Tips on Sit-ups

L

Littledebbie3

USMA '28
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
37
Having trouble repping out fast sit-ups with correct form. Currently I can only do 60 in 2 minutes and am hearing people say they get 90-95. Any tips on form or technique?
 
Are you talking about for the CFA, or for PFT while at the Academy? They do a plank for the PFT. They've gotten rid of testing sit-ups there.

There are videos/YouTube for people looking to perform well on the CFA and ways to maximize things.
 
I started with a metronome(like one used for music). Find a tempo that you can do for two minutes and then slowly increase.
Thinking of it as a cardio exercise and not an ab exercise also helped me.
 
Make sure you are following the instructions on the CFA. You aren't doing a full sit up. It's just a crunch. Fingertips on shoulders, elbows extended out to touch mid thighs. Shoulder blades leave and return to floor. It also helps to make sure that whoever is holding your feet are sufficiently strong enough to really anchor you. Other than that it's just practice, practice, practice.
 
Ok thanks for the replies. I wasn't clear. Was talking about the CFA. Will be taking it at NASS and hope to pass!
 
Yes it counts. That said, if you don't do as well as you'd have liked, you have many, many months to improve and retake.
 
Hi! my brother is a grad of USNA, he trained me for the CFA. I would say keep your feet as close to your behind. For USNA the situps the priority is for your elbows to touch your knees and your not flapping your arms for momentum to get more. Flapping your arms or your arms uncrossing is an immediate DQ for the exam. Also, when you test go as fast as possible and slowly decrease your speed as you go! (I got 120 situps on my CFA so this worked for me)
 
gordt said:
Hi! my brother is a grad of USNA, he trained me for the CFA. I would say keep your feet as close to your behind. For USNA the situps the priority is for your elbows to touch your knees and your not flapping your arms for momentum to get more. Flapping your arms or your arms uncrossing is an immediate DQ for the exam. Also, when you test go as fast as possible and slowly decrease your speed as you go! (I got 120 situps on my CFA so this worked for me)
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Keep your arms crossed across your shoulder and propell yourself up with your core, no using your arms. Also practice everyday with the pushups right after then run. I got really high scores practicing everyday like this for my CFA. (basically proctor the exam everyday with the time incriments) and you'll get there!
 
DS had issues with sit-ups until he figured out his ankles were too close to behind. Keep knees as close to 90 deg as possible but error on the side of a more flat leg profile. The closer your ankles are to your behind the less you are able to utilize leg muscles to help pull yourself up. It sounds counter intuitive but true. DS went from 60 sit-ups to 90 in very short order. Also - when doing sit-ups at a fast pace ankles will tend to creep towards buttocks so it takes constant awareness and adjustments to keep ankles away.
 
lawdogdad said:
DS had issues with sit-ups until he figured out his ankles were too close to behind. Keep knees as close to 90 deg as possible but error on the side of a more flat leg profile. The closer your ankles are to your behind the less you are able to utilize leg muscles to help pull yourself up. It sounds counter intuitive but true. DS went from 60 sit-ups to 90 in very short order. Also - when doing sit-ups at a fast pace ankles will tend to creep towards buttocks so it takes constant awareness and adjustments to keep ankles away.
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the closer you keep your legs to you, the lesser distance you travel because a completed sit-up is elbow to knee. i slowly moved my legs farther back and that still allows you to keep going but slowly
 
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