situps working my legs?

[dustin]

When I do situps I feel a bigger burn in my thighs (forget muscle name) than in my abs. Am I supposed to be using my legs at all?

[injusinjus]

u kno i thought this too...i think if your doin inclined sittups it works them alittle but try to isolate your abs when your doing the sittups

[Lady C]

You are recruiting your hip flexor muscles. The only way I know to prevent that is to put your legs up on a bench or chair. Making sure that your lower back remains on the floor do your crunches. If you don't feel a burn by time you get to 8 or 10, add weight. A dumbbell behind your head works great.

[cursor]

Just an added note to Lady C's comment ... make sure that when you raise your torso up, you haul the dumbbell too (don't just leave it on the floor).

[arbit]

Originally Posted by Lady C

You are recruiting your hip flexor muscles. The only way I know to prevent that is to put your legs up on a bench or chair. Making sure that your lower back remains on the floor do your crunches. If you don't feel a burn by time you get to 8 or 10, add weight. A dumbbell behind your head works great.

Janda situps work better.
:

[cursor]

Janda situps
Have to add some length to this post to be legal...

[dustin]

Ok, my next question. Which should I be doing, full situps or crunches?

[CJNY]

Full situps have undeservedly gotten a bad rep in recent years. Done properly they don't hurt your back and simultaneously training the hip flexors seems like a good thing - after all, many people agree that compound, multi-joint exercises are useful for other muscle groups. Why should abs have to be isolated?

If you think that regular situps don't challenge the abs sufficiently, then perhaps you should try this type: http://www.crossfit.com/cf-video/glutehamsitup.wmv If you're not used to them you will definitely feel it in the rectus abdominus.