Sit ups.

Carrie6o6
Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
edited September 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Do sit ups actually do anything? My dad told me he now does 400 sit ups a day. I used to do them often... But do they actually work? They seem to be too easy to do anything.. Maybe im doing them wrong?
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Replies

  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Do sit ups actually do anything? My dad told me he now does 400 sit ups a day. I used to do them often... But do they actually work? They seem to be too easy to do anything.. Maybe im doing them wrong?
  • nicole0177
    nicole0177 Posts: 377
    how manyy are you doing and how do u do them?
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    Not just sit ups. You must work all the muscles in your abs.

    "Old school" style sit-ups really only work your hip flexors, and not your ab muscles. They can also put undue strain on your back.

    Mix it up, or try a stability ball. They aren't that expensive, and most come with a video.

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/l/blbeginnerabs.htm
  • REB89
    REB89 Posts: 493 Member
    depends what you mean by do they work? Yes they build up your abdominal muscles but no they won't give you a flat stomach. You need to do cardio as well to burn the belly fat so that the muscles underneath can be seen, then you'll have a flat stomach!!
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    ah! I can do sit ups like nothing... Crunches I can actually feel the burn with, and I have an exercise ball just dont know what to do with it hahah but i will check out that site.
  • nicole0177
    nicole0177 Posts: 377
    and you shouldnt do them everyday i would do them every other because when you work your abdominals your actually tearing the muscle and it has to repair, so when it does its a tighter and firmer muscle than before and to prevent the tearing again and thats how you build rock solid abs. so you should do them everyday to let the muscle repair itself.
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Oh, I was told that abs are the only thing you can work out everyday. I dont want rock hard abs really, i dont care much. Just want to lose my baby flab hahahaha
  • chiefiron
    chiefiron Posts: 305 Member
    Crunches are the way to go. I do weighted and cable crunches a few times a week with my lifting. Building up ab muscles will, when fat % is low enough, give you the wash board abs. you can do sit ups and crunches (1000's) per day and never get a 6 pack if you dont loose the fat through some sort of cardio/fat loss exercise program and proper eating habits.

    TIm
  • nicole0177
    nicole0177 Posts: 377
    Oh, I was told that abs are the only thing you can work out everyday. I dont want rock hard abs really, i dont care much. Just want to lose my baby flab hahahaha

    ya but your abs are a strength exercise and you shouldnt do strength everyday.
  • ericas
    ericas Posts: 17
    I JOINED THIS HYDRO JOG CLASS AT THE Y AND SOME OF THE EXERCISES WE DO REALLY MAKE YOUR ABS BURN
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Crunches are the way to go. I do weighted and cable crunches a few times a week with my lifting. Building up ab muscles will, when fat % is low enough, give you the wash board abs. you can do sit ups and crunches (1000's) per day and never get a 6 pack if you dont loose the fat through some sort of cardio/fat loss exercise program and proper eating habits.

    TIm

    Thats neat. Right now im not really doing any strength training at all, i probably should since it helps a lot with fat loss.
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Oh, I was told that abs are the only thing you can work out everyday. I dont want rock hard abs really, i dont care much. Just want to lose my baby flab hahahaha

    ya but your abs are a strength exercise and you shouldnt do strength everyday.

    makes sense
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    I JOINED THIS HYDRO JOG CLASS AT THE Y AND SOME OF THE EXERCISES WE DO REALLY MAKE YOUR ABS BURN

    Is this like jogging in the water?
  • FatDancer
    FatDancer Posts: 812 Member
    Bellydance will work every muscle in your core girdle, and your entire body...it is so much fun!
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    I know we dont have any belly dancing courses around here.... are there any vids on the net I can check out?
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    Oh, I was told that abs are the only thing you can work out everyday. I dont want rock hard abs really, i dont care much. Just want to lose my baby flab hahahaha

    No exercise will get rid of flab. Well, not directly anyway. I'll explain. Flab (I assume you mean the layer of fat over the muscle), needs to be burned off, exercise won't directly get rid of it. NOW, that being said, exercise will burn more calories which will help, so I guess I should say that you can't target any particular area with an exercise for fat burn, your body will burn fat from the places it can reach easiest first. So the places where you've had fat the longest, will usually be the last to give way. You can build the rock hardiest (lol, I like that new word) abs in the world, but they still won't get rid of fat any faster then building up some other equivalent muscle group.

    :tongue:
  • sonia2
    sonia2 Posts: 154
    Pilates is the way to go! It works your INNER CORE which is responsible for giving us that girdle look. Crunches only work the outer abs. Pilates will build the inner core to pull you in and improve posture. An example of a great pilates move is to get on elbows and toes and body is flat. squeeze inner thighs, flat back and butt, hold abs very tightly.( if you don't hold abs it will injure your back) Hold this move for 30 seconds/3 times. Eventually work up to 1 minute.
  • FatDancer
    FatDancer Posts: 812 Member
    I know we dont have any belly dancing courses around here.... are there any vids on the net I can check out?

    Here's a bunch of websites for you...if you have never bellydanced before you'll want to start out with beginning or basic instruction...from there the possibilities are limitless...check out some websites and I'm sure that anything that strikes your interest will be good...I often research the dancer's websites and then make my purchases at www.amazon.com.

    www.worlddancenewyork.com
    www.neonissima.com
    www.beyondbellydance.com
    www.bellytwins.com
    www.amiramor.com
    www.shimmy.tv
    www.bellydancesuperstars.com
    www.suhaila.com

    I hope you enjoy bellydance...have fun!
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    What is Pilates? So many ppl talk about it.

