Incline situps work your abdominals, and, with modifications, can work your abdominals through a greater range of motion. Strengthening your abdominals improves your posture and helps you remain upright when squatting and deadlifting. Strong abdominals help you use the power in your legs in many athletic activities, including martial arts. While training your abdominals will not do much to burn body fat, you can train them at home at your convenience. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any exercise program.
Step 1
Sit on an ottoman or footstool. Hook your feet under your sofa or something else that will not move. Lean back as far as you can, then sit up. Keep your arms crossed on your chest. If your flexibility permits, you can get a very good range of motion on this exercise.
Step 2
Pile pillows on the couch, and sit on the couch with your feet hooked over the back. You must be facing the back of the couch, with the pillows under you. Have someone hold your feet. Lean back, then sit up. You will need to experiment with the type and number of pillows to get the right sort of incline.
Step 3
Perform as many repetitions as you can for at least three sets. When you can perform three sets of 30, you might wish to increase the resistance.
Step 4
Increase the resistance by holding a dumbbell on your chest. If you do not have a dumbbell, you can use a backpack. You can also use a gallon jug, and adjust the weight by filling it with various amounts of water.
Tips and Warnings
- Experiment with different angles of incline.
- Never lace your fingers together behind your head, this increases your risk of pulling on your neck and causing strain.
Things You'll Need
- Couch
- Footstool
- Pillows
- Spotter
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy (third edition)"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- "New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding: The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised"; Arnold Schwarzenegger et al.; 1999
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