Sit-up (exercise)

The sit-up is a strength training exercise commonly performed with the aim of strengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. It begins with lying with the back on the floor, typically with the arms across the chest or behind the head and the knees bent in an attempt to reduce stress on the back muscles and spine, and then elevating both the upper and lower vertebrae from the floor until everything superior to the buttocks is not touching the ground. Situps can be dangerous due to high compressive lumbar load^[1] and may be replaced with the crunch in exercise programs^[2].

Contents 1 Abdominal muscular hypertrophy 2 Gallery 3 See also 4 References

Abdominal muscular hypertrophy

Strength exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups do not cause the spot reduction of fat. Gaining a 'six pack' requires both abdominal muscle hypertrophy training and fat loss over the abdomen—which can only be done by losing fat from the body as a whole.^[3]

Gallery

Crew member demonstrates the proper Navy sit-up during a SEAL Fitness Challenge at the Birmingham YMCA

Aviation Ordnanceman competes in the sit-up phase of the Search and Rescue competition during Surface Line Week

See also

• Crunch - a safer alternative

References

v • d • e Strength training exercises Quadriceps (front of legs) Squat (c) · Leg press (c) · Lunge (c) · Leg raise (c) · Leg extension (i) Hamstrings (back of legs) Deadlift (c) · Leg curl (i) Calves Calf raise (i) Pectorals (chest) Bench press (c) · Fly (i) · Machine fly (i) · Press-up/Push-up (c) Lats and trapezius (upper back) Bent-over row (c) · Chin-up (c) · Pulldown (c) · Pullup (c) · Shoulder shrug (i) Deltoids (shoulders) Front raise (i) · Handstand push-up (c) · Lateral raise (i) · Military press (c) · Shoulder press (c) · Upright row (c) · Rear delt raise (i) Triceps (back of arms) Dip (c) · Pushdown (i) · Triceps extension (i) Biceps (front of arms) Biceps curl (i) Abdomen and obliques (belly) Crunch (i) · Sit-up (i) · Leg raise (c) · (any rotational movement will engage the obliques) Lower back Back extension (i) · Deadlift (c) · Good-morning (c) · Hyperextension (c) See also: Bodyweight exercise · Weight training (List of exercises)  · Bodybuilding  · Gym Legend: (c) - compound exercise, (i) - isolated exercise