Do sit-ups actually get you a six-pack?

Edrof

Edrof

Edrof

Soldato
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Posts
16,034
Location
UK
Having hit 30 recently I've noticed that I'm starting to gain a little belly!

I could do with losing a few pounds anyway, so I was thinking about exercises I could do to tone up the abdomen while on the floor with the baba (I'm a stay at home dad).

Is it worth me doing situps or stomach crunches or are their toning powers urban myths?

(I can't do anything that strenuous (like gyms) as I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.)
 
I'm no genius when it comes to weight loss and exercise, but I think you will need to lose your belly via some cardio work, and then start abs training to get a six pack. It is very hard to get a six pack though! The top 2 come up quite easily, and the next 2 with some more hard work, but the bottom 2 will take a LOT of work!

Mal :)
 
I am by no means an expert and if you want expert opinions I would recommend the sports forum, sit ups will give you more muscle down there but I heard along with that actually just sitting there flexing your stomach muscles can help too, of course you're not going to get a six pack ever if you have a beer belly, you need to have a full workout really to get rid of that flab properly.
 
They help but other exercise would be required such as cardio to loose the excess fat, im sure the peeps in the sports area will know more. :)
 
Sit ups do build your abs but they wont remove any fat. So if you've got a bit of a belly then you'd be better doing some cardio to burn fat.
 
Agreed, I work out every other day and have done for years. Having great muscles is great but if they are under a layer of fat your never going to see them. I tend to keep myself fairly lean as I like the "bruce lee" look

Best thing is to loose the weight AND exercise.
 
The belly is fat not relaxed muscle :p

Any exercise you do will help burn calories and lose the fat but if you can't exercise much it's going to be almost all about diet (it's usually mostly about diet anyway, but more so in your case).
 
Over Clocker said:
I'm no genius when it comes to weight loss and exercise, but I think you will need to lose your belly via some cardio work, and then start abs training to get a six pack. It is very hard to get a six pack though! The top 2 come up quite easily, and the next 2 with some more hard work, but the bottom 2 will take a LOT of work!

Mal :)
Click to expand...

This.

Some light cardio work to get you started, jogging, exercise bikes or even walking, depends on how quick you want to lose that gut ;).
 
In short: No.

Lowering bodyfat will make your muscles more visible, this can be done by creating a calorie deficit by dieting/working out (cardio/weights)
 
Even if you have a low bodyfat, forget about the situps. Compound exercises such as deadlifts and squats will get you a far stronger core and work them far harder along with exercises like hanging leg raises.
 
The Craig said:
In short: No.

Lowering bodyfat will make your muscles more visible, this can be done by creating a calorie deficit by dieting/working out (cardio/weights)
Click to expand...

Exactly what i was going to type. :p

Just look at your diet and see if you can add in some high intesity interval training (google HIIT)
 
Awesome, thanks guys!

I've been looking for a diet recently so I'll cut out the stip ups and start whittling myself down a bit. I'd rather do taht anyway, so it's good news!

Thanks again.
 
I don't have much body "fat" so doing situps a while back for a few months did bring out a pack but because I didn't have extra muscle around my abs it looked a bit odd :p Needs to be a full workout, not just situps to develop everything else too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom