Why: The sit-up is a fundamental movement used to build abdominal strength. Along with other bodyweight core movements like superman holds, plank holds, and hollow rocks, sit-ups are both simplistic (which makes them perfect for a hotel room WOD) and highly effective. And the sit-up (often used with an Ab-Mat) builds the abdominal strength needed to perform more advanced movements like the L-Sit and GHD sit-ups.
Set-Up: Start with the soles of your feet together. Your upper back and shoulders should be on the ground. Your hands should touch the ground behind your head.
Execution: Flex your abdominals and pull your torso up to a seated position. During the ascent, reach your arms forward. To complete the movement, stack your shoulders over your hips and extend your spine.
Points of Performance: To get a “good rep,” ensure the following:
– You start with your hands on the ground, over your head
– You finish with your shoulders over your hips
Pro-Tip: Keep your feet in contact with the ground during the ascent and descent of the sit-up. If you use the momentum of your legs to help with the movement, you lose out on lower abdominal recruitment.
SIT UPS ABS WORKOUTS
Add these into your training
1 ANNIE
50-40-30-20-10 Reps For Time
Double-Unders
Sit-Ups
Complete the work in the order listed: 50 Double-Unders, followed by 50 Sit-Ups. Then 40 Double-Unders, followed by 40 Sit-Ups. Then 30 of each. Then 20 of each. Then 10 of each.
Score is the time it takes to complete all 300 repetitions.
Good Times for “Annie” (source)
– Beginner: 10-12 minutes
– Intermediate: 8-10 minutes
– Advanced: 7-8 minutes
– Elite: <6 minutes
Tips and Strategy
Go fast but stay efficient. Use good form to avoid burning out and tripping on the Double-Unders. Break if necessary in the earlier rounds but try to sprint and go unbroken in the last three rounds.
Intended Stimulus
This fast workout is a descending rep couplet, intended to be a sprint. At the end of “Annie,” you should feel like you just ran a really fast 2K. Keep it under 10 minutes to maintain the integrity of the WOD. This is not a time to practice your Double-Unders–scale to Single-Unders if you’re not proficient at doubles yet.
Scaling Options
This WOD is meant to be relatively short—most athletes should finish “Annie” in 10 minutes or less. The repetitions should be fast and mostly unbroken.
If big, unbroken sets of Double-Unders aren’t available to you yet, sub them for Single-Unders. If big, unbroken sets of sit-ups aren’t available to you yet, reduce the volume.
When it comes to scaling movement, prioritize range of motion: Scale the first set of 50 sit-ups, for example, by dropping the volume to 25 perfect, full range of motion reps. 50 Crunches or half Sit-Ups aren’t nearly as beneficial as the full range of motion full Sit-Up.
Intermediate
30-25-20-15-10
Double-Unders
Sit-Ups
Beginner
30-25-20-15-10
Single-Unders
Anchored Sit-Ups
2 BLACKJACK
For Time
20 Push-Ups, 1 Sit-Up
19 Push-Ups, 2 Sit-Ups
18 Push-Ups, 3 Sit-Ups
…continue this pattern until…
2 Push-Ups, 19 Sit-Ups
1 Push-Up, 20 Sit-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible complete the prescribed work in the order written. Each round totals 21 reps (Push-Ups descending from 20, Sit-Ups ascending from 1) for a total of 420 reps in the workout.
Score is the time on the clock when the last set of Sit-Ups is completed.
Tips and Strategy
Push-Ups will be the crux of this workout. Break the reps up into small sets from the beginning—even if the athlete feels fresh—to avoid burnout in the later rounds. Never go to failure on the Push-Ups. And beware: it might seem like a good idea to go fast in the Sit-Ups to make up time, but if the athlete goes too fast, the core will be too taxed to perform the requisite number of Push-Ups. Keep the pace moderate throughout to be successful in “Blackjack.”
Intended Stimulus
“Blackjack” is all about muscular fatigue and overload. The athlete should feel severely taxed in the upper body and core. The challenge: Find the balance between achieving a great score and burning out before the work is done.
Scaling Options
Scale the volume (total number of reps) and/or the skill level of the Push-Ups (see: Push-Up Scaling) to move smoothly throughout the workout. Long rests won’t allow the athlete to achieve adequate hypertrophy (muscle growth). Suggested rule of thumb for “Blackjack”: If the athlete can’t currently perform 20 unbroken Push-Ups, the movement should be scaled.
Beginner (A)
For Time
20 Knee Push-Ups, 1 Sit-Up
19 Knee Push-Ups, 2 Sit-Ups
18 Knee Push-Ups, 3 Sit-Ups
…continue this pattern until…
2 Knee Push-Ups, 19 Sit-Ups
1 Knee Push-Up, 20 Sit-Ups
Beginner (B)
For Time
15 Push-Ups, 1 Sit-Up
14 Push-Ups, 2 Sit-Ups
13 Push-Ups, 3 Sit-Ups
…continue this pattern until…
2 Push-Ups, 14 Sit-Ups
1 Push-Up, 15 Sit-Ups
3 FIBONACCI’S MIDLINE
21-13-8-5 Reps for Time
Weighted Sit-Ups
Handstand Push-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written. Athlete must complete 21 Weighted Sit-Ups and 21 Handstand Push-Ups before moving on to 13 reps of each movement down to 8 reps and 5 reps.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Handstand Push-Ups is completed.
Intended Stimulus
Despite the fact that our mid-line will be taxed, this one should be taking us under 7 minutes. If we are going RX, we need the capacity to perform at least 10 unbroken STRICT Handstand Push-Ups on this one. We don’t have to perform them strict in the workout, but we need the strength.
