Are sit ups good or bad?

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hazeljordan1974
hazeljordan1974 Posts: 107 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have had so much conflicting information on sit ups that I honestly don't know whether they are beneficial or harmful, please can someone enlighten me.

Also - if they are harmful, what is a better alternative?
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Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Pretty much a waste of time.

    What are you looking to accomplish in doing them?
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
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    As part of a wider core-strengthening plan then I don't see what would be wrong with them!
    Unless of course you are using this technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaXrdX54t0Y
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I have had so much conflicting information on sit ups that I honestly don't know whether they are beneficial or harmful, please can someone enlighten me.

    Also - if they are harmful, what is a better alternative?

    Plank and plank variations (including dynamic stuff like ab roll outs). Hanging knee and leg raises. Any deadlift variation. Any loaded carry variations. Any of the front squat variations.

    Too many better things to list really. Anything you can load or otherwise tweak a variable in order to progress them.

    ETA: like the chap above, I would ask what exactly you're hoping to achieve? Strengthen your core? Hypertrophy? Etc?
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    They're better for your hips than they are for your abs. What are you using them for?
  • benum21121
    benum21121 Posts: 200
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    Sit-ups are a key requirement for many protective service jobs (police, military, contract security, etc.). In order to be eligible for hiring, you must be able to complete a given number within a given timeframe. These standards are used across the country- maybe the standards are WAY behind the times, and I don't know if they're hugely beneficial, but they're a vital part of my workout regiment. There are a number of other abdominal/core workouts out there, but the classic sit-up has been around forever.

    If you DO them, be careful not to wrap/interlace your fingers behind your neck or head- when you get fatigued, the tendency is to pull with your arms/hands and it can strain the neck unnecessarily.

    Good luck with whatever you end up doing!
  • hazeljordan1974
    hazeljordan1974 Posts: 107 Member
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    Pretty much a waste of time.

    What are you looking to accomplish in doing them?

    I'm really looking to strengthen my core and maybe get a little more definition there. My personal trainer recommended them but another in the gym reckoned they were no good.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Unless your form is off then I can't see how this exercise is harmful?

    Sit ups on a gym ball to strengthen my abs and core gave me a breakthrough in managing a damaged back and allowed me to progress to much more advanced exercises (planks, weighted sit ups, twisting, leg raises, dumbbell side bends.....).
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Pretty much a waste of time.

    What are you looking to accomplish in doing them?

    I'm really looking to strengthen my core and maybe get a little more definition there. My personal trainer recommended them but another in the gym reckoned they were no good.

    Definition will come from reducing bf%. Depends what you have underneath to cut to though. That'll be determined by genetics and previous training history.

    If you cut down and find you don't have the abs you want, then you can try to build some in a bulk and then cut back down to reveal them. You may still not have the abs you want though.

    Genetics. It's a *****.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).
  • BlackandWhitePhotoOp
    BlackandWhitePhotoOp Posts: 308 Member
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    From the way it's been explained to me... Sit ups aren't BAD. However; exercises such as planks work the entire core section not just one area of the core. I have lost over 5 inches in my stomach/waist area in the past couple of months.

    :wink:
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).

    1) WEIGHTED sit ups - i.e. a progressable exercise.

    2) Wendler is talking to people who are already Intermediate lifters and have a certain baseline of lifting under their belt. I wouldn't advise them for untrained individuals or beginners.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).

    1) WEIGHTED sit ups - i.e. a progressable exercise.

    2) Wendler is talking to people who are already Intermediate lifters and have a certain baseline of lifting under their belt. I wouldn't advise them for untrained individuals or beginners.

    If an untrained individual can do proper sit-ups, they're not very untrained in my book.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).

    1) WEIGHTED sit ups - i.e. a progressable exercise.

    2) Wendler is talking to people who are already Intermediate lifters and have a certain baseline of lifting under their belt. I wouldn't advise them for untrained individuals or beginners.

    If an untrained individual can do proper sit-ups, they're not very untrained in my book.

    A sad comment on modern life!
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).

    1) WEIGHTED sit ups - i.e. a progressable exercise.

    2) Wendler is talking to people who are already Intermediate lifters and have a certain baseline of lifting under their belt. I wouldn't advise them for untrained individuals or beginners.

    If an untrained individual can do proper sit-ups, they're not very untrained in my book.

    A sad comment on modern life!

    Probably just fatty's skewed perspective really. I remember now a lot of kids could do them in elementary school. lol
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Pretty much a waste of time.

    What are you looking to accomplish in doing them?

    I'm really looking to strengthen my core and maybe get a little more definition there. My personal trainer recommended them but another in the gym reckoned they were no good.

    doing them on the floor is pretty much the worst.

    now doing them sitting on a swiss ball are great.

    and doing them on a swiss ball while holding a 20lb weight behind your head is even better.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I don't get all the hate on Sit-Ups. Many, including Jim Wendler, recommend weighted Sit-Ups as an Abs exercise (in addition to some others).

    1) WEIGHTED sit ups - i.e. a progressable exercise.

    2) Wendler is talking to people who are already Intermediate lifters and have a certain baseline of lifting under their belt. I wouldn't advise them for untrained individuals or beginners.

    If an untrained individual can do proper sit-ups, they're not very untrained in my book.

    A sad comment on modern life!

    Probably just fatty's skewed perspective really. I remember now a lot of kids could do them in elementary school. lol

    Ha!

    Anyway, I still think other loadable/progressable exercises are better. And while sit-ups can be done in this fashion, I worry about loading up a beginner with a plate or two and have their crappy form overtax their back whilst mostly working their hip flexors!

    Mostly, people crack off the same reps/sets of unweighted sit-ups a couple of times a week and expect that they'll get a stronger core or more ripped abs or whatever. Once you've adapted, which will be fairly rapid, it becomes a feat of endurance, nothing more.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Unless your form is off then I can't see how this exercise is harmful?

    Sit ups on a gym ball to strengthen my abs and core gave me a breakthrough in managing a damaged back and allowed me to progress to much more advanced exercises (planks, weighted sit ups, twisting, leg raises, dumbbell side bends.....).

    yeah, on a gym ball.

    but i see people at the gym, laying on their back, doing sit ups with everything but their abs. they use their head, neck, shoulders, arms. their abs are the last muscle to engage.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Unless your form is off then I can't see how this exercise is harmful?

    Sit ups on a gym ball to strengthen my abs and core gave me a breakthrough in managing a damaged back and allowed me to progress to much more advanced exercises (planks, weighted sit ups, twisting, leg raises, dumbbell side bends.....).

    yeah, on a gym ball.

    but i see people at the gym, laying on their back, doing sit ups with everything but their abs. they use their head, neck, shoulders, arms. their abs are the last muscle to engage.

    Very true!
    BTW - I find holding a dumbell on upper chest much better than behind the head to avoid putting force through my neck.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Sit-Ups-Have-Never-Looked-So-Good.gif
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    I personally don't do sit ups. I have so much other stuff in my routine right now.

    I agree there is a spot for them, if used as an assisted exercise. I wouldn't use them specifically for ab definition. That comes as was stated, from losing body fat%.

    If you are going to do them, mine as well go all out.

    Image not embedded for fear offending someone and getting a strike.
    http://images.wildammo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/8804813a-7a9b-4e88-b803-01495dce1a56.gif

    Take these to blokes. Notice they do the same amount of sit ups. One clearly has more definition than the other.
    7d4f2198-a70e-4118-b2d1-0270de3ef18d.gif

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