e., the deck) you are limiting your exercise to only half the normal abdominal range of motion. In other words, when abdominal exercises are performed on a floor, deck, or mat, only half the work necessary to develop abdominal strength is being done. Abdominal strength is best developed by exercises performed

e., towel or Ab Mat) as opposed to a flat back. By placing a towel or the Ab mat beneath your lower spine you can achieve the right form for these exercises (see Figure 8-4). Figure 8-3. Range of Motion for Flexion and Extension of the Upper Body Based on Anatomy Figure 8-4. Placing a Towel Beneath the Lower Spine can Help Achieve the Right Form for Abdominal Exercises Because of limited flexibility, it is better to start abdominal exercises at approximately 15 of extension and eventually work toward 30 extension. A towel is particularly useful because you can adjust it to provide inclines of 15 and 30 . Recommendations for Sit-Ups In recent years, the sit-up technique has undergone many modifications. Because sit-ups compose a large portion of the SEAL training program, some specific comments regarding their proper use are crucial. When performing sit-ups, the preferred technique is to bend the legs at

Legs should be slightly abducted (turned outward). If hands are placed behind the head, care should be taken not to force the Flexion Extension (30) (75 TO 90) Neutral (0) Towel 140 Calisthenics neck into flexion. The fingertips of the hands should just barely touch the back of the head. Elbows should remain back at all times. Concentration on using the abdominals (not the head) to pull through the movement is essential. Keeping the eyes focused on the ceiling helps prevent neck strain and isolate the abdominals. Lifting the torso until the shoulder blades come off the floor engages the majority of the abdominal musculature. Lifting the torso further off the deck will safely engage the internal obliques and the hip flexors, if that is the goal (see Figure 8-5). Figure 8-5. Proper Technique for Sit-ups: Legs Slightly Turned Outward and Elbows Behind Neck at All Times When first performing the sit-up from an extension

This should not be surprising since essentially, you have been performing only half a sit-up in the past. The focus should be on the quality, not the quantity, of sit-ups. The same principles that govern the muscle strength-endurance continuum apply to the abdominal musculature. The muscular fitness component you will develop (i.e., strength vs. endurance) is determined by the number of sit-ups performed using a towel or Ab Mat beginning with 15 of extension. If muscle strength is the goal, you may want to move to 30 extension. Once you are performing over 15 reps per set at 30 extension, you can increase the difficulty of the exercise by changing the position of the arms, adding weight, or performing sit-ups on a decline. Variations in arm positioning, from the easiest to the most difficult, are shown in Figure 8-6: " At the side of the body. " Across the chest. " Behind the head. " Clasped together above the head; weight c