Situps/Back extension confusion

[Ben'G'man]

I am at the stage where a can do around 2x50 sit-ups and 2x20 back extensions on a bench. (Both without weights) I want to add some weights, say 5kg for my back extension.
Here’s the confusion…
Mr Kurz states that lower back strength must be way ahead of hip flexor strength BUT before a can add weights to my back extensions I must be able to do 500 sit-ups straight. In order to do this I imagine I must add weights to my sit-ups, thus making my hip flexors stronger than my lower back?!
Have I missed something? Any help would be appreciated

Cheers guys

[Guest]

Anyone?

[wynnema]

I am at the stage where a can do around 2x50 sit-ups and 2x20 back extensions on a bench. (Both without weights) I want to add some weights, say 5kg for my back extension.
Here’s the confusion…
Mr Kurz states that lower back strength must be way ahead of hip flexor strength BUT before a can add weights to my back extensions I must be able to do 500 sit-ups straight. In order to do this I imagine I must add weights to my sit-ups, thus making my hip flexors stronger than my lower back?!
Have I missed something? Any help would be appreciated

Cheers guys

I think that the "500 situps" before you progress to weighted back extensions is extreme.

There is an excellent thread here that argues the negative effects of doing excessive situps - http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums ... hp?t=21203. I would suggest that if you can do at least 100 situps in a set then you can add weight.

[Kit]

more of a question than a comment, but doesn't the difference lie in what the goal of your training is? I seem to remember reading somewhere that the 500 situps was a requirement for endurance for the abs for the purpose of sparring.

Whereas for strength training it would be different?

[Guest]

It was just Kurz's recommendation for progressing to back extensions with weights, nothing more...

[Kit]

But I am sure he clarified that statement as referring to building endurance for sparring.....? anyone?

[UKfightfreak]

I beleive Kurz said that you need 500 sit-ups per day for a full contact fighter, not to progress with back extensions. If anything doing 500 sit-ups would be potentially damaging to your back if your lower back strenth is not up to speed.

I agree with wynnema on this one, get to around 100 in one go, then progress to weighted back extensions.

[BenGman]

This is from the 'long term sequence'

http://www.stadion.com/column_stretch19.html