Calisthenics question

Andrew Evans · Post by **Andrew Evans** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:42 pm

What are backups? Someone said that they do 3 sets of 20 as part of their routine.

Thanks,
Andrew

TSDguy · Post by **TSDguy** » Fri Dec 24, 2004 8:00 am

Everyone has different names for everything, but I think it's when you lie on your stomach and... do a backwards sit up if that makes sense. You lift your legs up and your upper body up to try to touch them together.

Andrew Evans · Post by **Andrew Evans** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:14 pm

Thanks. It does sound like a reverse sit-up. Here I was thinking that it was a commonly used term.

Anyway, I finally got a hold of the person and in his terminology it's what is commonly referred to as a back hyper-extention, which is often performed on a roman chair machine.

Exercising the lower back helps to balance all the sit-ups that many of us do (New Year's resolutions anyone?).

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:34 pm

Ahhh.... Now you speak a language I understand - on many levels.

Indeed I did both the back hyperextensions and some abdominal work last night. And yes, I used the roman chair on the back work, and a 25 pound weight held on my head. I did it to compliment a weight workout that centered around doing Olympic snatches. Very cool exercise...

Great for some Uechi kata movements (with the hiraken hands). It teaches you how to use the whole body.

In addition to back hyperextensions and abdominal work (I prefer to use machines rather than the classic situps), I also highly recommend working on the obliques. Side bends are a great exercise. I do them on the roman chair, and hold a weight in my dangling lower hand.

Go for it, Andrew!

- Bill

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:58 pm

Here is the exercise and the machine you do it on.

Roman Chair with blonde

Cute woman not included.

Note that this exercise is also good for those buns. Sigh...

I don't like this kind. I prefer a kind we have at our gym that is much simpler. It angles up at 45 degrees, and you can plant your feet down.

Still like those buns though...

- Bill

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 9:08 pm

Andrew Evans wrote:Exercising the lower back helps to balance all the sit-ups that many of us do (New Year's resolutions anyone?).

That's been my instructor's philosophy. We do a form of sit-up, plus back-ups, plus side-ups to keep all four sides in balance. On our back-ups and side-ups though we stabilize the legs (have a partner hold them down or wedge them under something if you work out alone) and then raise the upper body (focusing on working the lower back and side muscles, respectively).