# What am I doing wrong?



## AL (31 Dec 2003)

I need help with my PT.
Im doing ok with push ups and pull ups,but sit ups are giving me some trouble.I can do about 40 right now,but i cant get all the way up.What im doing is more a crunch.The only way I get all the way up is if someone hold my ankels,wich I feel turns it into a leg excerseise.Waht am i doing wrong? How can i work on getting all the way up? I tried doing them on an incline but ended up straining my back,and again,i feel it more in my legs then my stomach.

Also,when I run outside I feel naxious.Often times this is the reason I stop,and end up not reaching my goal.Ive thrown up a few times because I dont want to give up on my goal.Ive been doing up to 5 miles at a running pace on a treadmill but I cant get past 2 outdoors,is it the cold air?

Any tips would be great,thanks.


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## Gryphon (31 Dec 2003)

as with the running, the only thing that i can suggest is continue running.. or use a treadmill...

with the situps, you‘ll always have someone holding your ankles down.. you can‘t do full situps otherwise... what i suggest is to use a book case or something that can
a) hold your weight down
b) you can put your feet under

and do sit ups to your hearts content!


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## scm77 (31 Dec 2003)

The thing about the cold air and running may be true.  Sometimes when I run in the cold, it becomes hard to breathe and my throat gets really cold and sore.  I find that if I am out in the cold for 10-15 minutes before I start running, the temperature won‘t affect me as much.


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## Spr.Earl (31 Dec 2003)

Start running for 10 min then walk then run do this every other day increasing your running time and decreasing your walking time.
But do it every other day and do cardio and push up‘s,sit up‘s and upper chest in the tween day‘s
As this is the best for the bod to recover from.

In cold weather wear a balaclava over nose and mouth!! you will FREEZE YOUR LUNG‘S!!!
Just cover your nose and mouth!!
You‘ll have no prob‘s with running in the cold.


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## AL (31 Dec 2003)

Thanks for the advice guys.

Once in the Army all sit ups,wether during courses or daily PT,are done with a partner to hold your ankels?

Did I understand this right?


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## Redeye (31 Dec 2003)

No, Al.  For the PT test they‘re done with someone pinning the ankles, but for regular PT you do them yourselves.


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## AL (1 Jan 2004)

Thank you.


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## chrisf (1 Jan 2004)

On the other hand, for the test you also HAVE to hve your fists next to your ears.

When you have to do sit-ups without somone holding your ankles down, if you‘re absolutely incapable of doing one because you‘re top-heavy, you can probably get away with crossing your arms over your chest. It shifts some of the weight foreward, rebalances your body.


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## Enzo (1 Jan 2004)

Al - Perseverence buds.


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## Meridian (2 Jan 2004)

for cardio.. as someone said above...

5 minutes out, 5 minutes back, no more or less than 3-4X a week. once you get your breathing right, and pacing (You should be able to talk while running) then you can up the time out/back to 7.5, then to 10 and so on... 

never do a long run (ie 15-20mins+) more than 1-2 times a week. Its best to have a good long run, and then have a a couple shorter ones, at least while you are adapting to running.


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## Bert (2 Jan 2004)

Al

It seems like you‘re pushing yourself too much.  If you‘re running so much that you‘re puking, you‘re legs hurt when doing push-ups, you should take a good look at your training routine.  I know you want to train and get into the best shape, but if you train so hard you hurt yourself, the injury can set you back and affect performance later.

First of all, get some professional training advice at a club or something.  Don‘t do what I did and start drinking raw egg shakes and eating Raisin Bran before a jog.  I could tell YOU some stories about puking. 

Next, consider that in BMQ you will have to run, manage through an obstacle course, live on limited sleep, play silly bugger in the woods for several days, and do a 15 km forced march.  This takes overall body conditioning.

If you can, get into a gym or a home set of weights and build up the strength of body - arms, upper and lower back, abs, quads, hams, calves.
The key to sit-up endurance is a strong back.  Personally, I used an ab machine at a gym and performed deadlifts and this really improved my sit-ups. Its the lower back and the abs that support the upper body and the legs.

