I've worked my way up to 800 situps / day by doing 400 in sets of 30 (and 1 of 40) twice a day. My question is: should I do this EVERY day or not?? I know that for arms/legs you're supposed to leave 1 or 2 days of rest between lifting workouts. Is it the same for abdominals or is it OK and beneficial to work them EVERY day??
Thanks in advance!
Parents
Former Member
I doubt that it is still standing, but my first record I set as a freshman at Northwestern (where I swam the 440) in 1942-43. President Roosevelt had declared a physical training program that included sit-ups to be done with a buddy holding down the feet of the contestant. I have no idea how many I had done, but I quit only because I had to go to my next class. At the time the instructor told me that I had set the school record!
Since then I have done sit-ups somewhat with feet held down by heavy furniture, but not in the last thirty years or so. For a while I did some "crunches" on the YMCA's weight machines, but when I learned that several world champion masters swimmers did not engage in weight training to avoid the threat of injury, I took a similar stand for the same reason.
I also have reason to believe that most, if not all, of the present prominence of abdominal exercises is a misplaced emphasis on vanity. In short, my guess is that sit-ups or crunches are not a worthwhile dedication of time or effort to most, if not all, masters swimmers. If there is any one out there who has knowledge or expertise to contradict me on this, don't hesitate.
I doubt that it is still standing, but my first record I set as a freshman at Northwestern (where I swam the 440) in 1942-43. President Roosevelt had declared a physical training program that included sit-ups to be done with a buddy holding down the feet of the contestant. I have no idea how many I had done, but I quit only because I had to go to my next class. At the time the instructor told me that I had set the school record!
Since then I have done sit-ups somewhat with feet held down by heavy furniture, but not in the last thirty years or so. For a while I did some "crunches" on the YMCA's weight machines, but when I learned that several world champion masters swimmers did not engage in weight training to avoid the threat of injury, I took a similar stand for the same reason.
I also have reason to believe that most, if not all, of the present prominence of abdominal exercises is a misplaced emphasis on vanity. In short, my guess is that sit-ups or crunches are not a worthwhile dedication of time or effort to most, if not all, masters swimmers. If there is any one out there who has knowledge or expertise to contradict me on this, don't hesitate.
