Sit-ups are a valuable addition to your existing workout routine. This essential exercise helps achieve Core Strength and could be conveniently performed using bodyweight only. You could also easily modify them or increase the challenge through different variations.
Whether you are into powerlifting, calisthenics, gymnastics, or other sports like badminton or basketball, sit-ups should be welcomed with open arms (and tight cores) as these can help you build muscle, achieve core stability, as well as core strength.
In this article, we will give you insight on how to perform the proper sit-up, benefits you could gain from sit-ups, and some variations and alternatives to make your workout routine more fun and challenging to the core.
This Ultimate Guide Will Cover:
- How To Do Sit-Ups
- Benefits of Sit-Ups
- Common Sit-Ups Mistakes To Avoid
- Sit-Ups Muscles Worked
- Sit-Ups vs Crunches
- Our Trainer’s Suggested Reps, Sets, & Programs
- Sit-Ups Variations
- Sit-Ups AlternativesWrap Up
- FAQs About Sit-Ups
How To Do Sit Ups
The sit-up is typically done with bodyweight only. No equipment is needed. You may put a mat on the floor to protect your skin and spine.
Alternative Equipment:
- Weighted plate: You may hold up weights with your arms overhead to add challenge to your regular sit-ups and engage your abs further.
- Sit Up Bench: This is the most effective exercise targeting your abs because it’s done on a declined position making it much harder to execute than on a flat surface.
Step 1: Lay Flat On The Floor With Knees Bent
First, lay flat on the floor or on a mat and lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. This is your loose starting position. After a couple more adjustments, you can begin performing sit-ups.
Step 2: Lock Your Feet In Place
Most beginners fail to get a full range of motion and perform their sit-ups correctly when their lower extremities are not sturdy in place. This happens when the abs are not strong enough and require support from other parts of the body, like the legs. So, use weights that are heavy enough to keep your feet in place, such as 30 pounds or so.
Step 3: Lock Your Body In Place
Like with the lower body, it is important to lock your upper body in place so you can focus on training your core and avoid crunching with momentum. You could cross your arms over your chest, place them under your head, or position them just by the ear. You could also place your arms flat on the mat if you can control the movement and avoid pushing yourself up.
Step 4: Activate Your Abdominal Muscles
The trick is to exhale as you perform each rep so you can maximize contraction on your abdominal muscles. Making this small adjustment can help you earn more sit-ups with proper form, thereby helping you with core strength, core stability, and even fat loss when balanced with a caloric deficit and a full-body workout routine. Perform the recommended sets.
3 Benefits of Sit Ups
1. Muscular Development
By and large, a healthy “trunk” or midsection leads to a more fruitful life. One way to achieve health and fitness is by working your abdominals for your torso to function correctly. We can also attribute to sit-ups the benefits of reducing age-related atrophy and helping even older individuals stay mobile for longer years, thereby enabling them to enjoy a healthier, longer, and injury-free lifespan.
2. Improves Sports Performance on Upper Body
Our midsection is responsible for the majority of our movements throughout the day. In the name of sports, this can add significant improvement to one’s performance, whether you are a professional athlete or an amateur. This targets multiple muscles, including the obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis.
3. Improves Stability, Flexibility, and Balance
Proper sit-up movements work the pelvis, hip muscles, and the lower back to support the abdominal muscles, thus resulting in a stronger core. A strong core keeps the body balanced and stable as you perform your daily and athletic activities.
Sit-Ups also make your hips and back more flexible as the movement releases spine tension and increases mobility. A flexible body is capable of concentrating better, boosting energy levels, and reducing stress levels.
Common Sit Up Mistakes to Avoid
Using momentum for reps
One of the most common mistakes in performing sit-ups is using momentum to swing up instead of controlling the movement to contract the abs properly. Rather than hit target reps, aim to rise with control and slowly lower your body. Keep tension by contracting your abs throughout; avoid resting between each rep.
Not engaging the core properly
The simple trick of exhaling with every sit-up will put significant contraction on your sit-ups. This makes the movement 100% more efficient and puts more power on your core while reducing lumbar pain or discomfort.
Sitting all the way up
The goal of sit-ups is to mimic a sitting position—however, not all the way like what amateurs do. Sitting up or even leaning forward at the top of the moment decreases contraction on the abs and reduces engagement by half. To fix this, keep your abs contracted all the way and avoid resting at the top or bottom of the rep.
Craning your neck
it is common to see individuals holding the back of their neck to crane forward during sit-ups. However, this is a common wrong practice that not only strains your neck but also does not activate your abs. Our tip is to go as high as you can without rounding your back and use that as your maximum point until you can progress.
Using hip flexors
People with tight hip flexors may subconsciously use their hips to raise themselves in a seated position. However, this only results to jerk movements off of the floor and not using enough core strength. Instead, try to localize your strength to your torso to avoid sit-ups based on momentum.
