If you want six-pack abs, then sit-ups are absolute waste of time.
In this article, I’ll show you 3 reasons why sit-ups absolutely suck when it comes to ab exercises… and I’ll recommend some better exercises instead.
First, let’s talk about the world’s most popular ab exercise sucks:
Problem #1: They’re too easy.
Except for those who are extremely out of shape, sit-ups are fairly easy. Most people can knock out 10, 20, or even 50 without too much trouble.
And in the fitness world, easy usually means ineffective. The truth is anything that’s easy doesn’t deliver results. The world record holder can do over 2,000 sit-ups in less than one hour! And shockingly, he doesn’t have great abs!
Problem #2: They can hurt your back.
Your spine is a magnificent piece of machinery. It can bend, curl and tuck without any issues. However, if your repeat the same motion thousands of times (like when you curl your truck when doing sit-ups) you can create some overuse injuries.
That’s why it’s better to find an abdominal exercise that delivers superior results with fewer repetitions. Not only will you save time, but you’ll save your back as well.
Problem #3: They don’t work.
In my younger days, I tried an experiment. I did 500 sit-ups every night for a full month. After a month, I’d completed over 15,000 sit-ups. And yet, my stomach didn’t look any different.
That’s a big waste of time in my book. Think about it: If you ball up your first and “make a muscle” will it make your biceps any bigger? Of course not, even if you do it a hundred times a day. That’s the same reason why doing 100 sit-ups or more every day wont’ give you better abs. Just flexing a muscle is not enough stimulation.
So if you want a better abdominal exercise, you need to find an exercise that 1) is not too easy 2) won’t hurt your back and 3) actually works.
Unfortunately, not too many abdominal exercises make the cut. In fact, most modern-day abdominal exercises are downright worthless. Luckily, there’s a few “old school” ab exercises you can use that will give you six-pack abs in no time (provided your eating strategy is sound.)
The first old-school ab exercise is the ab wheel roll-out. This exercise teaches your abdominals to work in conjunction with the rest of your body which results in a harder contraction and a more effective exercise.
Another good exercise is the hanging leg raise. Grab a chin-up bar, keep your legs straight and slowly raise your feet out in front of you up to your eye level. Move slowly and without using momentum.
If you’re not seeing the results you want from sit-ups, try skipping them for a month and utilizing these old school abdominal exercises for a change of pace.