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Post by fredhutch on Jun 21, 2022 12:15:04 GMT
The Roman Chair Situp was a fixture in many old time courses, it's in the Atlas course, Brad Steiner's Ab course, Willoughby's Master Method, and, what really caught my attention, in the Ropercize course it says that the roman chair situp gives you a strength in the abdomen that you don't get from any other exercise. I did these way back when and always went back until my head touched the floor and I never felt anything negative going on. But of course today the modern experts all condemn the exercise as a back wrecker.
So, my question for everyone is, have you done them, do you still do them, is it good or bad for your body? Actual experiences only m8s, we don't need virgins talking about sex.
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Post by billfish on Jun 21, 2022 12:50:44 GMT
I've done them .....felt good and I liked them Can't say if they are truly effective or not but I don't see anything negative about them "Back wreckers".....I highly doubt it and if I had a Roman Chair I would still do them
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Post by fredhutch on Jun 21, 2022 13:20:39 GMT
Thanks billfish, I value your opinions about exercise. I always improvised my roman chair, just a stool I have and hooked my feet under the sofa.
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Post by mr potatohead on Jun 21, 2022 13:29:00 GMT
Me too and I did them just like you, Fred. I posted on this a while ago. ((I had to edit that post because I realized that ".... with a shot bag behind my head ...." was incorrect. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.)) I haven't done them for a long time, but yes, I did them 5 days per week and I like them. No back issues. In fact, I think it helped my back. I had to go do some after reading your post. I think I'll start doing it again. Also add that .... as I increased the volume, I had to add the weight to save time because I didn't want to get up earlier and didn't want to be late for work.
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Post by fredhutch on Jun 21, 2022 13:49:48 GMT
Thanks spud. That's it, I'm doing some as soon as I get home from work.
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Post by mr potatohead on Jun 21, 2022 14:08:22 GMT
It could be that guys who have had back pain hit them too hard at first and didn't give their back muscles time to adapt and compensate for the stress on the front muscles?
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brothersteve
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Post by brothersteve on Jun 21, 2022 14:14:31 GMT
I've done them back in the mid 80's (did for about 3.5 months), don't do them now as don't have the equipment, I think it's good for the body but that depends on how you do them. I was taught to do them with constant tension and slower with no more than 25 reps and to use weight, no high 1,000 rep Zabo workouts. My experience was positive as it kept my waist the same size while bulking up over 30 lbs in a summer. How to do them for what you want is key. I was taught to do them with a plate (I used 25 lbs) held on my upper chest cross armed, back turtled and to only go down to where the low back was in line with the upper thighs and back up only 3/4 of the way to keep the tension on.
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stuke
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Post by stuke on Jun 21, 2022 17:26:17 GMT
I wqs tryung to find an article I read a few years back on Murrell Hall, an older bodybuilder with incredible abs. I can't find the exact article but will paste a link to another at the end of this post. Not sure if he did roman chairs, I think he did similar crossways over a bench with a light dumbell between his feet, thoufh I have tried this and cant fathom hiw it works! I am sure it is all about control, but for me, a much heavier weight or preferably an immovable anchor would be best. I did make a simple set up and like the movement, should start doing them again. www.agelesstimeless.com/featured/murrell_hall/murrell_hall.html
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Post by fredhutch on Jun 21, 2022 18:33:38 GMT
Thanks to everyone for your replies and counsel. I'm going to give them a go later today.
Oh, couldn't help but remember, our strange friend once went on about roman chair situps being the best ab exercise on the planet...went on for a week or so, I can't remember if it was before or afterwards that torso circles were the best ab exercise...or ab wheel rollouts were the best...or the John McSweeney ab flex...or...
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Post by billfish on Jun 21, 2022 18:43:06 GMT
Thanks billfish, I value your opinions about exercise. I always improvised my roman chair, just a stool I have and hooked my feet under the sofa. You're welcome Fred.....good idea on using the stool
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Post by billfish on Jun 21, 2022 18:44:04 GMT
Thanks to everyone for your replies and counsel. I'm going to give them a go later today. Oh, couldn't help but remember, our strange friend once went on about roman chair situps being the best ab exercise on the planet...went on for a week or so, I can't remember if it was before or afterwards that torso circles were the best ab exercise...or ab wheel rollouts were the best...or the John McSweeney ab flex...or...
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Jun 21, 2022 19:12:36 GMT
This is how I do them now because I don't have a roman chair bench.
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stuke
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Post by stuke on Jun 21, 2022 20:11:57 GMT
I've done them back in the mid 80's (did for about 3.5 months), don't do them now as don't have the equipment, I think it's good for the body but that depends on how you do them. I was taught to do them with constant tension and slower with no more than 25 reps and to use weight, no high 1,000 rep Zabo workouts. My experience was positive as it kept my waist the same size while bulking up over 30 lbs in a summer. How to do them for what you want is key. I was taught to do them with a plate (I used 25 lbs) held on my upper chest cross armed, back turtled and to only go down to where the low back was in line with the upper thighs and back up only 3/4 of the way to keep the tension on. I think that is great advice, I' m sure done like that will be safe.
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brothersteve
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Post by brothersteve on Jun 21, 2022 20:56:38 GMT
I've done them back in the mid 80's (did for about 3.5 months), don't do them now as don't have the equipment, I think it's good for the body but that depends on how you do them. I was taught to do them with constant tension and slower with no more than 25 reps and to use weight, no high 1,000 rep Zabo workouts. My experience was positive as it kept my waist the same size while bulking up over 30 lbs in a summer. How to do them for what you want is key. I was taught to do them with a plate (I used 25 lbs) held on my upper chest cross armed, back turtled and to only go down to where the low back was in line with the upper thighs and back up only 3/4 of the way to keep the tension on. I think that is great advice, I' m sure done like that will be safe. The part you sat on was about 4 inches thick square metal tube covered on top by padding. You'd sit on it where the lower buttocks meet the upper hams rather than a regular seat (like all those I saw on all the videos on the net). The feet were secured in front and low, like sitting in a chair. You kept the tension on the abs in that craddled/turtle position with the weight on upper chest and head forward, chin down. The seat was adjustable on the underside. You'd adjust to have thighs slightly (about an inch) higher than knees. I wasn't into abs, but wanted a strong stomach for sports.
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Post by fredhutch on Jun 22, 2022 12:19:19 GMT
Did a set yesterday, felt very high tension, in a good way, in the upper abs. Went back to just above horizontal. Today I can tell my abs did something new but no soreness. I intend to keep doing these.
I remember Bob Hoffman commenting that your ability to bend at the spine was largely genetic, he noted that he could bend over backwards all the way with the roman chair, but he found it difficult to do a stiff legged deadlift. I would like to get the York ab course sometime, it is supposed to be pretty good old school stuff.
Like brothersteve, I am doing this for more strength and toughness...I already have a flat stomach with pretty abs. I wish I still had Brad Steiner's ab course, I remember he said that the roman chair situp would "trim the waist in short, short order"....
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