Sit-ups vs. Crunches

[Brian R. VanCise]

Personally, I've found that crunches are great for the abs... alone.

Situps hit the abs, the hip flexors and more. I haven't found anything that hits all of it like the situp. In fact, if you're doing PT tests that include situps, you NEED to do situps to prepare. I learned this the hard way. Despite doing multiple sets of 50 crunches, multiple sets of leg raises and other ab exercises -- I was shocked to barely get 30 situps in a minute on a test once several years ago! (Muscle specificity rules...)

jks9199 you seem to have hit it right on the money and I agree with you based on my experience. One thing that has been proven for sure is that if you want to do well at a specific exercise or drill that you need to practice it. Look at the professional athletes of the NBA or NFL and how they go to a camp or combine. Now a days almost all of them work with a trainer who specifically targets the drills or exercises that they need to perform to boost their scores.

 

[MingTheMerciless]

Good if you want to gain STRONGER abs but Isolation exercise ain't gonna help when you when to remove the layer of fats on the abs . High Protein , Low Carb and Fats Diet + Cardiovascular exercise + Resistance Training ( WHOLE BODY !!!! ) will reveal your six pack

 

[benj13bowlin]

I was also curious about the whole sit-up vs crunch controversy. I did sit-ups almost every day while I was in the Army. I am kind of a fitness nut, I loved to max the pt test. We also did crunches, leg lifts, and probably 20 other exercises designed to work abs, hip flexors, oblique’s, and lower back. I never had any problems with my back or neck from doing any of them. I have always thought the crunch was considered to be better for the abs because it isolates the abs, but the military uses the sit-up for physical fitness tests because it uses several muscle groups. Just like they use the pushup to gauge overall upper body strength and endurance instead of doing just triceps extensions. By the way, what is the Roman Chair Workout?

 

[Lynne]

It's typical for us to do 200 crunches during a warmup. Sometimes we may do 150 leg raises (ouchhhh) too. We may do 200 more crunches throughout class. I can do crunches until the cows come home.

But when we get to partner situps, gee, it's hard! Sometimes, we may only do 20. Other times, we may do a 100 or more (especially if we are waiting for a pair to finish a drill).

There are times, I can hardly eek out 10 partner situps, especially if we've done leg raises. And I don't like how much hip joints go "ca-runch, ca-runch." But I'm going to start doing sit-ups so I can do them in class without struggling!