Sit ups are beneficial for building core and abdominal muscles if done the right way. In addition, this exercise can be done without tools. After mastering the basic movements of sit ups, practice while doing variations to make them more effective. Do sit-ups with the correct posture because this exercise can cause neck and lower back injuries.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Mastering the Basic Sit Ups
Step 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent
Sit ups are especially useful if you do them on a soft surface, such as an exercise mat. Bend both knees 90° and place your feet on the floor.
Sit-ups will feel more comfortable if done on a sports mat
Step 2. Touch the tips of your fingers behind your ears
Bend your elbows and point them to the side. Instead of holding the back of your head, touch the back of your ear with your fingertips so that you don't overstretch your neck muscles, as you'll be pulling your head forward while doing sit ups.
You can cross your arms in front of your chest or straighten your arms at your sides without touching the floor
Step 3. Get up off the floor and bring your chest to your thighs
Perform this exercise in a controlled, flowing motion while keeping your feet flat on the floor. When lifting your body off the floor, make sure your lower back is also off the floor.
Step 4. Lower your body back to the floor to the starting position
Just like when you wake your body closer to your thighs, move in a fluid, controlled manner until you're back on the floor.
After returning to the original position, do the same movement if you want to continue practicing
Step 5. Do 3 sets of sit ups 10-15 times each
After 1 set, rest for about 1 minute. If you can't do sit ups properly, do it little by little until your body is stronger.
- If 3 sets is still too much, do 2 sets first until you are able to practice more.
- To increase the intensity of your workout, do moves to work your deeper abdominal muscles, such as the dead bug posture or plank posture.
Step 6. Do sit ups 2-3 times a week
To get the best results, don't practice sit-ups every day as muscles develop very rapidly in the recovery period. So you should let your abs rest for a full day before training again.
For example, do sit ups on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Don't work your abs on any other day
Step 7. Combine sit ups with other movements to train your abdominal muscles for maximum results
Exercising the abdominal muscles with a variety of movements is the right way to train the upper and lower abs. In addition, this step provides an opportunity for the body to adapt which is beneficial for muscle growth. If you are used to doing sit ups, do other abdominal muscle exercises, for example:
- Crunch
- Flutter kick (swinging the legs alternately)
- Lifting legs
- Board Posture
Method 2 of 3: Doing Sit Ups with Variations
Step 1. Do sit ups using weights
Lie on your back on the floor bending your knees as if to do a basic sit up. Hold dumbbells or a barbell in front of your chest while crossing your arms. Get up, bring your body closer to your thighs, then lie back down on the floor.
- Start practicing using light weights and then gradually increase the weight until you get used to doing sit ups with weights.
- Make sure both feet stay on the floor.
Step 2. Do sit ups while twisting the waist
Lie on your back on the floor bending your knees and touching your fingers behind your ears. Get up and bring your body close to your thighs while rotating your waist to the right until your left elbow touches your right knee. Lower your body back to the floor and repeat the same movement.
Turn the waist to the left and right alternately
Step 3. Do sit ups in boat posture
Lie on your back on the floor bending your knees and lifting your feet 10-13 cm off the floor. Straighten your arms above your head parallel to the floor. When you're ready, try to touch your knees with your hands while activating your abdominal muscles.
- After your hands touch your knees, lie back on the floor and repeat the same movement.
- Make sure you straighten your arms when they touch your knees.
Method 3 of 3: Avoiding Frequent Mistakes
Step 1. Do not wake your body while pulling your neck forward
When doing sit ups, get rid of the habit of pulling the neck to bring the body closer to the thigh. This can cause neck muscle tension and increase the risk of injury. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your body off the floor while doing sit ups.
Stop exercising if your neck feels tight. Do neck stretches to relieve tension. If the neck is still tense, the neck muscles may still be weak or overstretched
Step 2. Don't drop to the floor after doing sit ups
If you drop your body to the floor when you lie back down, you're wasting the opportunity to work your abs to its full potential. Just like when you move up when you start doing sit ups, lower yourself to the floor slowly in a controlled motion.
If your back hits the floor as you lie on the floor, you may be doing sit ups too fast
Step 3. Don't put weights on your legs while doing sit ups
Although the weight placed on the legs makes the exercise feel lighter, this method does more harm than good. The weight on your legs makes you use more of your hip flexor muscles, causing back pain and muscle tension throughout your body.
