Sit ups are one of the exercises that we all know how to do, although we may not all be able to do them.
It is a great work out for your core, helping to strengthen, tone and develop a sexy looking 6-pac. Sit ups also promote good posture, improve stability and balance, so it’s no wonder this exercise is on everyone’s to do list while at the gym.
But did you know there is a right and a wrong way to sit up?
If we can’t get all the way up, a lot of us generally tend to try and anchor our feet be it with a heavy weight or getting another person to hold our feet. If you are doing sit ups like this, you need to stop.
Having your feet anchored reduces the effectiveness of the movement, because you are engaging your hip muscles to help pull yourself up as apposed to focussing on your abdominals to do the work.
Having your feet anchored also causes you to arch your back which will inevitably strain your lower back, causing a whole set of other problems.
So make sure you refrain from anchoring your feet next time you try to sit up.
If you are unable to get a full sit up completed try these two alternatives to help build your way up to the full movement.
1. Use an incline board. This will reduce the strain on your upper body and makes the movement easier.
2. Use an exercise ball. This will help you to also reduce strain while maintaining proper form.
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