If you can do 5 miles on a treadmill and 2 miles on the road, likely the area you may want to look at is your shoes and cushioning.  Get a pair of good running shoes like New Balance that can give your feet cushioning and arch support.  Try a pair of insoles like Spenco Everyday.  When running on the road, vary your pace.  If you get winded or the calves burn a bit, slow down, then build back-up.

You might know this, but eat about three hours before you go out jogging and don‘t eat too much.  Better to jog on an empty stomach that partially full.  The contents get shaken up and gas forms causing you to feel nausious and bloated. Often when breathing, you suck back air into the stomach.  Try breathing with the diaphram, and keep the chest and body as loose and relaxed as you can.

If you run so much that you puke, you gotta be careful.  You might slip on it or trip over a curb
putting you out of commission or affecting your training routing.  As mentioned before, use a gradual running program alternating distance, pace, and intervals.  The CFRC has a good little pamphlet on Jogging.


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## AL (2 Jan 2004)

Thank you Meridian and Bert for the advice.

Ive been running since last spring,so I pretty sure im past running for 10 min. at a time.The only problem im having is breathing in the cold.This is my first winter running outdoors.

Ive also been doing ‘marches since the summer time.I started off walking to work in the mornings wich is just under 2k.Recently ive added a 10K ‘march in boots and a 20lbs bag wich I use to carry my water,cell phone and extra clothing in case I get wet on Sundays.I actualy love going on these walks,I always take different routs,5k out,5k back.

About the shoes and leg pains.I dont get any.What I meant was that getting a dizzy feeling from the cold air was keeping me from getting to my goal. Wich was frustrating because my legs felt fine and I knew I could go on.Good advice about the shoes by the way.I actualy got a good pair of New Balance shoes and I actualy use spenco insoles   

Bert,the only time my legs hurt is when I do sit ups and someone pins my ankles,wich makes it feel more like a leg excersice.Is there anything I can do so that I could get all the way up without having my ankels pinned?

Anyways,Thank you all for the good advie.


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## Bert (2 Jan 2004)

I‘m no expert, but what part of the leg hurts?  Is the pain centered in the ankles, the knees, the quadriceps, or the hamstrings?

I think most people feel normally tension in the quads during a set of sit-ups.  At the beginning, the situps are performed mainly with the abs and the back.  As the abs and/or back fatigue during the exercise, its normal to transfer part of the motion to the legs, particularily the quadriceps.  

If you are able to run a good distance at a decent pace, your quadriceps and leg mechanics should be in decent condition for situps.  Assuming it is your quads giving the problems, jog for a short distance and stretch the quads before doing the situps.  You may want to entertain going to the gym and train your quads and hams for strength using weights.  Its gives them a good stretch too.  You may want to relax the legs as much and as long as you can during the situp set.  It could be too that you overtrained the quads/hams and they‘re fatiguing sooner than you expect.

As your back, abs, and quads get stronger, it will be easier to do full situps without having the ankles pinned.  Each one of these has to be developed and it takes time.  For me, the ab machine and the deadlift exercises really helped.
You can also try to put your feet under a bed or a couch instead of someone actually pinning your ankles.  In this way, the ankles are held under the bed with the toes pointed more vertically and
may lessen tension in the calves and upper legs for the sake of training.

Alternately, the style the CF wants the situps 
performed you need strong abs, lower back, and quads.  Perhaps your abs or your back isn‘t as developed as your legs.  The imbalance makes you use the legs more in situps than typical causing them to fatigue.  I‘m speculating but is just an idea.

You can use a big collar sweater or a knitted scarf and wrap it around your head/mouth.  Helps to keep the heat as you breathe.


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## Da_man (2 Jan 2004)

you can get a PT CD at you local recruiting center


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## Spr.Earl (3 Jan 2004)

Hey Guy‘s,we who have done it have given all the advice we can,we can‘t make it any easier for you.
 


As for what hurt‘s!!
At time‘s it does hurt for the most fit person,it‘s a given but if you are in good shape it won‘t hurt over all.   

Let‘s close this topic!


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## Bert (3 Jan 2004)

Hey Spr. Earl, sit-ups, jogging, pain and the glory of puke isn‘t limited to the military world.  Al isn‘t asking a general fitness question but trying to figure out a specific training problem.  We‘re just trying to help.


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