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Anatomy of a Sit-Up

2/26/2018

6 Comments

 
Picture
The Sit-Up that we often do in this lineage of yoga - starting flat on the back with the arms overhead and legs straight, then sitting all the way up and touching the head to the knees - is more complex than it looks. It requires strength in two major muscle groups: those of the abdomen, specifically the rectus abdominis (6-pack) and the psoas, which crosses the hips.
Picture
Rectus Abdominis
Picture
Psoas
RECTUS ABDOMINIS
This muscle (pictured on the left), best know as the 6-pack, is a powerful muscle in your abdomen. It moves the ribs closer to the pelvis and vice versa. Anytime you do a sit-up motion, this muscle needs to work. Your ribs will get closer to your pelvis and your low back will round. If you try to keep your low back flat, or if it stays flat due to tightness or some other reason, focus on engaging your rectus abdominis.

When your rectus abdominis is fully engaged, your arms, shoulders and upper back will come off the floor even though your hips don't move. You will end up in a position like the picture above. Notice that the ribs are close to the pelvis and the spine is rounded, but the hips are still fully extended. Flexing the hips is the next step.

PSOAS
The other main muscle that we need to do a Sit-Up is the psoas. This muscle flexes the hips, drawing the thigh bone closer to the spine. You can see in the picture to left that the psoas weaves through the pelvis to connect the lower spine and the legs. 

This is the muscle that we use to sit up the rest of the way, after the spine is bent. From the point pictured above, all that needs to happen is for the hips to flex, lifting the entire upper body and pelvis into the final position, pictured below.
Picture
INHALE OR EXHALE
The question often arises, "should I inhale or exhale while doing a sit-up?" The answer is clear: You should exhale.

In a recent New York Times article about the remarkable abs of USA olympian Adam Rippon, Rippon's trainer Steve Zimm said, "Breathing is everything when it comes to abs. If you want ripped abs, you need to allow them to contract. Before every move, breathe out. Pull your belly button into the spine and continue breathing out as you’re contracting, so your abdominal wall is sinking into you."

Not surprisingly, Bishnu Ghosh agrees. In his book Yoga Cure he instructs: "Start from lying position with arms stretched beyond your head, exhale and hold your breath and then raise your upper body..."
6 Comments
Marilyn link
2/26/2018 04:42:08 pm

Ok, so if that is what’s happening then there would be no point to the double exhale at the end as cued in the Bikram dialogue because you would actually need to inhale?

Reply
Erin
2/26/2018 05:06:02 pm

An inhale is not required with “double exhale”. It’s just double exhale, not “exhale, inhale, exhale.”

Reply
Scott
2/27/2018 05:12:39 am

The "double exhale" is perfectly useful. Exhale as much as you can before sitting up, then once you're up there is a little more compression on your abdomen, enabling you to push out a little more air. This will help you contract the abdominal muscles even more. Most of the air comes out before you sit up. The second part of the double exhale is only a tiny bit.

Reply
Linda Hewins
1/28/2020 09:45:45 am

If you are being "cued" double exhale please recheck your dialogue...It's "Exhale breathing, grab your big toes, double jerk" The effect of the double jerk can cause a double exhale but it's not in the D

Reply
Diane
4/26/2018 09:23:01 pm

I've been doing bikram consistently for almost 6 years, including a 60 day challenge BUT I cannot get the situp. I can get to the first photo. I can put my hands under my lower back and use my abs to do the second part. I can't figure out how to combine the two! I suffer from a whiplash and had a C-section leading to major posture problems and a tension headache that was always present for 8 years straight if that helps explain.

Reply
Arianee link
1/31/2020 05:01:43 am

What works wonderful for me in the sit up is tuck my chin in and keep legs actively engaged.

Reply



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    Scott & Ida are Yoga Acharyas (Masters of Yoga). They are scholars as well as practitioners of yogic postures, breath control and meditation. They are the head teachers of Ghosh Yoga.

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