    Banks I need to lose weight every where! But my stomach from kids is not the best anymore haha
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    I know we dont have any belly dancing courses around here.... are there any vids on the net I can check out?

    Here's a bunch of websites for you...if you have never bellydanced before you'll want to start out with beginning or basic instruction...from there the possibilities are limitless...check out some websites and I'm sure that anything that strikes your interest will be good...I often research the dancer's websites and then make my purchases at www.amazon.com.

    www.worlddancenewyork.com
    www.neonissima.com
    www.beyondbellydance.com
    www.bellytwins.com
    www.amiramor.com
    www.shimmy.tv
    www.bellydancesuperstars.com
    www.suhaila.com

    I hope you enjoy bellydance...have fun!

    Thanks, I will check it out, I need some hobbies! haha
  • nicole0177
    nicole0177 Posts: 377
    For Pilates go to this sie you click on an exercise for beginner pilates and they show you how to do the exercises. Pilates is great for flexibilty and strangth.
    http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_pilates_beginner.htm
  • nicole0177
    nicole0177 Posts: 377
    For Pilates go to this site you click on an exercise for beginner pilates and they show you how to do the exercises. Pilates is great for flexibilty and strength.

    http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_pilates_beginner.htm
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    Pilates is the way to go! It works your INNER CORE which is responsible for giving us that girdle look. Crunches only work the outer abs. Pilates will build the inner core to pull you in and improve posture. An example of a great pilates move is to get on elbows and toes and body is flat. squeeze inner thighs, flat back and butt, hold abs very tightly.( if you don't hold abs it will injure your back) Hold this move for 30 seconds/3 times. Eventually work up to 1 minute.

    That's a plank. Yes, very good for the core. you can advance that too, there are lots of plank moves. Side planks, side planks with extension, alternating 1 handed planks. All very good for the core. Didn't know these were part of pilates though. They are already a part of my core work, which includes these, cable crunches, ab machine, oblique machine, fitness ball wall squats, fitnessball crunches, fitness ball reverse crunches and cable machine oblique side extensions. It's a killer workout, but really works every part of the core. FYI, core is the term for pretty much every muscle from the bottom of your butt to just under your rib cage
  • zenmama
    zenmama Posts: 1,000
    Push ups have to be done correctly for them to work...and you want to pull your core inward on the up of the sit "up"

    FYI..

    dd
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Thanks. I cant even do one push up, they frustrate me too much! Not because I can't get back up after going down, but because I can't keep my back straight!
  • zenmama
    zenmama Posts: 1,000
    I meant sit up not push up.....I need a break from school it is sucking all brain poser LOL!

    dd
  • natileebee
    natileebee Posts: 24
    I agree with all the good info posted. You need to work your core. That isn't just abs though. You need to work you back too. The abs and back work together. Pilates is great for the core! I gain weight first in my stomach area and it is always the last to come off. I've had two kids, so I know it can be frustrating. Just find something you like and keep with it. You also need both cardo and weight training. With cardo you only burn calories while you are doing the workout. With weights, you continue to burn calories after the workout for serveral hours. That's a plus!
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    True very true
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
    I know we dont have any belly dancing courses around here.... are there any vids on the net I can check out?

    Here's a bunch of websites for you...if you have never bellydanced before you'll want to start out with beginning or basic instruction...from there the possibilities are limitless...check out some websites and I'm sure that anything that strikes your interest will be good...I often research the dancer's websites and then make my purchases at www.amazon.com.

    www.worlddancenewyork.com
    www.neonissima.com
    www.beyondbellydance.com
    www.bellytwins.com
    www.amiramor.com
    www.shimmy.tv
    www.bellydancesuperstars.com
    www.suhaila.com

    I hope you enjoy bellydance...have fun!
    I tried belly dancing a few days ago and let m,e tell you... I couldn't do the simplest looking moves but it was tons of fun! I found a few videos on youtube so I'll try them again soon.

    ~Joanna:flowerforyou:
  • FatDancer
    FatDancer Posts: 812 Member
    I know we dont have any belly dancing courses around here.... are there any vids on the net I can check out?

    Here's a bunch of websites for you...if you have never bellydanced before you'll want to start out with beginning or basic instruction...from there the possibilities are limitless...check out some websites and I'm sure that anything that strikes your interest will be good...I often research the dancer's websites and then make my purchases at www.amazon.com.

    www.worlddancenewyork.com
    www.neonissima.com
    www.beyondbellydance.com
    www.bellytwins.com
    www.amiramor.com
    www.shimmy.tv
    www.bellydancesuperstars.com
    www.suhaila.com

    I hope you enjoy bellydance...have fun!
    I tried belly dancing a few days ago and let m,e tell you... I couldn't do the simplest looking moves but it was tons of fun! I found a few videos on youtube so I'll try them again soon.

    ~Joanna:flowerforyou:

    Joanna...this is so exciting!

    My favorite instructor for teacing and breaking down the moves is Neon out of World Dance NewYork...her websites are listed above.

    Once you learn a few moves you can take it to dance/cardio level...I'm so glad you had fun...were you suprised at the workout?
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