Sit ups: back pain

[oplus]

Hi.

Bear with me, I'm dumb enough that I can't tell the difference between a sit up and a crunch. But, I've been doing sit ups for a while (by choice or otherwise), and I've always had lower back pains when doing them, despite being 20 YO and able to squat 245 at my peak.

It's really strange, because it's not a simple matter of the muscles giving out the way they would from fatigue during, say, push ups. The pain is more like heat buildup. A few sit ups, and I'm easily fine. But, between 30-40, the pain has increased to being nearly unbearable, and when I stop, the pain quickly recedes (in the time of 2-4 reps) but also quickly returns (in less than 5 reps). If I really push myself, not only will it hurt like hell, but when I stop, I end up on the floor writhing in pain for a few moments until it subsides.

Any ideas?

[blowdpanis]

Yah, psoas (a primary hip flexor, part of the "iliopsoas" muscle which = iliacus + psoas that converge at a common attachment site on the femur) attaches your femur to your lumbar spine:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Muscles_2.PNG

A situp is basically a combination of (active) spinal flexion (the abs do this) + hip flexion (your hip flexors do this, including psoas).

So, basically, tight hip flexors + situps = lots of pulling on your lumbar spine during active hip flexion, like in a situp. This can hurt.

In the context of a situp, you can help minimize this by consciously doing the crunch part first before actually pulling yourself up, but I just wouldn't bother with situps in general. If you want "core" exercises aside from what you're getting squatting, deadlifting, overhead pressing, and chinning, I'd probably just do planks (loaded and otherwise) and such. There are some gymnastic movements if you want to get really fancy.

But really, mostly not necessary. So stop it.

[oplus]

I don't like sit ups, but I do them these days not by choice but because of the aforementioned "otherwise."

[blowdpanis]

I don't like sit ups, but I do them these days not by choice but because of the aforementioned "otherwise."

Military?

If so, two things may help:

1) Stretch the hip flexors: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...r+stretch&aq=f

There are a variety of stretches, but the key points are basically keeping the abdomen tight and butt squeezed as a leg behind you is stretched. This should burn enough to make you want to cry. Hold it and enjoy! Remember to do both sides.

2) As I said, you can also minimize the pull on the lumbar spine by shortening the distance a little bit prior to initiating the hip flexion part. Basically crunch + situp. If this is being timed, this will be a little trickier. But basically, try to "brace" your abs, then crunch, then situp each rep. It's about the best you can do to avoid bad things happening. Alongside more flexible hip flexors, this may make the movement (significantly) less painful.