Sit Ups! HELP!

HayleyDavison1

I hate them!!! But I need to seriously start doing them! My stomach is the worst part of my body! Please can anyone gives me tips on how to do them correctly and different sorts? How many i should start of doing & how often I should be doing them?
PLEASE HELP ME! Im sure the more I do them im sure I will grow to love them.....!

Lotte34

I used to do 100 a night with my feet tucked under the couch. I wouldn't recomment this many but maybe start with twenty and work your way up. Also you need to keep your knees bent, either with your feet under something (or someont holding them down) or if you lie closer to (for instance) the couch and put your legs on it, so that your calves are on the couch and your knee is at a 90degree angle, this till help. It will hurt that little but more but it will help. I used to do them with something like a bag of grapes in front of me, so every time i did a sit up i could just reach a grape (or boyfriend works too) that way i could have my snack/dinner while i was doing them

orleansmith

I am starting this (along with the push-ups and dips) this week: http://www.twohundredsitups.com/

I know others who have used this program and loved it. They also show how to do them properly.

walbro

Its important to do them properly to avoid back ache. Make sure your back remains on the floor and don't arch. I hate abdominal exercises too. After having my sons I failed to do the abdominal exercises and now have a gap in my abdominal wall. If you have had a baby recently its so important to do the exercises. I have a poor core as a result and that makes you more susceptible to backache in later life. So stick with it girls.

fteale

The best way to do them without hurting your back is to lie on a yoga mat and hold the corners of the mat behind your head with your hands, so your whole back is supported but the mat as you crunch.

Also make sure you balance them out doing reverse crunches lying on your stomach and raising the upper back. Too much abdominal exercise weakens your back, you need to do both.

Planks are also very good for your abdominal muscles. I would try to join a pilates class. That is great for your core.

KMSForLife

It was recommended to me by a fitness professional to use an exercise ball. I really liked that and could feel it working. You basically just keep your feet on the floor and lay back across the exercise ball and crunch as normal.

CitrusLump

If you have an Android phone, there's a really good app called Sit Ups (imaginative I know!) that gradually increases your ability to do more and more sit ups day by day. You start off seeing how many you can do in one go, enter that, then enter the amount you want to be able to do all in one go - eg, I could do 20 at once last month, and I want to be able to do 150. Each day, the app tells you how many reps and sets to do, eg my first day had me doing 14, then a minute break, then 12, then a break, then 14, break, 16, break, 18, stop.

One month in I'm now on 28, break, 24, break, 26, break, 30, break, 24! It's amazing how fast your stomach muscles adapt. Also, it helps if you try and tense your stomach all throughout the day, such as when you're just sat at your desk or walking, as then the muscle you're working on during the sit ups won't get 'lazy'.