The Janda Sit-Up is one of the best sit-up variations you can do for focusing on the rectus abdominis (six-pack abs) while minimizing hip flexor involvement.
The way the "normal" Janda Sit-Up is done is by either having a spotter hold behind your heels or calves (or you can hook legs over a solid object like a bar) so that when you perform a sit-up, you can activate your hamstrings against that.
By activating your hamstrings strongly, you inhibit the hip flexors (which are the antagonist muscles to the hamstrings, which are hip extensors) from activating.
This focuses more of the tension and workload on the six-pack abs.
It works extremely well and is a very challenging exercise.
This version of the Janda Sit-Up is going to add resistance in a very unique way.
You're not going to hold a weight at your chest or anything similar...instead, as you do the sit-up, you're going to be pushing backwards against resistance, intensifying the contraction.
There are several ways to do this with different types of equipment. I'm demonstrating using a pair of 53 lb kettlebells. You can also use dumbbells or weight plates for this, too, if you don't have kettlebells.
First, set up a bar in the rack at the lowest point it can go (or Smith machine) and pull it up against the uprights to brace it.
You can use pretty much anything that's solid for this (or a spotter)...I've even used a band for anchoring my heels instead of a bar and it works really well for forcing that hamstring contraction because of the constant stretch tension you get.
Set your resistance objects just in front of the bar.
Hook your lower legs over the bar.
Ideally, you want to have the bar lower than I have it here but that's as low as I could get the bar on my rack. The key is making sure you're contracting the hamstrings strongly on the way up.
Set your hands on top and forward of the resistance objects.
Now start doing the sit-up. Use your grip on your solid objects to push backwards against.
This is where things might be a bit different for you, depending on your setup.
Since my rack is set on carpet, kettlebells slide fairly readily. If you're doing this on a surface that you can slide stuff on like this, you're all set.
However, you might be doing these on a surface that has grippiness to it (like rubber floor mats). In that case, you CAN still do this exercise...you just might not be able to slide your objects backwards. It's still a GREAT exercise, though.
If you CAN slide the things back, this is the top position...fully crunched up with your chest into your thighs, using your arms to push yourself up into that position.
If you CAN'T slide things, you can still do this but the things won't move backwards...the position is very similar.
Once you get into that top position, turn your hands around to an underhand grip and set them on the backs of the objects.
Now lower yourself back down pulling the objects forward. If they didn't slide, you can just lower back down without setting your hands on the objects.
Come all the way back down to the bottom then reset your hands.
Now do it again!
When you're doing this one, really focus hard on firing the hamstrings on the way up and pushing backwards against the objects to get the strongest contraction in the six-pack abs that you can.
Definitely watch the video for this one to get the idea of how it works...and even if you don't have the exact setup that I have, you can absolutely mess around with the setup just using the concept of the Janda and the push-back.
It will BURN your six-pack abs like crazy.
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Want 90 more unique and challenging exercises to SHRED your core? Check out The Best Core Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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Want Another Killer Core Exercise Like This?
It sounds horrible but it's actually VERY effective, combining a push and a pull at the same time as the torque goes directly through the core.
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