Crunches and sit-ups on an incline bench or Roman chair

The incline crunch (Roman chair) is a basic abdominal exercise that is considered one of the most effective for the rectus abdominis muscle, especially with additional weight. It is suitable for absolutely everyone: from beginners to experienced athletes. You can easily change the angle of the bench, thereby changing the degree of load. Crunches on an incline bench (Roman chair) can be used at the beginning of a workout as a warm-up, or performed at the end of a workout as a final exercise.

How to do a sit-up in a Roman chair

To perform hyperextension, horizontal type exercise machines and a Roman chair for hyperextension, which has an upward slope, are suitable.

1. To perform the exercise, you need to take a position in the machine face down.
2. The heels need to be rested under the bolsters.
3. Keeping your abdominal muscles tense, lower your body down while inhaling, exhale on the reverse movement and return to the starting position using the muscles of the lumbar region.
4. In the starting position, the body should form a straight line. At the top you need to take a short pause. There should be no bend in the lower back.

In this exercise, just like with crunches, you do not need to use the force of inertia. To increase results in the future, you can perform the exercise using weights, dumbbells, weights and discs.

Execution technique

Before we look at sit-ups and crunches on a Roman chair or bench, let’s look at several options for exercise machines that are found in gyms. This will allow you not to get confused when you see a “dissimilar” unit in your fitness club.

So, what is called an abdominal bench or Roman chair can be the following:

• An inclined bench with bolsters for supporting the legs and knees. The athlete lies on the bench with his back, bends his hips and knees. This position is reminiscent of the position when swinging the press on the floor (back straight, legs bent at the knees), only you are not lying horizontally, but upside down. This version of the simulator is considered optimal, since with this position of the hips (they are bent), the lower back is activated minimally.
• An incline bench with bolsters only to support the lower legs. The athlete lies on such a bench with his back, bends his knees and places his ankle joints behind the bolsters. The hips and back form one line. In this case, the load on the lower back is greater than in the previous one.
• A regular hyperextension machine, only the athlete turns 180 degrees in it, sitting on the pads with his hips. With this exercise, the backward movement of the body is not limited in any way, and, say, a beginner is not always able to control the work of the muscles and strictly follow the technique. Not a recommended option due to its increased risk of injury.

Regardless of which machine you perform the exercise on, the movement technique should be as follows:

1. Take your starting position on the bench. Your legs should be locked and your abdominal muscles tense. Abdominal relaxation does not occur throughout the entire exercise. The lower back should be as straight as possible, that is, actually pressed against the bench in the starting position. Further, if you do crunches, the lower back remains as pressed as possible. If you perform lifts, the lower back lifts off the bench, but there is no deflection in the lumbar region. When performing the exercise on a machine with two rollers (for the shins and knees), it is quite easy to follow this rule, since the hips are bent. In the case of a bench with support only for the legs, keeping the lower back close to the bench will interfere with the buttocks. Therefore, when performing the exercise, you do not lower your back completely onto the bench. That is, the spine is always slightly rounded. If you pump your abs on a hyperextension machine, there is no support for your lower back at all; the position of your body is controlled solely by the strength of your muscles.
2. You can cross your arms over your chest or put them behind your head (it’s harder to do this).
3. As you exhale, lift your body. When performing crunches, only the shoulder blades come off the bench. When doing lifts, raise your entire body 30-60 degrees above parallel with the floor. Simply put, about half as low as before the vertical position of the body.
4. Slowly and under control, without relaxing your abs or arching your back, return to the starting position.

Perform the exercise 20–30 times in 3–4 approaches. The last repetitions should be as hard as possible for you. However, do not allow your muscles to become so tired that you break your technique.

When performing body lifts, avoid jerking. A slow pace, on the one hand, will make abdominal training more effective, and on the other hand, it will help you better control the movements, making the exercise safe for your back. For twists this is not so important.

A few months of regular abdominal workouts will help you make your stomach firm and your sides toned. It is also worth saying that in order to see the drawn relief (the treasured cubes and lines on the sides of the abdomen), the thickness of the fat layer on the abdomen should be minimal.

Popular manufacturers

There are many companies producing sporting goods.

