I can't do sit ups!

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Oishii
Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've 'completed' the 30 day shred, but I really, really can't do sit ups. I can give all the other ab moves a good shot, but sit ups? Nothing doing.

The Shred reintroduced me to my abs 3.5 years after a C section and split muscles. When the midwife saw my abs in antenatal she asked if I was a PE teacher, which is ridiculous seeing as I wasn't working out at all. In fact, my abs had always shaken like crazy if I tried using them in pilates or whatever. That shaking has gone, but I've just had to replace the sit ups with something I CAN do.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

Replies

  • maggieschuck
    maggieschuck Posts: 174
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    You don't have to do full sit ups to work out your abs. You have to find exercises that work out the sides, upper and lower stomach. There are a lot of machines or dvd to help you.
  • rileymax07
    rileymax07 Posts: 15 Member
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    Try starting out on the pilates ball...
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
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    one of the best core workouts is the wheels on a stick. you get on your knees, have a wheel or two wheels on a stick about the size of a drumstick and roll it out in front of you and back in. It's great for tightening your core and not hard on you like sit ups.
  • jmessgirl
    jmessgirl Posts: 18 Member
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    I can't do sit-ups for the life of me..You Tube helps to give you other alternatives to doing the traditional sit-up, while still getting the same burn and using the same muscles.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    You shouldn't do full sit ups, they're pretty much useless and are too hard on your back. Do crunches if you can, but the most important exercises are those that work your transverse abdominals, the deepest layer of muscle. They are the ones responsible for holding in your organs and they are the ones that will help you get a flat stomach. Do a google search for exercises and you should come up with some good ones, especially from pregnancy websites.
  • mrsv8
    mrsv8 Posts: 1
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    try belly dance. its ment for the muscles you use during labor to tone them up
    so maybe that will help you tone the area your having problems with
  • sdominikovich
    sdominikovich Posts: 3
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    There is a stand up crunch! You can bring your elbow down as your moving your opposite knee up to elbow all while balancing on the other foot. Does that make sense?
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    Ok - don't laugh - but I've been eyeing Hip Hop Abs by Beach Body --- not a sit-up or crunch in site and Beach Body generally has great DVDs. If nothing else, the guy who leads it is good eye candy :blushing:

    (can you tell I woke up way too early on Sunday am and watched infomercials.....)
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I second the bellydancing. It's phenomenal for working out the whole core. It's also a great cardio workout at the same time.
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
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    I found this article recently on the subject of ab exercises.

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

    Belly dance is also good, and more fun.
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
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    I've 'completed' the 30 day shred, but I really, really can't do sit ups. I can give all the other ab moves a good shot, but sit ups? Nothing doing.

    The Shred reintroduced me to my abs 3.5 years after a C section and split muscles. When the midwife saw my abs in antenatal she asked if I was a PE teacher, which is ridiculous seeing as I wasn't working out at all. In fact, my abs had always shaken like crazy if I tried using them in pilates or whatever. That shaking has gone, but I've just had to replace the sit ups with something I CAN do.

    Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?
    Best AB exercise~PLANKS build up your endurence slowly, and make sure you also do them for each side. If your not strong enough to do them on the sides, bend the lower leg in~it's the modified move.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Thanks everyone! The planks in the Shred have really helped, it was just so discouraging to hit a brick wall with sit ups.

    Thanks again.
  • adriayellow11
    adriayellow11 Posts: 140
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    Is is b/c your abs are weak in full range of motion Oishii or b/c of lack of mobility in your spine?? If you can't do a pilates rollup with your legs straight out without "popping" up then yeah, I agree w the previous person who said crunches are bad for your back and pointless. However you need to tackle this depending on which issue it is...
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I really don't get why I really can't do it. Literally I just lie there and nothing beyond my shoulders will come off the floor. It's like I can't even try, if that makes sense.
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
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    I couldn't do ab workout AT ALL, after my third C-section. It was like I did HAVE any muscles. But I kept at it, and after a couple of months of trying, I could do all the ab work, including situps. For me, it was just a matter of time.

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