One must be tired of holding one’s breath and also pulling one’s tummy every time one tries on the dress. Or perhaps when admirers are around one tends to do so. One must go in for sit-ups as a flat tummy does help. One also suffers from obesity-related diseases.
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Which Muscles are involved in Sit-ups?
Sit-ups work the rectus abdominis, tensor fascia lata, obliques, rectus femoris, chest, and neck muscles. These are the muscles that hold one’s spine as well as body straight, thus preventing collapsing or twisting of one’s spine, and this also helps in the neck as well as hip movement. Sit-ups are indeed different from crunches in the way they are performed and the muscles that they tend to activate. Crunches only work on the ab muscles. But sit-ups work on almost one’s entire body and hence are rather effective.
How to Do Basic Sit-ups
First as well as foremost, one needs to follow these guidelines:
3 Basic Guidelines to Do Sit-ups Correctly
1. Never anchor one’s legs.
2. Always maintain a posterior tilt or do ensure one’s lower back is completely on the ground.
3. Do not strain one’s neck by tucking it in.
Now, one is ready to do one’s first sit-up – slowly as well as correctly.
Basic Set-up Steps
1. Sit on a mat. Keep one’s legs hip-width apart, feet flat on the floor, hands placed on the sides of one’s thighs, and spine straight.
2. Roll back down on the mat until one’s upper back touches the mat, and one’s knees are pointing toward the ceiling.
3. When one lies down, one needs to lower the back so that it is curved, which is also called an anterior tilt. This happens to be dangerous for one’s spine while doing sit-ups. Change the anterior tilt to posterior tilt by rather pushing one’s pelvic region up so that one’s tends to lower the back which touches the mat completely.
4. Engage one’s core. Keep the neck in line with the spine, look diagonally up at the ceiling, and also try to inhale.
5. Exhale and make use of one’s core muscles to sit up. As one does so one must hold one’s hands that will slide up from one’s thighs to one’s knees. Keep one’s shoulders relaxed.
6. Inhale as well as slowly roll back down to the starting position. Make sure one’s lower back is completely flat on the mat.
7. Again, exhale and sit up.
Tip: Do it slowly so that one can engage one’s ab muscles and not the hip flexors to rather push one’s body up. Always try to maintain a posterior tilt. Constantly changing from an anterior tilt to a posterior tilt will indeed put a lot of stress on one’s spine and also eventually lead to lower back pain or even a slipped disc.
What about sit-up exercises?
8 Effective Sit-ups for Strong Abs as well as a Flat Tummy
1. Hands to Heels
How to Do Hands to Heels
1. Lie down on a mat. Keep one’s knees flexed, feet flat on the floor, as well as legs hip-width apart.
2. Extend one’s hands above one’s head and keep them shoulder-width apart. Make sure one’s lower back is in a posterior tilt.
3. Exhale as well as push one’s upper body up. Simultaneously, swing one’s hands from above one’s head to the side of one’s heels.
4. Inhale as well as roll back down to the starting position.
5. Do not tuck one’s chin. Keep one’s gaze diagonally up at the ceiling.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
2. Straight Leg Sit-ups
How To Do Straight Leg Sit-ups
1. Lie down on the floor. Keep one’s legs hip-width apart, and hands above one’s head, and look up at the ceiling. This is the starting position.
2. Exhale as well as pull one’s upper body up into a sitting position. Keep one’s hands extended above one’s head.
3. Inhale as well as roll back down on the mat.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
3. Butterfly Sit-ups
How to Do Butterfly Sit-ups
1. Sit on a mat. Keep one’s knees flexed, and feet flat on the floor.
2. Open one’s thighs and then place the sole of one’s right foot against the sole of the left foot.
3. Roll back down slowly on the mat. Extend one’s hands above one’s head, and look up at the ceiling. This is the starting position.
4. Exhale as well as pull one’s upper body up into a sitting position. Simultaneously, swing one’s hands from above one’s head to just beyond one’s toes.
5. Inhale and slowly roll back down to the starting position.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
4. Bent Leg Sit-ups
How to Do Bent Leg Sit-ups
1. Lie down on the floor. Flex the knees and place the feet flat on the floor, and one’s hands above one’s head, and also look up at the ceiling. This is indeed the starting position.
2. Exhale as well as pull up one’s upper body up in a sitting position. One’s hands should remain above one’s head.
3. Inhale as well as roll back down to the starting position.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
5. V-Ups
How To Do V-Ups?
1. Lie down on a mat. Keep one’s legs together, hands extended above one’s head, and one’s spine in a posterior tilt.
2. Lift both one’s legs and the upper body simultaneously. Try to touch one’s toes. Keep one’s gaze diagonally up at the ceiling.
3. Inhale as well as roll back down to the starting position.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
6. Oblique V-Ups
How To Do Oblique V-Ups?
• Lie down on one’s right side. Keep one’s right hand extended in front of oneself for support, one’s left hand extended up toward the ceiling, legs together, knees slightly bent, and core engaged.
• Lift both of one’s legs and one’s upper body, and touch one’s left leg with one’s left hand.
• Exhale and roll back down to the starting position.
• Do this 10 times before switching sides.
Sets and Reps
• 3 sets of 10 reps on each side
7. Weighted Sit-ups
How to Do Weighted Sit-ups
1. One can do this making use of a dumbbell or a plate.
2. Sit down on a mat. Keep one’s legs hip-width apart, feet flat on the floor, spine straight, and shoulders relaxed.
3. Hold the weight with one’s both hands and lift it just above one’s head. Make sure one’s elbows are slightly bent.
4. Roll back slowly. Make sure one’s spine is flat on the floor, and one’s hands are right above one’s head. This is the starting position.
5. Exhale as well as sit up. Do not lift one’s legs off the floor. Keep the back straight. Do not tuck your chin. Look diagonally up at the ceiling.
6. Inhale as well as go back to the starting position.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
8. V-Sit Russian Twist
How to Do V-Sit Russian Twist
1. Lie down on one’s back. One’s legs should be shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, as well as palms together. Make sure one’s lower back is in a posterior tilt. This is the starting position.
2. Exhale as well as lift one’s legs off the floor and bend one’s knees. Simultaneously, do a sit-up.
3. Twist to one’s right and then to one’s left.
4. Do this two times and then roll back down to the starting position. Inhale as one does so.
5. Exhale, lift one’s legs, sit up, and twist to one’s right and then left. Do this 4 times.
Sets and Reps : 3 sets of 10 reps
Following these tips will ensure you do the exercise in the correct form and help you avoid injuries. Apart from getting a flat tummy, there are many other benefits to doing sit-ups. Scroll down to find out.
Sit-ups Benefits
• Improve core strength.
• Improve hip flexor strength.
• Increase flexibility.
• Help lose tummy fat.
• Tone the ab area.
• Improve posture.
Sit-ups, when done correctly, can be rewarding. One needs to follow the proper method, as then there will not be the risk of injuring one’s back or neck. Go ahead and turn some heads as one transforms one’s body.