GHD Situps

[MAD9692]

Rip,

I've been doing GHD weighted situps using a 25lb bumper as the weight. To make sure I'm doing these correctly I have a few questions I was hoping you can help me with.

1. Do you recomend holding the weight on your chest or holding it behind your neck?

2. Programming- I use these as an assistance exercise (currently on TM) at the end of my workout on Wednesday. Does it make sense to add in another day? All 3 days?

3. Sets & Reps - I am currently doing 3 sets of 10. (these fuckers are decievingly difficult) Is it better to increase the weight, reps, or sets every workout?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'd just do them unweighted. They are hard enough that way, and if you want to do weighted ab work use a form of the exercise less likely to fuck up your low back in the event of a ROM miscalculation. More weight, shorter ROM transfers better to normal ab function. Roman Chair situps (the actual name of this exercise) is fine as a variation once/week, but I see absolutely no reason to do them, or any other ab assistance exercise without variation, 3x/week.

[msingh]

I'd just do them unweighted. They are hard enough that way, and if you want to do weighted ab work use a form of the exercise less likely to fuck up your low back in the event of a ROM miscalculation. More weight, shorter ROM transfers better to normal ab function. Roman Chair situps (the actual name of this exercise) is fine as a variation once/week, but I see absolutely no reason to do them, or any other ab assistance exercise without variation, 3x/week.

What's an example of these?

[jjohal]

Coach,

I've been doing Roman Chair situps with weight every time I'm in the gym. I thought this was part of the Onus Wunsler program in BBT. It says warmup with 5 minutes on the rowing machine and weighted situps. Is this actually part of the program or have I misinterpreted it?

[MAD9692]

Thanks Rip.
I don't know why I call them GHD's- especially since I use a Roman Chair. (picked it up used for $40)
Does the same hold true for back extentions? No need to do them w/ weight and no need to do them more than 1x a week?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Weighted situps are best done on a regular situp board that holds your feet, or I like the 90-degree bench I have here that places the femurs at right angles to the back. It's a nice short ROM that you can use a lot of weight on. I have no problem with weighted back extensions since they don't seem to be trying as hard to dislocate my SI joint. And I think the GHD-term comes from CrossFit.

[MAD9692]

I dont have access to either pieces of equipment. What are your thoughts on weighted situps using an ab-mat? Silly bullshit - or useful?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Try them and see. How bad could they be?

[MAD9692]

Cool.Will do - Thanks Rip.

[Brad Davis]

While we're on the topic of trunk exercises. What do you think of isometric exercises like L-sits?