I cannot do ONE sit-up

mysweetjenna

I know, I know. Crunches are better. I get it. And its not that I wouldn't stick to doing other, more beneficial ab exercises for my regular routine. However, I'm very bothered by the fact I can no longer do one regular old sit up. I used to be able to, and I want to be able to do so again. The trainer in our gym at work (I know, I'm very lucky) told be that a big part of my problem is not so much my abs, but that my back muscles are very, very tight. I do have a desk job, so am pretty sure that is the culprit. I can't exactly quit, though. I take what is best desribed as a circuit training class three days, and the elliptical for two. The class combines cardio & strength training such as squats, step routines, hand wieghts, push ups, crunches, etc (I figured someone would ask). Any suggestions on what I can do to acheive my goal of doing a regular sit up?

ShibaEars

Work on other core exercises until you can do a sit up. Crunches like you are doing. Planks are great as well. Make sure you are holding your core muscles tight (not just "sucking in") while doing any activity and that should help strengthen them as well.

Can you ask the trainer at your gym for exercises/stretches to help loosen up your back?

Froggymcconnell

try googling the 30 day abs challenge and follow for a while. I now on day 17 but yesterday successfully managed a sit up. :happy:

EDIT: I should have said for the first 15 days I had to have someone hold my feet down. Now I don't.

yogicarl

Yoga - will fix your back flexibility and your core strength.

Sorry - I know, I'm hooked - but seriously, it will :-)

_lyndseybrooke_

Are you really short? My mother-in-law is 4'11" and has never been able to do a sit-up. I know this isn't the case with all short people, but I've noticed that short folks that have long torsos and short legs have a harder time doing a full sit-up.

If all else fails, planks. They're better for your core than sit-ups anyhow.

mysweetjenna

He told me to get a massage. We have a massage therapist that visits every Friday and is affordable. I haven't went yet because
1) I'd miss a workout. I don't want to start that trend. And
2) I just honestly feel awkward about it. I've never had one. Paying someone to rub my chubby back, then coming back to my desk to work the rest of the day just seems weird.

Veil5577

I have two sitting jobs so I know how you feel.

While I'm sitting at my jobs I tighten up my stomach muscles every few minutes, then release them. It isn't much but I figure something is better than nothing at all.

hoyalawya2003

Yoga - will fix your back flexibility and your core strength.

Sorry - I know, I'm hooked - but seriously, it will :-)

QFT

cwolfman13

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

parkscs

Keep losing weight and keep working on your core strength. One day you'll find sit-ups are possible and before long they won't feel that difficult.

miss_phat_booty

Yes, what cwolfman13 said!

Lleldiranne

I agree with cwolfman. Situps and crunches don't target abs nearly as much as we'd like to think they do.

Planks, stability ball ... and compound lifts. That's a better way to get strong abs. (And also make situps easier if you later decide to give them another try)

lizziebeth1028

I agree with everyone else.....sit ups, crunches just not very effective exercises. Your time and your goals could be better spent elsewhere.

giggitygoo

Leg lifts are my favorite isolated ab exercise. I can feel the entirety of my abdominal region working, and bonus: no neck or back strain

There are a million ways to do these, but I like these:

Understand your frustration, but don't beat yourself up about not being able to complete something that wouldn't do you much/any good anyway.

mysweetjenna

Ha! I'm 5 feet tall, so that may be a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps as my belly gets smaller, it will be less in the way!

mysweetjenna

Yoga - will fix your back flexibility and your core strength.

Sorry - I know, I'm hooked - but seriously, it will :-)

I should totally give this a try.

yogicarl

Ha! I'm 5 feet tall, so that may be a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps as my belly gets smaller, it will be less in the way!

- with respect - that could be a big part of the problem because you are trying to raise your upper body against the fat which is weighing you down and also acting as a buffer in the tightest part of the situp angle - if you see what I mean; the tighter the situp angle, the more resistance from the squeezing against the belly.

