Thanks for the question. Do you have a back history? Then sit-ups could your end.
If not: A sit-up or a rope crunch or the like will not -LIKELY- hurt or break your back in the short term, doing them occasionally.
But we know that it can lead to disc bulges and worse. We also know that they simply are not efficient and could hurt you over time – that’s enough for me…. Â And for someone else they could be the thing that is the last straw for their back and it goes.
Here’s another thing – most versions of crunches or sit-ups ie standing crunch work your discs more than your actual intent: your ‘abs’. To me, it’s pretty simple. Unless your specific demands you to be in flexion (which powerlifting doesn’t) I don’t think you can even justify much of any flexion period.
Like Paul said – carries, stir the pot, holds, drags and such not only are better on your body, they carry-over to your performance much better.
As far as chains sure – they can have their place, what place do they have in your training? In other words: why? This is what you have to answer.
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Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC).
Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff.
Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back.
After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.
