Sit-Ups / Crunches Exercise
Sit-Ups (also known as Crunches or Ab Curls) is a classic abdominal exercise for working the body's core. There are many variations of the sit-up exercise - here is a general description of the sit-up, with a few other variations described below.
Equipment Required: a clear flat area such as a carpet or rug, weights.
Technique
- Lie flat on your back on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms and place your palms on your thighs.
- Tighten your core and press your lower back into the mat.
- Slowly curl the torso, raising your head and shoulders and sliding your hands along your thighs until they reach your knees.
- Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor.
- Repeat in a smooth motion until you have completed your set.
- Remember to breathe out as you curl up, breathe in as you return to the floor.
Sit-Up Alternatives
These variations of the sit-up exercise change the difficulty level, but also often change the muscle groups that are used.
Increasing Difficulty
- You can hold a weighted object to the chest.
- Use an inclined sit-up bench so that you have to lift the upper body against gravity
- Increase the range of movement so that you lift the chest further up
- Increase the tempo or number of sit-ups performed
- Rotate the upper body or lift a leg as you perform the sit-up
Reducing Difficulty
- Anchor the feet
How Many and How Far?
A good workout would be 3 sets of 10-15 sit-ups, choosing one of the variations above to set the intensity level and change the muscle groups used. The 7-minute workout requires 30 seconds of sit-ups, while there are many sit-up fitness tests which require 1 or 2 minutes of sit-ups Check out the world records for the most number of sit-ups.
Related Pages
- More of fitness at home exercises
- sit-ups as part of the home workout
- sit ups for the beach
- sit up endurance and strength fitness tests
- Sit Up World Records
- Abdominal Workout Programs
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