I have the same problem doing the Plough pose in yoga - my belly stops me from closing my legs over my head so my legs tend to float in the air above my head. Its like putting a tennis ball in the crook of your arm and trying to curl your bicep against it.

As we both lose a bit more fat both your situps and my plough pose will get easier.

I still say situps are over-rated, but you already said that so I won't nag!

mysweetjenna

I have two sitting jobs so I know how you feel.

While I'm sitting at my jobs I tighten up my stomach muscles every few minutes, then release them. It isn't much but I figure something is better than nothing at all.

This couldn't hurt! Thanks!

mysweetjenna

Thanks, everyone! Like I said, I would never incorporate sit ups into a routine. I just want to be ABLE to do one. I'll give some of the stuff above a whirl

Holly_Roman_Empire

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

Yeah, this.

mysweetjenna

Ha! I'm 5 feet tall, so that may be a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps as my belly gets smaller, it will be less in the way!

- with respect - that could be a big part of the problem because you are trying to raise your upper body against the fat which is weighing you down and also acting as a buffer in the tightest part of the situp angle - if you see what I mean; the tighter the situp angle, the more resistance from the squeezing against the belly.

I have the same problem doing the Plough pose in yoga - my belly stops me from closing my legs over my head so my legs tend to float in the air above my head. Its like putting a tennis ball in the crook of your arm and trying to curl your bicep against it.

As we both lose a bit more fat both your situps and my plough pose will get easier.


I still say situps are over-rated, but you already said that so I won't nag!

I think you're on to something! I wish you luck with your own milestone.

crossfire266

You need to lose more weight

MonaLisaLianne

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

Yep. My Physical Therapist says I should never do them (I have a herniated disc in my low back, and 2 in my neck). She also says that you can actually build mass in the abs area by doing them which is *not* what most women want to do! Planks and push-ups are better for you.

Phaedra2014

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

Exactly!

sportyredhead01

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

Yeah, this.

:drinker: I do the 10 minute standing ab exercise that's on fitnessblender.com and feel it's more effective. Also lifting weights does wonderful things indirectly.

LKArgh

Lose the weight, keep exercising and you will find out you can do sit-ups.

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

I get where you're coming from, I know there are better things for my abs, but I just wanted to be able to say I can do sit ups... I can now... sort of. I can't have anyone hold my feet because of a prior ankle injury (last person who held my ankles is still afraid to touch me, she thought she broke me when my ankle popped, turned in and locked in a cramp... it was not pretty and hurt like all get out). Anyway, how I learned is I touch my toes to a wall with my feet a little wider apart and instead of having my hands behind my head I hold a weight (or a weight ball) in my hands over my head and do the sit up to touch the weight to the wall (the weight helps with the up/forward momentum) and as I've gotten stronger I've been able to move away from the wall and put the weight down, still don't quite have the hands right (have to be careful not to pull on the neck, that's the last injury I need). So at least now I can say I can do a push up and throw one in here and there just because I can.... I still stick with other ab exercises though

cosmichvoyager

I can't do them because my belly and my boobs get in the way lol. I do crunches, planking, other stuff for now.

aliwhalen

Actually, crunches and situps are horrible exercises...they don't really work the core that well and they are hell on the back and neck...pretty much wreaks havoc on the entire spinal cord. I personally wouldn't recommend doing them at all unless you are required to for a PT test or something.

There are much better core exercises and much better (more efficient and less harmful) ways of isolating your abdominal muscles. Planks are outstanding core exercises and they can take on various forms to keep challenging you. Don't do situps or crunches...they are stupid exercises.

Came here to say this.

mysweetjenna

I've figured it out! If I take my feet a bit further out, I can indeed do a sit up! I guess my short torso and tall belly just need a little more room right now


I appreciate all of the responses. I will say though, those of you that commented on how horrible sit-ups are, I wonder if you read the original post. I of course know they aren't a good exercise. My issue was I simply wanted to be able to perform a physical act that many others can do. Lunges are horrible for my knees, but I CAN do them. I promise you, I do planks. A LOT.