Accomplishment

[CSta]

Today, I reached the 500 sit-up mark from Article 19. 6:40 p.m. EDT. I started this effort completely out of shape, and it has taken me many, many months. Feels good to reach my first milestone. Next goal, 10-15 repetitions of back extensions on the bench holding 55 pounds (I weigh 165).

[Thomas Kurz]

Congratulations!

[del]

Congratulations!

Would you mind sharing your training program for working up to 500 sit-ups? How often did you train and how did you work your way up?

[CSta]

In the early months, I struggled. I had just discovered this website and was beginning to read the articles. Everything written in them was new information to me. So, when I started, I didn't know what I was doing. If your still interested, here's what I remember doing. 2 sets of crunches and 2 sets of reverse crunches, each set on about 1 minute rest (I didn't time it). I completed sets until complete failure. Eventually I added sit-ups. I do not remember how long I went before I added sit-ups.

During the same period, I was also beginning to work on my back and lower and upper body. I was also going to taekwondo 2 times a week. All of this proved too much for me. I grew tired and did not look forward to working out. I did not wake up healthy, happy, and full of energy. Instead, I was exhausted, grumpy, and my knees, hips, and back were aching, so I stopped working out. I continued, however, to go to taekwondo class. As I read more of the articles, though, I began to question the quality of my instruction, and whether I was fit enough to learn a martial art. I have since quit, and I'm really glad I did.

Over time, I read and re-read all of the articles, Kurz's "Science of Sports Training," and Tudor Bompa's "Periodization for Sports" (see the Athlete's Bookshelf link in any of the articles).

With all of that in mind, I created a new workout plan. Here's what it looks like currently as far as my abdominal workout is concerned. I work out in 3-week cycles: low, medium, and high intensity. Week 1 (2 workouts): 2 sets of crunches until slight discomfort (slight burn or sense of weakness); 1 set of sit-ups. I perform a predetermined number of sit-ups, which equals the number of sit-ups I performed in the last workout of the previous week. If I begin to feel a slight burn or sense of weakness before that point, however, I stop. Rest interval = 1 minute.

Week 2 (3 workouts): Crunches: Same deal except I go until I experience a greater sense of burn and/or weakness. Sit-ups: same number as in Week 1 plus an additional predetermined number. If I feel too much burn or weakness or if the quality of the sit-up begins to decline, I will stop, but I've never gotten to that point. Rest interval is the same as in Week 1.

Week 3 (3 workouts): Crunches: Same deal except I go until failure (i.e., the quality of my repetition begins to suffer or I can no longer breath in a controlled manner). Sit-ups: Same deal, except I add another predetermined number of repetitions. Every 6th week, in the last workout for the week, I skip the crunches and do 1 set of as many quality sit-ups as I can.

I like this workout because (1) I've progressed; (2) it fits my time constraints, and my physical and mental energy level; and (3) it is both rigid and flexible enough that it prevents me from overworking my body, which I am prone to do. Eventually, this workout will change. At some point, I'll be adding weights and twists and perhaps dropping a set of crunches or adding another set of sit-ups.

[del]

So in the end to do 500 sit-ups you are doing them in sets, Resting one minute in between sets?

Right now I'm at 100 crunches 1 set, 100 sit-ups in two sets, and 100 reverse crunches in 1 set. I started from less than zero (totally out of shape) and I also have a weight problem that I'm working on. It has taken months to get here.

Maybe I'd have made better progress if I dropped TKD like you did. I wish my progress was faster. However, I am making progress so as long as I hang in there I will eventually make it.

It’s just that sometimes it seems like it’s going to take forever.

Congratulations to you again.

[CSta]

To clarify: I performed 1 set of 500 sit-ups. Recall that I wrote "[e]very 6th week, in the last workout for the week, I skip the crunches and do 1 set of as many quality sit-ups as I can."