This article tells you how you can perform sit-ups the right way and the variations of this exercise form. We also discuss the benefits of sit-ups. Keep reading to know more.
3 Basic Guidelines To Do Sit-ups Correctly
Follow these instructions while doing sit-ups to prevent pain in the neck or lower back. Achieving the proper form also helps target muscles apart from the abs. Here are all the muscles that sit-ups work on.
Which Muscles Do Sit-ups Work On?
Sit-ups work the rectus abdominis, obliques, rectus femoris, and the tensor fascia latae. These are the muscles that hold your spine and keep your body straight. They prevent collapsing or twisting of the spine, helping in the neck and hip movement. Sit-ups work on almost the entire body, especially, when you do variations of the basic exercise. The following section lists the sit-up variations you can do to get a slimmer waist, stronger core, and better muscle endurance. Scroll down.
8 Sit-Up Exercise Variations To Get A Flat Tummy
1. Hands To Heels
Works On – Upper abs, lower abs, chest, quads, and shoulders Steps
Lie down on a mat. Keep your knees flexed, feet flat on the floor, and legs hip-width apart. Extend your hands above your head and keep them shoulder-width apart. Make sure your lower back is in a posterior tilt. Exhale and push your upper body up. Simultaneously, swing your hands from above your head to the side of your heels. Inhale and roll back down to the starting position. Do not tuck your chin. Keep your gaze diagonally up at the ceiling. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
2. Straight Leg Sit-Ups
Works On – Lower abs and upper abs Steps
Lie down on the floor. Keep your legs hip-width apart, and hands above your head, and look up at the ceiling. This is the starting position. Exhale and pull your upper body up into a sitting position. Keep your hands extended above your head. Inhale and roll back down on the mat. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
3. Butterfly Sit-Ups
Works On – Lower abs, upper abs, rectus muscle, and adductors (inner thigh muscles) Steps
Sit on a mat. Keep your knees flexed and feet flat on the floor. Open your thighs and place the sole of your right foot against the sole of the left foot. Roll down slowly on the mat. Extend your hands above your head, and look up at the ceiling. This is the starting position. Exhale and pull your upper body up into a sitting position. Simultaneously, swing your hands from above your head to just beyond your toes. Inhale and slowly roll back down to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
4. V-Ups
Works On – Lower abs, upper abs, rectus muscle shoulders, quads, and hamstrings Steps
Lie down on a mat. Keep your legs together, hands extended above your head, and your spine in a posterior tilt. Lift both your legs and the upper body simultaneously. Try to touch your toes. Keep your gaze diagonally up at the ceiling. Inhale and roll back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
5. Oblique V-Ups
Works On – Obliques, lower abs, upper abs, rectus muscle hip flexors, lats, and shoulders Steps
Lie down on your right side. Keep your right hand extended in front for support, your left hand extended towards the ceiling, legs together, knees slightly bent, and core engaged. Lift your legs and your upper body and touch your left leg with your left hand. Exhale and roll back to the starting position. Do this 10 times before switching sides. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
6. Weighted Sit-Ups
Works On – Lower abs, upper abs, rectus muscle, chest, and shoulders Steps
You can do this using a dumbbell or a plate. Sit down on a mat. Keep your legs hip-width apart, feet flat on the floor, spine straight, and shoulders relaxed. Hold the weight with both hands and lift it just above your head. Make sure your elbows are slightly bent. Roll back slowly. Make sure your spine is flat on the floor, and your hands are right above your head. This is the starting position. Exhale and sit up. Do not lift your legs off the floor. Keep your back straight. Do not tuck your chin. Look diagonally up at the ceiling. Inhale and go back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
7. V-Up And Tuck
Works On – Lower abs, upper abs, middle abs, rectus muscle, quads, hamstrings, chest, and shoulders Steps
Lie down on the mat, hands overhead, legs extended, and lower back on the floor. Lift your legs off the floor. Keep them extended. This is the starting position. Engage your core, lift your upper body off the floor, bring your hands to the side, and tuck your knees in close to the chest. Exhale. Extend your legs, place your upper body back on the floor, and hands overhead. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
8. Banana Twists
Works On – Obliques, lower abs, upper abs, rectus muscle, glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Steps
Lie down on the floor, legs together, and hands extended over the head. Lift your legs and hands off the floor. Engage your core muscles and squeeze your glutes. This is the starting position. Sit up. Bring your hands from above your head to near your knees, following an arched path. Simultaneously, flex your knees and do not drop your feet on the floor. Twist to the right and left without stopping. Exhale. Go back to the starting position. Inhale. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.
These sit-ups will help improve core strength and whittle away the belly flab. Apart from sit-ups, you can also do crunches. However, there are differences between the two. What are they? Find out in the next section.
Sit-Ups Vs. Crunches – What’s The Difference?
Sit-ups are different from crunches in the way they are performed and the muscles they activate. Crunches only work on the ab muscles. But sit-ups are a full-body workout that targets the core muscles, shoulders, chest, neck, thighs, and glutes. Here’s a video to help you understand how sit-ups are different from crunches.
Apart from reducing belly fat, you also get to enjoy the following benefits by including sit-ups and their variations in your abs routine. Scroll down.
Benefits Of Doing Sit-Ups
Improve core strength Enhance hip flexor strength Increase flexibility Tone the ab area Improve posture
Tips On Sit-Ups
Beginners should start with 3 sets of 8 reps and progress accordingly. To intensify your routine, increase the number of repetitions. The key to building core strength is the breathing technique. Take deep breaths and keep the pace slow. Concentrate on contracting the muscles and holding the position. Start with your feet 12-18 inches from your butt and continue doing curl-ups. If it feels intensive, increase the distance between your butt and feet. This new angle between your abdominal muscles and legs will take you through a few more reps. To avoid the pain caused by faster sit-up movement, do a less intense variation of the sit-up with the exercise ball. This can help reduce the strain on the lower back. Keep your lower back firmly in contact with the floor throughout the movement to avoid excessive strain. You can also add weights to intensify your sit-up and challenge yourself. Just grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them in your hands. Weights are best added in the Jackknife version of sit-ups.
How many sit-ups should a beginner do? You can aim to begin with 10 reps. What will 30 sit-ups a day do? Doing 30 sit-ups a day can help you tone abdominal muscles when coupled with other exercises. What exercise burns the most belly fat? Exercises like burpees, mountain climbers, sprawls, and Russian twists work best for burning belly fat. How many calories do 30 sit-ups burn? You can burn approximately ½ calories per sit-up if you weigh heavier than 150 pounds. So, 30 sit-ups burn roughly 15 calories. However, if you weigh less, the calories burned will reduce. It also depends on the intensity of the workout.
