Anyone Do Press-ups or Sit-ups

Thanks for the replies.

Iam currently doing a Push-up and Sit-up challenge which involves adding a Push-up and Sit-up everyday.So for example I did 1 Push-up and 1 Sit-up on the 1st January 2 on 2nd January etc.Im currently upto 154 of each this is broken into sets though.December is going to be a busy month!

Another question do you think doing any resistance training ie weight training or Press-ups etc helps your running at all?

Ian.

Hi All,

I thought I'd just give an update on my circuit progress.

Since June 1st I've done pretty much done the same circuit everyday (although I did miss two days the other weekend 9th/10th).
It has changed slightly from the first one I did and basically consists of:

20 press ups - 5 chin ups - 10 leg raises - 10 crunches - 10 back extensions, all with minimal rest, straight through for 3 sets.

It has had a few tweaks throughout the 3 weeks, mainly with the ab work, adding oblique crunches, planks, swoping the order etc.

Today I added a fourth set, same set up, press ups, chin ups, abs, press ups, chin up, abs, etc, etc.

The extra set is because I completed 5 consecutive days were I managed the full 3x 5 chin ups. I worked up through sets of 5-4-3, 5-4-4/5-5-3 then 5-5-4, so today I've added the extra set.
The 3x 20 press ups which I initially struggled with were pretty much conquered by day 4.

Over the last 3 days I've taken the press ups upto 3x 25 but dropped them back down today to 20's to do the 4 sets.

Even though I've added the extra round I still did 4 full sets of 5 chins, so as of tomorrow I'll be taking the chins upto sets of 6 reps, I know this will be tougher and will take a few weeks before I hit 4x 6 reps. Same with the press ups they're going back upto 25's and that may cause some faultering. The ab work is constantly getting tweaked, changes most days, but retains a core set of exercises that I'm happy with.

So the new basic circuit is;

press ups - 25 - 25 - 25 - 25.
chin ups - 6 - 6 - 6 - 6.
leg raises - 12 - 12 - 12 - 12.
crunches - 12 - 12 - 0 - 12.
oblque crnch - 0 - 0 - 10 L/R - 10 L/R.
back ext. 15 -15 -15 -20.

I'll let you know how I got on tomorrow with the first new tougher set.

I'm still on top of the stretching post-run as well, normally get in a good 15-20 mins.

Chris.

Hi Ian.

I'm no expert,but I've done a twice-weekly "circuit" session,involving pres-ups,pull-ups,sit-ups,back-extensions,leg-extensions,leg-lifts etc etc since I started running seriously about 12 years ago.

I also do at least 4 of those exercises on 4 other days per week and in answer to your question (although I hate them ! and I don't believe they have directly made me a better runner)-I do think they have allowed me to train hard and get injured far less often than if I didn't cross-train.

As I've got older,I believe they become ever more important and I view them as a "necessary evil" of continuing to run seriously past 40.

Hi All,

Ok, I did the first set of 25 press ups, but when I got to 5 on the chins I just dropped off and did the ab work, totally forgot to up the number, but still got 4x 5 reps.

everything else went up as scheduled and the oblique crunches went to 12 as well.

I'll have to start the 6's tomorrow.

Right, today I remembered to add the extra chin up and suprised myself by doing the full 4 sets all at 6 reps.....maybe it was because I was doing them in the middle of the park and the pressure to perform brought out that little bit extra....who knows?

Yeah I do them and swear by them.

I read an article by Frank Horwill that summed up the reasons for doing them. It's on the Serpentine website.
Sorry, But I'm hopeless at doing links, you can Google it!

I do 4 x 30 sit ups and press ups.

They help your muscular strength and you don't need fancy equipment to do them.

here's the link..

Article here

Just noticed this thread. I’m a big bodyweight exercises man.
The folks on the sub 3 thread call them my PJ’s (physical jerks).

I do push ups (normal, incline, T, left and right), hand stand push ups, Pull-ups, weighted pull-ups, chins, squats, lunges, medicine ball squats, sit ups, planks etc, etc

Sometimes do 10-15 mins after a run, other times make up a 30 minutes routine. No resting - all done circuit stylie. I also do ladders and pyramids of exercises.

Glad to see other folks out there that are doing similar stuff. I’m a bit heavy for running at 12 stone (5ft 10) – but don’t do too badly. I’m more fitness orientated really – I also bike and swim too.

Thanks for the link FINgers !

Good to know that others are keen on these excercises too.

My PE teachers believe that they were invaluable in any sport and I suppose I've always carried this philosopy throughout my time running.

TR: Like you I'm a bit heavy for the sport, but feel that my training isn't complete without my press ups and sit ups.

Great a thread on core and strength training - when most runners only concentarte on miles, I really do feel that core and strength work combined with running will really make improvements.

Having been off injured since March I had turned to core work mainly using the swiss ball, and have been using it on a regular routine and the difference is very noticable.

I now have 3 swiss balls at home 2 x 65cm and 1 x 55cm and some moves actually make use of all 3 balls in one go.

In push up postion place both feet on one swiss ball and each hand on the other swiss ball, first learn to balance and the start the push up motion - this really works your core stability muscles.

Kneeing on swiss ball

Sitting on swiss ball feet extended out.

Try standing on a medicine ball and squatting, good for quads and again core

Check out this link from u tube - very impressive dvd.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=ridgelinefitness&p=r

Also I have found that banging out the same sit ups and push ups gets a little stale at some point - mix it up big time.

After the 4x 6 I thought I could go further and to be fair I did and managed 4x 7, but then I got carried away and started attempting 8's and 35's on the press ups.

Anyway I came to a grinding halt and then started going backwards, I've had a couple of days off now and started again tonight, but I've gone back to 20 press ups and 5 chin ups for 3 sets, plus the core work as well just mixing them up however I feel. I'm sticking with the 3x 20/5 set up now just as a little upper body maintainance nothing to strenuous.