Two Hundred Sit Ups Training Program

The two hundred sit-ups training program

If you're serious about increasing your core strength, follow this six week training

program and you'll soon be on your way to completing 200 consecutive sit-ups!

Think there's no way you could do this? I think you can! All you need is a good

plan, plenty of discipline and about 30 minutes a week to achieve this goal!

No doubt some of you can already do 100 consecutive sit-ups, but let's face it,

you're in a big minority. Most of you reading this won't even be able to manage

20 sit-ups. Actually, I'm sure many of you can't even do 10.

However, it really doesn't matter which group you fall into. If you follow the

progressive sit-ups training program, I'm positive you'll soon be able to do 200

sit-ups!

What is a sit up?

According to Wikipedia, a traditional sit-up is "a strength training exercise

commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the abdominal muscles and

hip flexors.

The exercise begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the knees

bent in an attempt to reduce stress on the back muscles and spine, and then

elevating both the upper and lower spine from the floor until everything superior

to the buttocks is not touching the ground."

Please note, due to the potential risk of spinal damage involved with performing

traditional sit-ups, the two hundred sit- ups program will utilize the more

common crunch or curl up exercise.

Throughout this site, wherever you read the words "sit-up(s)", please think in

terms of crunches or curl ups, not the out-of-favour mass taught exercise.

Furthermore, the two hundred sit-ups logo is not meant to be a good indicator of

how the exercise should be performed. Please read on for more information.

Instructions for "good-form" sit-ups

Proper starting form is lying face up on the floor with knees bent and feet flat.

Feel free to tuck your feet under a fixed object if you feel the need, but only if

you don't suffer from lower back pain.

The movement begins by curling the shoulders towards the pelvis, with hands

gently placed behind or below the ears. Try to keep your eyes on the ceiling even

when you curl forward.

Avoid placing the hands behind the head itself as using them to exert force on the

neck can cause injury. Good practice is for the hands to lightly support the weight

of the head, so that the neck flexor muscles can relax during the movement. Do

not jerk the head forward with your hands.

Slowly contract your abdominals and come up to an angle of no more than 35

degrees - there's no need to go further than this - and exhale as you crunch

forward.

It's important to focus on working the abdominal muscles and not the hips and

also to keep your chin off your chest. The lower back should not leave the floor

which will make the curl up an effective isolation exercise for the abdominals.

Once you've reached the 35 degree position, hold for one or two seconds before

gently lowering yourself to the floor. Inhale on the way down and repeat. Focus

on natural, rhythmic breathing as you continue to perform the exercise.

Remember, the main aim of the two hundred sit-ups program is to improve your

core strength, fitness and general health. The program is all about making

progress and constantly challenging yourself. Give the 6-week program a chance

and I know you'll be amazed how strong your core is. Good luck!

Why sit-ups?

Sit-ups are one of the basic and most common exercises for the human body. In

conjunction with a balanced diet sit-ups will help build a strong and well-balanced

mid-section which is instrumental in practically all sports and physical

performance, as well as in maintaining good posture and preventing injury.

Sit-ups can be performed no matter where you are, and best of all, they are

completely free - no expensive equipment or annual gym fees required! If you're

looking to develop a great core and mid-section, you could do much worse than

follow along with the two hundred sit-ups plan.

To improve your core strength, fitness and general health all you need to do is

commit about 30 minutes of your time per week, and follow the sit-ups training

program as closely as you can. I promise you will feel much better about yourself

and much more confident after just a few short workouts.

Good luck!

Initial test

Before you dive in and start the two hundred sit-ups program, you should:

obtain medical advice and clearance from your doctor

take an initial sit-ups test.

The test will highlight your current fitness level and determine where to start and

how to plan your sit-ups training program.

initial test: the road to two hundred sit ups

A G E U N D E R 3 0 Y E A R S 3 0 - 3 9 Y E A R S 4 0 A N D O V E R

R A N K * number of sit-ups performed

E X C E L L E N T over 76 over 71 over 62

V E R Y G O O D 59 - 76 52 - 71 47 - 61

G O O D 50 - 58 46 - 51 37 - 46

A V E R A G E 40 - 49 38 - 45 25 - 36

P O O R 0 - 39 0 - 37 0 - 24

To perform the test, simply execute as many good-form sit-ups as you can.

Don't cut corners and please don't cheat - the last thing you want to do is end up

in the wrong level of the training program! The results may be humbling, but

trust me, honesty is the best policy if you want to maximize your core strength

gains!

Once you've performed the test, make a note (mental or otherwise) of how

many, or how few, sit-ups you were able to perform. As an example, the first

time I performed the test, I managed to eek out 60 consecutive sit-ups.

Before starting Week 1, I recommend taking a couple of days to familiarize

yourself with the program and recover from the exertion of the initial test. You'll

be required to work out three times per week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday

worked well for me.

Don't forget how many sit-ups you performed in the test and if you're still keen to

improve your core strength and fitness, read on to learn more about the

program.

* If you're concerned about your Rank in the extreme left column; there's really

no need. The scale of poor to excellent is just an indicator of current fitness, and

can be used as a comparison tool between yourself, friends, family & co-workers.

