Cathe, In Your Opinion, How Safe Is This?

[donna]

Since I hold your opinion in the highest regard, I need to ask a question. My husband gave me a bench for Christmas - a Hoist in two sections with a foot stabilizer at the end. (hope I'm explaining this correctly - it's sort of an incline bench in two sections. The seat and the back support) He wanted me to do sit ups like he does - he drops the back support to the lowest decline and raises the seat part. He locks his feet in the foot stabilizer, crosses his arms on his chest and does 100 of these sit ups.

I started with 30 and progress to 70. The day after 70, I felt it in every section of the abs including the obliques. I was sore for 4 days. I noticed my back was aching just a little which prompts this question - if a person has no history of back trouble (me), is this a safe way to hit all the areas of the abs?

Thanks for your time.

Donna Marie

 

[Forgetful]

You doubled your workout; it's no wonder

you were sore. Your body might have adapted if you had added more slowly a few reps at a time. Strenghtening your abs actually protects the lower back. I never do ab work without also doing lower back exercises to balance the two areas. If your form is correct, your bench should be a very effective device.