Another muscle(s) question.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I can do sit ups (much preferred with weight on my legs or feet).

 

I can do leg raises (hands under my lower back or my back lifts up). I can also lift my legs (straight, or doing knee tucks) while hanging, but do a lot more if I’m using the thing that supports forearms.

 

I absolutely cannot do tuck crunches.

 

I can do a little more than a crunch then pull in my knees. Can’t lift upper body if lower is up first. When I manage to get up at the same time at all, it’s using all the muscles in the back, in an almost painful way.

 

I’m thinking this might be the big piece missing in my ab-back lack of communication. It’s probably the most complex core muscle.

 

So what is weakest using this example?

 

On the up side, I moved down to a 20†box and got 3 rounds of 8 push ups before having to flip it back to 30†for the rest. :)

[Kassia]

Do you do planks? Or any core work in a prone position? 

Edited January 7, 2018 by Kassia

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I do planks. Not sure of time yet, but I stop when I start to feel it creeping to my back.

 

Nothing specific in prone. Feel free to link me to something that could be helpful. :)

[Kassia]

I wouldn't bother with the sit-ups/crunches and stick with different variations of planks to work deep in your core.  

https://www.issaonline.edu/blog/index.cfm/2016/are-sit-ups-bad-for-you-the-us-military-seems-to-think-so

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/want-a-stronger-core-skip-the-sit-ups

 

https://www.livestrong.com/article/483473-are-situps-crunches-bad-for-the-spine/

[amo_mea_filiis.]

No diastasis.

 

Makes sense that I’m using hips. I’ll try some changes and see if I can hit my abs better.

 

I do leg raises with the PT and he watches closely.

[wintermom]

Body proportions have a big impact on sit-ups and crunches. Little children with relatively large heads compared to the rest of their body have a REALLY tough time doing sit-ups. Their head is so big and heavy compared to the rest of their body and their muscles aren't always strong enough to lift both head and chest.  

 

Maybe you have a body type/weight vs muscle strength distribution that has trouble lifting you head, chest and arms and your legs, plus balance there in a challenging position. That may be too much strain for your body all at once. And it's pretty hard on the tail bone, I find. 

 

Do other exercises to strengthen your abs and back (core) and avoid the tuck crunch. 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I avoid the tailbone by using a thick mat (the kind that goes under a climbing rope). I think that also decreases the balance demands.

 

I’m doing Crossfit, so the workouts are planned. This is how I’m finding the insane weaknesses! Lol

 

I thought I had decent core strength. 🤣

[wintermom]

I avoid the tailbone by using a thick mat (the kind that goes under a climbing rope). I think that also decreases the balance demands.

 

I’m doing Crossfit, so the workouts are planned. This is how I’m finding the insane weaknesses! Lol

 

I thought I had decent core strength. 🤣

 

What do your Crossfit instructors suggest you do? They see exactly how you are struggling and can probably give you some tips and progressive movements while you build up strength. It's hard to give specific advice when we can't see what you are actually doing. 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

What do your Crossfit instructors suggest you do? They see exactly how you are struggling and can probably give you some tips and progressive movements while you build up strength. It's hard to give specific advice when we can't see what you are actually doing.

Pretty much do what I’m doing. Little attempts, keep moving, etc.

 

I was just wondering which muscle(s) I’m likely over or under using so I can target that. I think hip flexors was the answer. So I added planks to my home plan, and may do them in place of something at the gym.

[Guinevere]

Cross fit instructors can sometimes be high on motivation and low on knowledge of these sorts of things. Please make sure yours is properly trained before accepting their advice about how to improve. Sometimes "do more" is really bad advice.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Cross fit instructors can sometimes be high on motivation and low on knowledge of these sorts of things. Please make sure yours is properly trained before accepting their advice about how to improve. Sometimes "do more" is really bad advice.

They modified me a lot more early on, but now we defer to the PT. So when I see him later, I’ll ask what to instead, and also what to work on at home.

 

At Crossfit we just had a week of form before a week of maxes. I was in a group of a few who were not going for max. We went moderate and whatever we could keep form in 3 reps.

 

They’re not the most knowledgeable compared to a PT, but they never push if your form is off. So my tuck crunch attempts were just praised.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Oftentimes my PT will tell me to just keep going as well. As long as something doesn’t hurt, especially my back, just keep trying.

[ktgrok]

How about trying some boat pose, from yoga? Similar, but instead of starting from laying down and picking your head chest etc UP, you start UP, and just try to stay there, or lower down as you can. Would start with you in the position you are trying to create (sort of), so you'd be in the right position, and then you can lower down as you get stronger. https://www.yogaoutlet.com/guides/how-to-do-boat-pose-in-yoga/

[wintermom]

Pretty much do what I’m doing. Little attempts, keep moving, etc.

 

I was just wondering which muscle(s) I’m likely over or under using so I can target that. I think hip flexors was the answer. So I added planks to my home plan, and may do them in place of something at the gym.

 

You are having trouble bending your knees to your chest? Can you stand up and bring your knee toward your chest? Or jump and bring both knees to the chest at the same time? If so, then you don't have a hip flexor issue. Hip flexors include the quadraceps and they are typically very strong muscles. 

[wintermom]

Asking your PT specific advice sounds like a good idea. Is PT for personal trainer or physical therapist? If it's the latter, you have a much better chance of getting excellent advice on the specific muscle weaknesses you are facing. 

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by wintermom

[amo_mea_filiis.]

You are having trouble bending your knees to your chest? Can you stand up and bring your knee toward your chest? Or jump and bring both knees to the chest at the same time? If so, then you don't have a hip flexor issue. Hip flexors include the quadraceps and they are typically very strong muscles.

Mentioned up thread; I might be using my hips for sit ups more than my core. Makes sense with regards to the tuck crunch issue.

 

PT is physical therapist. My primary treatment is whatever caused quad pain in squats. My hips are tight and weak. My ankles are a bit tight. My back is extremely tight.

 

Therapy right now is preventative. The pain I was having is from weakness and tightness that will lead to injury, with or without Crossfit.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

How about trying some boat pose, from yoga? Similar, but instead of starting from laying down and picking your head chest etc UP, you start UP, and just try to stay there, or lower down as you can. Would start with you in the position you are trying to create (sort of), so you'd be in the right position, and then you can lower down as you get stronger. https://www.yogaoutlet.com/guides/how-to-do-boat-pose-in-yoga/

I’ll ask about trying this in therapy today. Hopefully I’m just not sitting right, but sitting on the floor kills my back. A yoga mat does nothing. I need like a memory foam mattress. Lol

[wintermom]

Mentioned up thread; I might be using my hips for sit ups more than my core. Makes sense with regards to the tuck crunch issue.

 

 

When your feet are fixed in position, you could be using your hip flexors more, but with the feet free you'd need to use your core muscles to do a crunch/sit-up. 

 

Your hip flexors are probably much stronger than your abs, relatively speaking. You may have hip flexor issues as well, but between the two muscle groups there could be an imbalance.

 

Do you do any back extension exercises to strengthen the back muscles? 

Edited January 8, 2018 by wintermom

[ktgrok]

I’ll ask about trying this in therapy today. Hopefully I’m just not sitting right, but sitting on the floor kills my back. A yoga mat does nothing. I need like a memory foam mattress. Lol

 

You could try folding the mat up a few times. Or use a thicker one. But in this pose you'd be engaging your core, so shouldn't be straining your back at all. 

 

For normal sitting, not exercising, a folded up blanket or towel under the back of your butt should help...it tips your pelvis forward. 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Instead of tuck crunches, I sit as V as possible and hug my knees, then bring my hands and arms out wide from my body.