In our market you can find Roman chairs from:

• Body Solid is an American brand that supplies products for home use and professional use;
• Oxygen is a Taiwanese company specializing in inexpensive but high-quality equipment;
• Kettler – German quality exercise equipment;
• Bronze Gym is a German manufacturer with factories in China and Thailand, specializing in budget and mid-range products;
• Matrix - from the manufacturer Johnson Health Tech Co., offering the best equipment for training. Made in USA-Taiwan.

You can also find other less famous brands. The main thing is the quality of the product, not the brand.

Features of classes for women over 50

Women who have celebrated their anniversary should not consider themselves pensioners and give up intimate life. With age, the muscles of the vagina lose their tone, and the pressure of the uterus on the bladder often provokes incontinence. If you supplement the sensations with manifestations of menopause, the picture is not rosy. There is a solution to the problem: thanks to Kegel gymnastics for women, you can restore muscle tone at any age, eliminate discomfort, and prevent diseases of the pelvic organs. It will take longer to practice until you get the desired result than in your youth, but the effect will be there.

Pros and cons of a “chair” against the wall

The “Chair” exercise trains the muscles of the hips and buttocks, strengthens the knees, ligaments and tendons.

“Chair” is a static exercise that involves squatting with your back and neck leaning against the wall. It is because of the position of the performer that it received such a name.

Exercise helps:

• strengthening the gluteal muscles;
• normalization of pressure;
• healthy blood circulation;
• increasing endurance;
• developing the ability to balance;
• strengthening the feet, which is especially useful for flat feet;
• reducing stress;
• strengthening ligaments and tendons.

In addition, the “Chair” relieves intervertebral hernia and promotes the healing of injuries to the knees and ankle joints.

During training, pay attention to breathing - take a deep breath and exhale measuredly.

What is a “Roman chair”?

In fact, we are talking about a simulator. This is an inclined bench, the design of which includes a leg lock. The bed is often made of leatherette or leather substitute, soft. Sometimes the role of such equipment can simply be a bench attached to a horizontal bar like a ladder; there are a lot of variations of the Roman chair.

In any case, this type of exercise machine allows you to activate most of the muscles in the abdominal area, hips, lumbar girdle, and back. In addition, it is extremely useful for stretching, since it allows you to eliminate the appearance of pain or discomfort in the spinal region later, when the athlete begins the main training cycle. The cost of a Roman chair is relatively low, especially when compared with other equipment for pumping up the abs.

Secrets and subtleties

To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:

• during execution, twist your body forward, rather than lift your back and sit on your buttocks;
• watch the amplitude, it should not be large, and the technique should not resemble an “accordion”;
• do not clasp your hands behind your head;
• do not round your neck or raise your head too much forward;
• at the final (upper) point of the trajectory, hold for 1-2 counts and perform a peak contraction;
• do not pull yourself by the neck with your hands, but bring your upper body closer to your lower body by contracting your abdominal muscles;
• As you progress in times, use additional weights in the form of a plate or barbell;
• move slowly and under control, without jerking;
• breathing technique: exhale - twist forward, inhale - lower onto the bench;
• numerical training parameters: number of approaches 3-4, repetitions 20-25.

We're done with the theoretical side, now let's look at some practical points.

Is it possible to exercise during menstruation?

If you regularly do Kegel exercises for women, menstruation will be less painful. Many girls and women around the world experience severe pain, from which they save themselves with pills. But you don’t have to take strong medications every month. You can try to perform simple actions to strengthen the intimate areas and reduce the discomfort that occurs on “critical” days, if it is not associated with the presence of pathology.

During menstruation, Kegel gymnastics does not pose a threat to women, you just need to avoid overloading the body. You cannot immediately go for a record - the number of repetitions and the time of muscle contraction are increased gradually.

Charging should be postponed in case of infectious diseases of the genitourinary system. Only after consulting a doctor and making a diagnosis, having completed the prescribed treatment, can you resume gymnastics as soon as your health returns to normal.

Also watch our video tutorial:

Hyperextension on a Roman chair

Hyperextension is an exercise that is performed on a Roman chair. Their main goal is to pump up the muscles of the back, abs and buttocks.

You need to do these exercises as follows:

• Take the starting position on the simulator: sit on the seat, move your feet behind the lower rollers. Cross your arms over your chest.
• Inhale and tilt your body back, rounding your back. In this case, the torso should lower by 60 degrees.
• Inhale and come back. Perform 20-25 repetitions and 3 sets.