Oh yes, in case you're wondering, I didn't just make up the numbers in the table

above - they're based on a standard army test and are gender neutral.

Most people tend to fall into the average or good category, which is a great

starting point for the plan. If you're ranked poor, don't be put off by the label -

you'll soon be climbing the ranks and reaching new levels of fitness. If you're

ranked far beyond the range of excellent, maybe you need a tougher plan?!

Week 1

So, you've completed your initial test and you're keen to start the program?

Great!

If you managed 10 or less sit-ups in the test, follow column 1.

If you completed between 11 and 20 sit-ups, column 2 is for you.

Between 21 and 30 consecutive sit-ups? Impressive! Column 3 is what you're

looking for.

More than 30 sit-ups? I would suggest starting the program on Week 3 in

either the second or third column.

For example: let's say you managed 18 sit-ups. Looking at the second column,

Day 1 begins with Set 1 (9 sit-ups), a rest period of 60 seconds, before moving

on to Set 2 (9 sit-ups). Rest for 60 seconds and continue with Set 3 (6 sit-ups)

and Set 4 (6 sit-ups), before finishing with Set 5 and as many consecutive sit-ups

as you can comfortably manage (at least 8, but not so many that you damage

muscle tissue). The 60 seconds rest between each level should allow you to

complete the workout, but you'll probably experience some minor fatigue towards

the end.

Treat yourself to a rest day before moving on to Day 2, and then again before

you complete Day 3. I find that Monday, Wednesday, Friday works well and

allows you to use the weekend for rest and recovery before moving on to the

next stage of the program. Feel free to juggle the plan around to meet your busy

schedule, but make sure you rest in between workout days.

week 1: pick the appropriate column depending on your initial test results

D A Y 1 R E S T 6 0 S E C O N D S B E T W E E N E A C H S E T ( L O N G E R I F R E Q U I R E D )

up to 10 sit-ups 11 - 20 sit-ups 21 - 30 sit-ups

S E T 1 3 9 15

S E T 2 4 9 18

S E T 3 3 6 10

S E T 4 3 6 10

S E T 5 max (at least 5) max (at least 8) max (at least 14)

C O M P L E T E D T H I S W O R K O U T ? G O L O G I T A T S I T - U P S L O G G E R !


S E T 1 5 9 15

S E T 2 6 12 18

S E T 3 3 9 15

S E T 4 5 9 15




S E T 1 6 12 17

S E T 2 7 15 22

S E T 3 6 11 14

S E T 4 6 11 14



Hopefully you made it safely through the first week and now you're keen to move

on to Week 2. However, if for some reason you struggled with the program, I

would suggest either retaking the initial test or repeating Week 1. You'll

probably be surprised at how much stronger you already are and will sail through

the first week and be fired up and raring to go.

If you're ready to move on, let's take a look at Week 2 of the two hundred sit

ups program.

Week 2

Week 1 should now be comfortably behind you and it's time to start Week 2 of

the two hundred sit-ups program. Continue by following the same column of

exercises as you did in Week 1. Don't cut any corners, but feel free to take a

little more rest between each level if you need to. It's also important to be well

hydrated before you start each workout.

At the end of Week 2 it will be time to check your strength and perform an

exhaustion test. In simple terms, perform as many good-form sit-ups as you

can comfortably manage. Stress your core by all means, but please don't go

beyond the safety limit. The number of sit-ups you complete will determine at

which level of the program you'll start Week 3. Perform this test within 24-48

hours of completing Week 2. Good luck!

week 2: pick the same column as you did in week 1


up to 10 sit-ups 11 - 20 sit-ups 21 - 30 sit-ups

S E T 1 6 14 21

S E T 2 9 17 21

S E T 3 6 12 15

S E T 4 6 12 15




S E T 1 7 15 21

S E T 2 9 18 24

S E T 3 6 14 18

S E T 4 6 14 18




S E T 1 8 18 24

S E T 2 12 20 25

S E T 3 8 15 21

S E T 4 8 15 21



Don't forget, now you've completed Week 2, it's time to take an exhaustion test.

Perform as many good-form sit-ups as you can comfortably manage. Make a note

of how many sit-ups you complete, and move on to Week 3. Hope you're ready

for the next level!

Week 3

You should be a little stronger than you were a couple of weeks ago and able to

complete considerably more sit-ups than your initial test.

If you managed 21 - 30 sit-ups in the latest test, follow column 1.

If you completed between 31 & 40, column 2 is for you.

More than 40 consecutive sit-ups? Excellent! You'll be following column 3.

If you're struggling with the program, don't lose heart. Some people will still be

doing less than 21 consecutive sit-ups, but this is ok. Just repeat the week you

struggled with until you're strong enough to move on to the next level - I promise

it will be worth your while!

week 3: pick the appropriate column depending on your latest test results


21 - 30 sit-ups 31 - 40 sit-ups > 40 sit-ups

S E T 1 15 18 21

S E T 2 18 25 27

S E T 3 11 19 21

S E T 4 11 19 21




S E T 1 15 21 30

S E T 2 18 28 38

S E T 3 12 21 23

S E T 4 12 21 23




S E T 1 17 24 33

S E T 2 20 32 42

S E T 3 14 23 30

S E T 4 14 23 30



Hopefully you made it safely through the third week and you're ready to move on

to Week 4. Keep up the great work - you're halfway through the program and

well on your way to performing two hundred consecutive sit-ups.

