Inspiration
Sometimes I have to beg, borrow and steal to find my inspiration. This one goes out to Steve. I took his 02/06/08 workout and perverted it. So I offer my apologize and thanks to him.
Turkish Getup X 5/5 24K Kb
Crunch X 25 24K Kb
Leg Scissor X 50
Floor Press X 15/15 24K Kb
Burpees 10 (the jump portion at the end of each rep gives out at 10)
Kettlebell Row X 15/15 24K Kb
Took, maybe ten minutes but it was some nice work for a Sunday afternoon. It was all about the movement and a little bit of exertion and sweat. It also helped me really feel out that little injury I have left. It’s some kind of muscle that attaches to the anterior portion of the hips and pulls on the legs, Sartorious maybe. It attaches pretty close to the spine and aches any time I try to pull my left leg forward (knee locked) against resistance, that complies with my general theory (that I tried to address with that PT but he blew me off) that some muscles in my abdomen where tightening and it was going to be an issue. This also falls into one of my complaints about yoga and one I have heard from Scott Styles as well. They spend a whole lot of time doubled over and very little time working the opposite direction.
The good news is that my program I made up that begs borrows and steals from places including yoga accentuates this need. I started it too late to avoid this particular injury but it should help mitigate these in the future. I think that once I get all healed up from my variety of back boo boos from immediately before and after the break, I’m going to have a great year.
I’m feeling very good coming out of this one.
Anvil or Hammer 
on February 10, 2008 on 10:02 pm
Mike – I think you and I have talked about this before but it’s my theory that abs must be worked both “open” and “closed” – examples might be laying leg raises. lat machine ab pulldowns or sit ups – all resistance highest at the straight body position versus things like hanging knee or leg raises or L sits when the resistance is strongest at the bent or closed position. People don’t work enough closed work in my opinion and the Psoas muscles etc never learn to function correctly – usually causing low back pain but often a kind of internal lower abdominal pain as well (deep inside kind of on the sides of the intestines). This may not be what you’re dealing with but something to think about at least. I put a little ab video up in my gallery on the GB that shows a little workout I’m doing at the moment that addresses the closed aspect fairly well – check it out.
on February 11, 2008 on 9:09 am
hmmm, I would have gone the other way on this one, that it was open that is lacking. More than that though, I don’t know that it is weakness, so much as tightness. I think the issue is that I sit all day. The muscles shorten. Everyone recognizes this in hamstrings but it has very limited acceptance in the abdominal type muscles.
However, I’m gonna wander over to gripboard and see what you have going.
on February 11, 2008 on 9:23 am
One to consider would be the Glute ham situp – going back as far as comfortable – it provides a good stretch – but work into it kind of gradual like.
on February 11, 2008 on 9:23 am
For anyone who doesn’t take the time to hunt it down. The exercise is to hang from a pullup bar and do leg lifts a “hello Dolly” type leg spread at the top.
I’m curious Chris, if this is “closed”, then how do you define “open”
on February 11, 2008 on 9:25 am
I think we are both here, posting simultaneously…
I know a glut-ham raise, like a hyper extension but with the knees, but what exactly is a glute-hab situp? Liek a roman situp?
on February 11, 2008 on 11:56 am
Could the muscle be the iliacus?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliopsoas
Working through tightness in that region is hard. Subtle differences in stretches switch focus from one muscle to the other.
on February 11, 2008 on 1:24 pm
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#Exer
Here’s the Crossfit exercise index – just go down to g/h sit up.
Closed is when the hardest part of the movement occurs when the legs are at a 90 degree angle or less(closer to head)(L-Sit). Open is when the hardest part is when the legs are in line with the body, furthest from the head. I think both are needed for best development. I realize this is not truly “ab” work but involves a lot of hip flexors etc but in a functional manner – it all has to work together to make your body move.
on February 12, 2008 on 8:33 am
Ah, I misunderstood the meaning then.
I did a few of the hanging knee raises last night, nothing serious. I will incorporate this kind of work as I heal.
on February 12, 2008 on 8:35 am
Scott,
It could be the illiopsoas, although it seems to get worse when I extend my leg, but that could just be some other muscles coming into play. It is definitely in that graphic on the page you referenced, I’m just not sure which one.
on February 12, 2008 on 8:44 am
Chris,
I just looked up the glute ham situp. It is the same exercise as I have been calling the Roman Chair Situp. I do them occasionally but haven’t as much for a while.
What kind of volume do you use, I have always kept them fairly low in volume <20.
on February 12, 2008 on 5:41 pm
Mike – any more everything seems to be high volume for me. Seriously – I seldom do more than ten reps on most things – on the ab video, it was 3 sets of ten which is one more set than normal.
on February 14, 2008 on 11:50 pm
Mike:
Thanks for the honorable mention.