Sit Ups Muscles Worked
When you add sit-ups to your upper body routine, the following muscle groups are properly involved:
- Rectus abdominis
- Transverse abdominis
- Obliques
- Rectus femoris
- Tensor fascia latae
- Chest
- Neck
Sit-ups look plain and simple from the outside, but inside your body, they target multiple muscles, as mentioned in the bullets. Meanwhile, the feet, knees, and arms work as stabilizers, so you do not topple over and ensure your stable position.
The rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques, together with the chest and neck, support your upper body movements and the sit-up exercise works both the lower back and gluteal muscles, thus improving your posture. Because of the movement’s large range of motion, it targets more muscles than static core exercises and crunches.
Sit Ups vs Crunches
These two exercises are often compared with each other. Some even say that one is better than the other or you should stop doing them altogether. So what is the real deal with sit-ups and crunches? How different or similar are they?
Comparing their movements, sit-ups go as high as almost a seated position while crunches stop midway and are more of a folding movement than an upright motion. Due to the range of motion, sit-ups target multiple muscles, including hip flexors, abs, chest, neck, and lower back while crunches focus on exclusively targeting the abdominal muscles, nothing more.
On the other hand, sit-ups require a more rigid form since it involves more muscles than crunches. Beginners often have issues doing the correct form especially when their abdominals are not as strong yet – resulting in them resorting to crunches. When done too many, too fast, or incorrectly, sit-ups have a high possibility to cause injury on the spine or sprain the neck.
So which one is better than the other? Well, it highly depends on the muscles you aim to target.
Keep in mind as well that abs are made in the kitchen and not on the floor. By consuming low-calorie meals and incorporating aerobic exercises into your program, you can flush out more water weight and reduce fats. Only then will you see your much-awaited six-pack abs.
Check out our post on Cable Crunch Alternative Exercises For Solid and Defined Abs!
Our Trainer’s Suggested Reps, Sets, and Programs
For Hypertrophy
To gain muscle, you need to have enough muscle mass, which can be achieved using a combination of caloric surplus and weight lifting. To emphasize your core definitions, perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions. Use heavy to moderate weights to challenge your abdominal strength and rest between 60 to 90 seconds in between.
For Improved Muscle Endurance
The key to endurance is performing a particular activity for a prolonged period. In the case of sit-ups, you may perform as many repetitions as you can with proper form, with a shorter rest period in each set. You may also pause at the top for an extra burn on your abs. Do 20 or more repetitions for 2 to 3 sets with a rest window of 30 to 60 seconds.
Sit Ups Variations
Once you master sit-ups, it is easy to rep out this movement. Now, if you are looking for more challenges or some variations to spice things up, we recommend the following:
Russian Twist
In an inclined position, your abdominal muscles are prompted to activate more. There is a constant tension on the core while performing the Russian twist, more so when you hold weights in your hands. Essentially, this variation strengthens your core, spine, and obliques. It also achieves stability and balance in your midsection.
Butterfly Sit-Ups
This variation is one of the best abs exercises you could do on the floor without straining your lower back, as beginners usually do on their first sit-up attempts. With your knees bent outwards on each side, you have a stronger core to raise your body so you can do more without spending your energy quickly. It also improves back flexibility.
Weighted Sit-Ups
If you are over regular sit-ups and you are psyched to put on a six-pack, you can hit your lower abs and core muscles by doing weighted sit-ups. As you lie flat on your exercise mat, use your arms to raise the plate overhead as you get your strong core to raise you up. Choose weights according to your current strength, but do remember not to overdo it, or you will only struggle.
Sit Up Alternatives (Our Recommendations)
These alternatives will help you achieve more balanced core muscles. If unfamiliar with the exercise, have a personal trainer guide you with the proper form so you can properly engage your core and be efficient with the exercise.
Bicycle Crunches
If you are looking for a challenge, this alternative is for the taking. To go to the start position, lie flat on your exercise mat, just like a regular sit-up. As you crunch, raise your left elbow to meet your right knee, and vice versa. This counts as one rep. Do this continuously according to your program. Ultimately, this increases abdominal strength and improves flexibility and coordination.
Reverse Crunches
This exercise looks like a walk in the park, but it is much harder in reality. Go to the start position by laying flat on the floor. You may hold on to a heavy object or sturdy pole to activate your core properly. As you lift both legs to reverse crunch, this works on your lower abs and puts zero pressure on your neck.
Toe touches
Another variation to spice up your core workout is toe-touches. With your legs all the way up to the ceiling and your abs doing all the work to reach your toes, there is a shorter range of motion with toe touches, but definitely, a lot of abdominal strength required. As it works on your strength, it also improves your flexibility.