Let's continue with the program take a look at Week 4.

Week 4

Week 3 is now comfortably behind you and it's time to start Week 4. Continue by

following the same column of exercises as you did last week.

At the end of Week 4 it will be time to perform another exhaustion test. You

should know what to do by now - simply perform as many good-form sit-ups as

you can comfortably manage. As per the end of Week 2, stress your core by all

means, but please don't go beyond the safety limit.

The number of sit-ups you complete will determine at which level of the program

you'll start Week 5. Make sure you perform this test within 24-48 hours of

completing Week 4.

week 4: pick the same column as you did in week 3



S E T 1 18 27 32

S E T 2 21 33 38

S E T 3 17 24 32

S E T 4 15 24 32




S E T 1 21 30 38

S E T 2 24 38 45

S E T 3 18 30 38

S E T 4 18 30 38




S E T 1 24 35 45

S E T 2 27 42 50

S E T 3 20 35 45

S E T 4 20 35 45



Ok, time for another exhaustion test. You should be feeling much stronger now

than your initial test 4 weeks ago. Make a note of how many sit-ups you

complete, and move on to Week 5.

week 5

Depending on the results of your latest test, continue with an appropriate week

and column, even if it means you have to complete Week 3 or Week 4 again.

If you managed 41 - 50 sit-ups, follow column 1.


More than 60 consecutive sit-ups? Great work! You'll be following column 3.




S E T 1 26 42 54

S E T 2 30 52 60

S E T 3 23 38 45

S E T 4 23 33 36




S E T 1 15 27 30

S E T 2 15 27 30

S E T 3 20 30 36

S E T 4 20 30 36

S E T 5 15 21 27

S E T 6 15 21 27

S E T 7 15 24 33




S E T 1 18 26 30

S E T 2 18 26 30

S E T 3 22 30 36

S E T 4 22 30 36

S E T 5 18 26 30

S E T 6 18 26 30

S E T 7 15 30 40



Surprise, surprise, it's time for another exhaustion test. Week 5 was a tough one,

and if you've made it this far, you're getting close to reaching your goal. If you're

able to perform more than 75 consecutive sit-ups, feel free to move on to Week

6. Couldn't quite manage 75? No problem, just repeat the week and you should

be ready to go after another three workout days. Good luck!

Week 6

Depending on the results of your latest test, continue with an appropriate week

and column, even if it means you have to complete Week 5 again.

If you managed 75 - 90 sit-ups, follow column 1.


More than 110 consecutive sit-ups? Tremendous! You'll be following column 3.




S E T 1 38 60 70

S E T 2 45 75 85

S E T 3 30 38 52

S E T 4 22 35 45




S E T 1 21 30 33

S E T 2 21 30 33

S E T 3 23 35 45

S E T 4 23 35 45

S E T 5 21 30 36

S E T 6 21 30 36

S E T 7 15 27 32

S E T 8 15 27 32




S E T 1 20 33 39

S E T 2 20 33 39

S E T 3 26 45 50

S E T 4 26 45 50

S E T 5 24 34 39

S E T 6 24 34 39

S E T 7 21 27 33

S E T 8 21 27 33



Well? Did you make it through Week 6? If you did; congratulations - you should

be very proud of your achievements and ready for one final test.

If you struggled with Week 6 (many people do), no problem, just repeat the

appropriate week and try again. Maybe an extra couple of days rest will benefit

you?

Final test

If you're reading this page you should be very proud of your achievements and

ready for one final test. As you're well aware, the program you've been following

is called two hundred sit-ups and that's what this final test is all about.

To perform the test, simply execute as many good-form sit-ups as you can. If

you've completed the six week program with no cheating and no short cuts,

experience has shown that you should be strong enough to perform two hundred

consecutive sit-ups!

After completing Week 6 of the program, treat yourself to a day or two of rest.

Eat well and maintain good hydration. Try not to perform any exercises or tasks

around the home that will drain you of energy - you'll need every ounce of

strength to meet your goal. Ready?

Take your time, don't rush and focus on performing ten sit-ups at a time.

Breaking the magic two hundred into smaller chunks will make the goal more

achievable and give you more chance of success. Maintain good form and don't

hold your breath. It sounds simple, but just take it one curl at a time until you

reach two hundred! If your core starts to feel knotted, take a few deep breaths

and regain your composure before starting again. Good luck - I know you can do

it!!

If today wasn't your day and you couldn't complete the two hundred, I would

suggest going back a couple of weeks in the program and building up your core

strength again. Maybe Week 5 or Week 6 would be a good place to build from

and help regain your confidence? Don't give up though, you're closer than you

think!

rank

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Two Hundred Sit Ups Training Program