How many situps?

Situps are not really valuable in the first place, and doing them in large quantities is particularly worthless. All of those people who brag about doing 1000 situps a day are wasting their time.

"Situps are not really valuable in the first place"

I understand that doing them in large quantities are worthless(1 or 2 thousand a day) but saying that they are not valuable is seems wrong. They are valuable in the sense that every muscle is vaulable to any athelete in any sport. I believe no muscle should be ignored but you should not go "crazy" in one area (ex. Go out and gain 20 lbs of muscle in your legs for XC). But what I'm wondering, like probalby the first person probably was, is what is a reasonable amount of situps for one to do?

4 sets of 50, 30 sec recovery. not huge amounts but ennough, along with other core work, to ensure stability. Its vital for running lots of miles that you have a good core stability.

I'M with you

Abs are absolutely vital for running!!! and doing ab workouts is the only way to get better. I garauntee if you asked any world-class runner if he did abs, he'd have some sort of DAILY ab workout he could show you. Muscles like your abs and your back keep you upright and running normal when you start to get tired on runs and in races. Doing abs will increase the stamina of your form during runs.

4 sets of ELEVENTY BILLION! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

what makes you think every world-class runner is a "he"?

Too many of them can injure you. Better to do leg lifts

and run hills.

can too many sit up cause piriformis pain? I did them about 3 or 4 days a week..(crunches).... 2 sets of 125 after my runs.... what do you think? or in what ways does it injure you? i know holding the feet down works the psoas but anythign else?

Do stabilizers instead of sit-ups. Sit-ups primarily strengthen your upper abs, which, while important, are less specific to running than your lower abs. While lying on your back do flutter kicks, bicycle kicks or stabilizers (pick your feet up 6 inches off the ground and hold them there, keeping your legs straight, 1 minute on, 1 minute off).

If you have access to the equipment, do hanging leg lifts. All these exercises work your lower abs, which are more important in running as, during your stride, you "lift" your legs.

Skip the abs. Run and eat right, and you will have a six pack.

whateva wrote:

Abs are absolutely vital for running!!! and doing ab workouts is the only way to get better. I garauntee if you asked any world-class runner if he did abs, he'd have some sort of DAILY ab workout he could show you. Muscles like your abs and your back keep you upright and running normal when you start to get tired on runs and in races. Doing abs will increase the stamina of your form during runs.

Sheer dogma. Just because your abs are "vital" for running doesn't mean you have to strengthen them; VERY LITTLE strength is required for the abs to do their job adequately during running. They are vital, just like every other muscle involved in running, but they don't have to be particularly strong to work effectively.