What year were sit-ups invented?

[tyciol]

In the article he wrote on abs, Rippetoe said Joe Wider invented them in 1980. I'm not good at telling what is jokes, was he joking? It seems like someone must have invented them earlier than that. Off-hand I don't know if they were in any old-time manuals...

Even if they weren't, I would assume ancient militaries might have done stuff like that. I mean, Bruce Lee died in the 70s, surely the dragon flag doesn't pre-date the situp.

So assuming I'm just tense and can't guess a joke, I am wondering if anyone knows any really old references to sit-ups? I'm sure it goes back thousands of years but that's an assumption and I'm wondering what the earliest publication (description) or illustration evidencing this might be.

[Dastardly]

I think I missed that bit of the article. But I have a 1950's air force fitness manual here and it has situps in it.

[johnnys]

I was in school when the world went from black and white to color in the mid/late 1960s. We had sit-ups (plus jumping jacks). No bumper plates though.

[mcclamic]

pretty sure he was making a joke about how Weider invented everything in the 80's with Weider System this and Weider System that

[medwards]

I was in school when the world went from black and white to color in the mid/late 1960s.

So it's true? I always thought people were speaking metaphorically.

[Briks42]

I was in school when the world went from black and white to color in the mid/late 1960s. We had sit-ups (plus jumping jacks). No bumper plates though.

You sound like Calvin's dad.