That being said, we should be able to perform an unbroken set of Kipping Handstand Push-Ups between 10-15 reps to go RX for this one. We don’t have to go unbroken in the workout, but we need the capacity to perform a set if asked. Either way, our set of 21 should take us under 1 minute to complete and we shouldn’t need more than 4 sets total for it with very quick rest in between them.
The Weighted Sit-Up can be performed by anchoring the feet (or not), and using either a Dumbbell or Medicine Ball depending on what you have. We should be able to go unbroken on these throughout!! The set of 21 should be taking us under 50 seconds at the most to complete.
Scaling Options
Weighted Sit-Up: If we are building up our capacity to perform 21 unbroken weighted, go with 21 unweighted and strict for today. If we have an injury or limitation that prevents us from abdominal flexion, perform Ball Slams.
Handstand Push-Up: If we can perform 3-5 STRICT Handstand Push-Ups in a row and then they go away, perform 9-6-3-1. If we can perform 1 STRICT Handstand Push-Up, and then they go away, scale with 1 Abmat and use the same rep scheme above. If we are working towards our first STRICT Handstand Push-Up, but can perform Pike Push-Ups, perform Pike Push-Ups and follow the same rep guideline as above.
If we are working towards our first STRICT Handstand Push-Up and are working towards Pike Push-Ups, perform standing strict Dumbbell Press alternating arms. If we have an injury or limitation that prevents us from using one arm, perform strict Dumbbell Presses on the good arm.
4 SIT UPS ABS WORKOUTS – GUNNY
For Time
1 mile Weighted Run (50/35 lb)
50 Push-Ups
50 Sit-Ups
1 mile Weighted Run (50/35 lb)
50 Push-Ups
50 Sit-Ups
1 mile Weighted Run (50/35 lb)
Wear a Weight Vest, Body Armor, loaded Ruck Pack or whatever is needed to load yourself with 50 lb. for the runs.
Scaling
This workout is long, requiring you to lug a heavy load a long distance. Reduce the loads, distance and reps so this becomes manageable but is still a long slog.
Intermediate Option
For time:
1-mile weighted run
50 push-ups
50 sit-ups
1-mile weighted run
50 push-ups
50 sit-ups
1-mile weighted run
Wear a weight vest, body armor, loaded pack or whatever needed to load yourself with 25 lb. for the runs.
Beginner Option
For time:
800-m weighted run
30 knee push-ups
30 sit-ups
800-m weighted run
30 knee push-ups
30 sit-ups
800-m weighted run
Wear a weight vest, body armor, loaded pack or whatever needed to load yourself with 20 lb. for the runs.
5 SIT UPS ABS WORKOUTS – FIG NEWTON
5 Rounds for Time
15/12 calorie Assault Bike
25 AbMat Sit-Ups
10 Dumbbell Overhead Squats (50/35 lb)
Men do 15 cal, women do 12 cal on air assault bike. Shoulders must touch the ground on AbMat sit-ups. For the overhead squats, you may snatch the first rep and complete all overhead squats on the same arm. If you want to switch arms, the dumbbell must be exchanged while overhead. Each squat must be below parallel and the arm must remain locked out overhead.
Scaling
If no assault airbike, do 13(men)10 (women) cal row or 200m run. You can do regular sit-ups or leg raises (brought as high as possible, heels stay off the ground). Lightweight dumbbells for single-arm overhead squats, or hold a 10 lb plate overhead (use both hands to hold it) going as deep as possible.
6 DAY 1
AMRAP in 20 minutes
20 Air Squats
20 Sit-Ups
10/7 Handstand Push-Ups
On a 20-minute clock, as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) perform the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
Sit Ups Abs Workouts Tips and Strategy
If you are a pro, get after it. you could also add a deficit to the Handstand Push-Ups. Beginner to Intermediate athletes may want to focus on keeping their heartrate at a manageable pace in order to get through the Handstand Push-Ups.
Intended Stimulus
This is a bodyweight workout to hit a lot of the major muscle groups in the body. The rep range will test stamina for most beginner to intermediate athletes. If an athlete cannot finish the Handstand Push-Ups in under 45 seconds, they should scale.
Scaling
For intermediate, add an AbMat to reduce the range of motion on the Handstand Push-Ups. You can also scale the Handstand Push-Ups with Handstand Holds, Wall Walk, Planks, or reduce the reps on the Handstand Push-Ups.
SIT UPS ABS WORKOUTS – BURN BABY BURN
2 Rounds for Time
21 Russian Twists
15 Reverse Lunges
9 Squats to Sit
15 Russian Twists
12 Reverse Lunges
9 Squats to Sit
12 Russian Twists
9 Reverse Lunges
6 Squats to Sit
2 minutes Rest after Round 1
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for two rounds. Athlete must perform 21 Russian Twists, 15 Reverse Lunges, and 9 Squats to Sit before moving on to 15, 12, 9 reps, and 12-9-6 reps respectively. Rest 2 minutes after completing the first round.
If you have a weighted object, use it for Russian Twists and Reverse Lunges. For the Squats to Sit, squat down to a chair, medicine ball or a footstool. Aim is to control down then disengage at the bottom for a brief second, reengage and come back up for 1 rep.
Score is the time on the clock when the last set of Squats to Sit is completed.
Scaling
Do the reverse lunges and Russian Twists with no weight or scale up and use weight.
Intended Stimulus
Larger numbers are aimed to give your abs/core a good blast. Reverse Lunges are designed to work on your balance along while stimulating legs. Squats to Sit encourages you to have a better connection with your hips, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
The rep scheme encourages you to keep a good speed and pacing. The 2-minute rest is to encourage you to push in the 2nd round, overall holding your original score.
