to mind-

Use a decline bench or flat?

Where/ how much to round back?

What range of motion to go through?

Hold the weight behind your head, or against your chest?

Video links would be great...

Thanks.

[mcsquared]

A useful thread:

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=13693

I do weighted situps flat, with the weight held over my chest. As outlined in "Abdominal Intensity":

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...nd_Lon_Kilgore


Good luck.

[Bloodninja666]

Very helpful reply McSquared, thanks.

[Dastardly]

In my experience, holding a weight behind your head is by far the best for any kind of weighted situp. It increases the lever so even a tiny weight is very hard.

When you have a big weight at your chest, the mass of that object kind of dominates the motion. If you lean it forward, it kind of does most of the work for you. I found it extremely hard to get any abdominal challenge doing weighted situps with the weight at the chest, I would grab massive weights which would just make the movement sloppy but not actually any harder for the abs.

I would also recommend that with incline situps, only let your feet and buttocks touch the apparatus. If the bottom part of your thighs push against the bench, then the movement becomes totally hip flexor & quad dominated.

I also highly rate weighted planks and ab wheel roll outs.

[nisora33]

I would also recommend that with incline situps, only let your feet and buttocks touch the apparatus. If the bottom part of your thighs push against the bench, then the movement becomes totally hip flexor & quad dominated.

And that's okay, too, because these muscles are involved in counteracting layback during the press.

-S.

[Nauticus]

I do Roman chair situps with a plate behind my head, and I prefer it to weighted sit-ups because of the stretch reflex and extra ROM. My hip flexors always get a workout from it, too

Edit: Should've read Rip's reply there

[nisora33]

I don't think the exercise itself is that important, as long as you select one that recruits much or all of the anterior musculature starting with the abdominals and moving on down to the hip flexors, and also the quads to an extent. Bent-knee and straight-legged sit-ups, either performed with a neutral back or slightly flexed spine, hanging knee raises, knees-to-elbows, ab roller using a weighted vest, etc. all fit the bill nicely. The important part is just to pick one and be religious with it. If you don't feel like you're getting the carryover that you want, just try another one after a while. Simple enough.

-S.

[Platus]

I alternate between heavy standing cable pulldowns (sets of 8-12, but not quite to failure) and weighted situps on a flat surface. I have dabbled with declines, but they make my back feel uncomfortable.

Louie Simmons has argued for the standing cable pulldown because he thinks the standing position better resembles what the abs do during squats and deadlifts, but I don't know if they are really any more useful than working on the floor or on a bench.

[brianb]

I do weighted situps flat, with the weight held over my chest. As outlined in "Abdominal Intensity":

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...nd_Lon_Kilgore

The PDF that was hosted there seems to have disappeared.

[mcsquared]

Try this?

http://www.mediafire.com/?dwndn2mmj3y

I uploaded the file off of my computer, let me know if that doesn't work still.