Do sit-ups really work?

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AliciaG213
AliciaG213 Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
I HATE doing sit-ups but I'd do them if I knew they really worked.

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  • meferretti
    meferretti Posts: 36 Member
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    I HATE doing sit-ups but I'd do them if I knew they really worked.

    If done correctly, yes, sit ups will tone your abs. If you have fat hiding your abdominal muscles then you will need to burn fat by doing cardiovascular exercise in addition to eating healthy or the abdominal muscles will remain hidden no matter how many sit ups you do.

    If you are unsure how to do sit ups correctly to acheive your goals, ask a fitness trainer to show you some exercises.

    Good luck!
  • lsjd2000
    lsjd2000 Posts: 287 Member
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    I think they do but more to tone the stomach muscles then your cardio is what burns the fat off your stomach - have you tried holding a dumbell or weighted ball in your hands while doing crunchs you will feel it more then. at least i do
  • betterwork2
    betterwork2 Posts: 3
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    I do crunches rather than situps, but overall I agree with what mferretti says ... they'll tone your ab muscles, but if your muscles are hidden by a layer of fat, you may not be able to visibly see any difference.
  • bmx419
    bmx419 Posts: 1
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    Read up on Stuart McGill's work. Sit-ups are bad for your back. Heck, read the wikipedia about them...
    Think about this: when in everyday life do use your abs, or core, while hunched over?? Your core is to stabilize your torso. Why do we always hear, "Lift with your legs not with your back"??

    A safer and more effective core workout is planks. When you can a hold proper plank for a minute, move onto swiss ball rollouts, slowly working towards ab wheel rollouts.

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