Hyperextension has rules for execution. First of all, you should not allow your body to tilt too low. If you hold your back at an angle of 90 degrees, the spine will receive a strong load and problems may eventually arise.

In addition, you need to control the deflection itself. So, if you keep your back straight, then again there will be too much stress on the spine. You also need to watch your feet. You can't bend your knees. The legs should only be straight, otherwise the exercise will be performed incorrectly.

Hyperextension can be performed in another way. In this case, you should be placed face down on the simulator. In this case, the seat should be located under the hips, and the feet and legs should be placed behind the soft bolsters. Next, also follow the downward bends, rounding the back. It is not recommended to tilt the body too low. 60 degrees of inclination will be enough.

Such exercises are not recommended for people with back problems, otherwise they can worsen the situation.

DIY bench press

This type of exercise machine is quite popular, because you can use it to do exercises with a barbell and pump up your abs. Making a strength trainer with your own hands is not difficult if you approach this matter wisely.

This trainer has many functions.

. It can be equipped with a block for legs, abdominal pumping and power bench press. In the latter case, it is very convenient, because you don’t need a belaying partner for the bench press, because the machine has a limit chain.

The length between the supports is 110 cm. The exercise machine can be equipped with stoppers, a spring bracket, a latch, hinged supports, an adjustable backrest and a seat. Using such a universal simulator, you can pump up most of the muscle group

. Of course, such a design costs a lot of money and not everyone can buy it.

Purchase or homemade

Not everyone has the opportunity to train in the gym; this problem can be solved by purchasing an abdominal machine and a power bench press. But there are pros and cons of both options.

Advantages of the purchase option: you don’t have to waste time

for handmade production.

Disadvantages of the purchased simulator:

• low quality of goods;
• high price.

Homemade option

• Quality, design and functionality are respected by the owner himself.
• There is no need to use expensive material for the structure.
• A homemade simulator, unlike a store-bought one, will be much cheaper at the cost of materials.

Cons: waste of time on construction

simulator.

Safety

The exercise should be performed on a stable machine. Some athletes place step platforms under it to increase the height for their convenience. For beginners, it is advisable to do crunches without raising the height, as a Roman chair may not be as stable.

When doing twisting, you should never make sudden movements. They often lead to severe muscle strain. It is also important not to move your body too far back, so as not to overload your lower back, because the main task of crunches is to work the abs, not the back.

Benefits of Exercise

The training is performed on a special apparatus (Roman chair), which is a bench located at a certain angle of inclination and equipped with leg clamps.

The advantages of such twists include the following:

• isolated effect on the abdominal area;
• the ability to use additional weights, which will increase the effectiveness of the exercise several times;
• strengthening the rectus abdominal muscles;
• the ability to slightly narrow the waist, which is especially important for girls;
• the ability to form six-pack abs, make the muscles firm and strong.

Strengthening the abs and hip flexors will also be useful for those who play swimming, tennis, javelin throwing, and volleyball. This will improve coordination of movements.

Crunches

The most common exercises on a strength machine: lateral raise of the body, standard lift of the body while lying on the back, crunches with turns. The final result depends 100% on the correct execution of the exercises. With proper use of the simulator, it is possible to strengthen and work out the abdominal muscles in the best possible way.

Additionally, the muscles of the back, legs and buttocks can be involved, thanks to which you can significantly improve your figure and get rid of extra pounds.

There is a wide variety of crunches. If you correctly combine several exercises, then in the end the abdominal muscles will be subjected to a complex load, due to which the effectiveness of the training will be increased. Twisting has a positive effect on the extensibility of the vertebrae, relieves pain in the joints, and improves the mobility of the musculoskeletal system.

Hyperextension

Roman chair crunches will bring even more benefits if a woman purchases a weighted hoop with spikes and twists it for 15-20 minutes after each workout. Horizontal hyperextension helps improve your figure, when the torso is tilted forward, while the feet are securely fixed with bolsters.

Exercise technique:

1. You need to lie down on the machine bench so that your pelvis is pressed tightly against the bench. The extreme part of the simulator should be located at the bend of the body (slightly below the navel area). The legs should be secured with bolsters.
2. You need to cross your arms behind your head or on your chest. This will make it easier to keep your body straight.
3. The body must be tilted down so that it forms a 90 degree angle with the legs.
4. You need to straighten up smoothly so that your body is in line with your legs.

It is necessary to stay in the starting position for 20-30 seconds. and repeat the exercise again. To achieve a positive result, each workout should include 4-6 sets, each of which consists of 30-40 repetitions.

Variation of hyperextension

Reverse hyperextension is no less popular, in which the load on the back is significantly reduced. This Roman chair exercise technique is often used by women before squats and powerlifts. The risk of spinal injury remains minimal.

The technique of performing reverse hyperextension implies compliance with the following rules:

• You need to lie on the machine bench on your stomach and lower your legs. The reference point should be your own weight.
• It is necessary to fix the position of the body, firmly holding the bench with your palms.
• You need to raise your legs a little and tighten your buttocks and thighs. During the exercise, the muscles should not be relaxed.
• As you exhale, you should raise your legs together until the peak sensation of muscle contraction occurs. It is recommended to focus on the buttocks and thighs.
• In the extreme position, you need to hold for 5 seconds, then smoothly lower your legs to the starting position.

Within 1-2 minutes. you need to do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

If a woman has not previously performed this type of exercise, then she should exercise without weights for the first 2-3 weeks. It is also forbidden to use weights and dumbbells that are too heavy, as otherwise it will be extremely difficult to perform the exercise correctly. You need to remember that quality is more important than quantity.

Reverse hyperextension has received great demand in physical therapy. This is because proper Roman chair exercises help strengthen your back muscles and stretch your spine. Inclined hyperextension is based on the fact that the machine must have an inclined angle relative to the floor.

It is possible to perform the exercise in two techniques at once:

• Hyperextension with a rounded back. This exercise helps improve stretching, increase joint mobility, and strengthen the ligaments of the lower back. Professional athletes recommend strengthening the lower back and spine to always keep muscles toned and reduce the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis and arthritis.
• Hyperextension with back arching. The essence of the exercise is to thoroughly work out the back muscles.

Oblique hyperextension involves twisting at an angle with your legs securely supported by the bolsters of a Roman chair. This exercise perfectly pumps up the buttocks and thighs. Thanks to the adjustable angle of the bench, you can always choose the most suitable degree of load.

Practice shows that the higher the amplitude of the tilt, the more the muscles of the legs and spine are loaded. The muscles will become more prominent if you perform at least 5 sets 3-4 times a week, which should include 25-50 repetitions.

No less effective is lateral hyperextension, which is aimed at working the oblique abdominal muscles. This exercise differs from the classic version in that to pump up the muscles you need to lie on your side. In this case, the hips should rest on the bench, and the legs should be fixed with bolsters.

To achieve a positive result, you need to carefully, slowly bend, bending smoothly at the waist. First, the exercise is done on one side of the body, and then on the other. The workout should consist of 4-6 sets, each with 20-40 repetitions.

Exercises with turns to the right and left

Crunches on a Roman chair help women significantly improve their physical shape, achieve the desired muscle definition and make the silhouette of the figure more refined. The simulator can be used not only by professional athletes, but also by beginners. If you follow the basic exercise technique, positive changes in your appearance can be noticed after just a month of regular exercise.

Thanks to crunches, you can pump up the oblique abdominal muscles well. To do this, sit on the machine bench and, while inhaling, lower your body back (almost to a horizontal position). It is recommended to ensure that the abs are tense at all times.

It is not recommended to lower your body low, as the hip joints will be involved, which poses a risk of back injury. In a horizontal position, you need to stay for 3 seconds, and then you should perform a maximum twist to the knees using the abdominal muscles.

To maximize the use of the oblique abdominal muscles, you need to perform smooth turns of the body during crunches. To do this, you should reach for your right knee with your left elbow, and for your left knee with your right elbow. To maximally work out the rectus abdominis muscles, you will need an assistant who will do this for 3-5 seconds. will put a little pressure on the athlete's shoulders after he lowers his body.

At this moment, you should try to twist in order to achieve maximum abdominal tension. When the body is not completely lowered, 90% of the load falls on the upper abdomen, but the remaining muscles are subject to static load, which only enhances the final effect.

Advanced Ab Bench

It differs from the usual one in that it has a board tilt regulator. The design should be equipped with comfortable leg clamps. To make a homemade simulator, it is recommended to make a drawing and perform calculations. You will need to purchase the following material:

Initially, a frame is constructed from square pipes

. A pipe 110 cm long is laid on the floor, and pieces of pipes 50 cm long are welded across the edges. A stand 26 cm high is attached to one end, and several holes are made in it for bolts.

Next you need to make a part in the shape of a “T”

", but with a slightly smaller pipe diameter so that the product fits tightly into the rack. It is also necessary to make holes in it, but to coincide with the holes on the stand, this is how you can adjust the leg part.

the next stand is installed 50 cm from the foot edge

30 cm in height. From this rack, at 33 cm, another one is mounted at 35 cm in height. Then you need to make holes in the 30-centimeter rack every 5 cm, but before making them, it is recommended to put a piece of pipe of a smaller diameter in there and drill. On a 35-centimeter rack, a part is cut out at the upper edge to form plates on the sides; they also need to be drilled at the top for a large bolt.

Then the upper part of the frame is constructed

. 2 corners are cut to a certain length, welded together, and a drilled pipe is welded to them. Holes are made in the walls and the board is screwed on. A 40 cm long pipe is attached to the corners from the foot edge, then the upper frame is placed on the racks. The head part is screwed onto a large bolt, and the adjustable support is screwed in, previously set to the desired angle.

At the end, the structure is painted and the boards are upholstered.

, as well as leg parts with foam rubber and leather. It is necessary to wrap a thick layer of foam rubber around your feet to prevent painful sensations. After some time of training, you just need to twist the bolts into another hole, thereby lifting the board. With this abdominal exercise machine you can pump up your stomach in a short time.

Using a wall bars as an abdominal exercise machine

If the room has a wall bars, then the task of constructing the structure is significantly easier. If there is none, then its production will not be superfluous.

The following materials will be required

: thick board of standard width, length about 100 cm; two wooden lintels; material to prevent damage to the back.

This design is extremely simple

. Simply cut the board to the desired size. At the edge, screw a beam the same width as the board. A round jumper for the legs is screwed 30 cm from the edge in the form of a handle from under a shovel. Finally, you need to mount the soft material on the board and the foot holder.

The principle of the bench for the press is this: the board is placed against the wall bars, the edge with the beam clings to the jumper of the Swedish design, and abdominal training is done, after a while you can change the inclination of the bench

.

Optimal number of sets and repetitions

The rectus abdominis muscle is pulled together by tendons that divide it into cubes. To pump up your six-pack abs, you need to build some muscle volume. You don't need to do hundreds of repetitions for this. The rectus abdominis muscle is the same as the pectoral or gluteal muscles.

This means that the optimal numerical parameters of the exercise are: 3-4 sets of 15, maximum 20 repetitions. Last few reps until failure.

The same goes for the number of abdominal workouts per week. The abdominal muscles also need rest and recovery. 2-3 workouts per week are more than enough.

Muscle atlas

Roman chair crunches are isolation exercises and are aimed at working the rectus abdominis muscle, which creates the visual “cubic” abs.

The complete muscle composition includes the following units:

• targeted – rectus abdominis muscle;
• synergists – internal/external oblique abdominal muscles;
• stabilizers - iliopsoas muscle, quadriceps.

Let's take a closer look at each muscle group involved in abdominal crunches.

Rectus abdominis muscle

The main muscle that works in Roman chair crunches. This is one whole muscle, not two, as most people think. Moreover, there is no lower or upper press. This is an external muscle and the quality of the relief and the visual division of the muscle into cubes will depend on how much it is pumped.

Internal/external oblique muscles

If we want a narrower waist, we must work the oblique muscles. To do this, we add body rotations during crunches. When turning, the internal and external oblique abdominal muscles on the opposite side of the waist are simultaneously activated.

Do not be afraid of increasing your waist by training your oblique muscles. Just work with them no more than once a week and do bodyweight exercises.

Anterior thigh muscles

The work also includes stabilizer muscles, which fix the position of the body, but do not participate in movement. In crunches, the quadriceps and iliopsoas muscles act as stabilizers.