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

[Azza]

I do crap loads of cardio (cycling), and it's not shifting the fat off my belly and chest

You're not doing it right then. Need to look at your diet and do other exercise.

 

[Allnamestaken]

You need to get your body fat down to like around 12/10% for muscles to shart really showing any rips and what not.


Your abbz you can tone them but unless you get rid of the fat they wont show like you want them to.

Get to the gym and do cardio and burn your fat and do some weight training to tone you aswell.

Go to the sports forum they can give you a more specific answer and any help for a routine and diet.

 

[Beren]

Fraid they are right, I'm 29 and have been doing martial arts for a couple of years... they are very strong believers in being able to do a couple of hundred sit ups/leg raises/crunches... ocassionally in the same session if they are being really harsh.

I rekon I have a pretty strong set of core muscles, but only have any real definition on the top two of my abs as I havn't given up on beer... Still I'm losing weight slowly at the moment from cycling to work every day as well as 4-6 hours martial arts a week so hopefully will get there eventually.

 

[lucky13]

I do crap loads of cardio (cycling), and it's not shifting the fat off my belly and chest

How much is that as that can easily be differant amounts. Plus an hour cycling won't burn that many calories which can easily be made up by a bad diet.

This should all be moved to the sports section?

 

[Citizen420]

Situps will develop a six pack, as long as you eat correctly aswell (at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of weight to develop muscle).

But you must do cardio work and diet correctly to burn off your current belly fat, people don't realise that building your six pack is only half the battle, the other half is burning off excess fat so that your six pack is visible an looks good.

 

[platypus]

I do crap loads of cardio (cycling), and it's not shifting the fat off my belly and chest

You need to cut, not do lots of cardio. I cycle 30 miles a day, swim and run 6 days a week and don't have a six pack because I like food too much. I have a nice strong core though, and I'm happy with that.

You need to eat quite a significant calorie deficit to get a six pack by lowering your body fat % to a very low number. And cut the beer.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

6 packs are made in the kitchen

 

[willhub]

I'm not that bothered about having abit of fat there, just it does not look that good.

I cycled about 200-300 miles a week and do lots of racing, not really interested in doing other exercising as cycling is my passion. Although if doing a routine of situps, pressups or exercises like those would help aswell as eating abit less I would perhaps do it.

 

[^TANK^]

doing sit ups will make the stomach muscles more prominent but will only show with very low body fat.

 

[willhub]

I need to get rid of man boobs.

 

[^TANK^]

6 packs are made in the kitchen

Six packs are kept in the fridge.

 

[Citizen420]

You need to cut, not do lots of cardio. I cycle 30 miles a day, swim and run 6 days a week and don't have a six pack because I like food too much. I have a nice strong core though, and I'm happy with that.

You need to eat quite a significant calorie deficit to get a six pack by lowering your body fat % to a very low number. And cut the beer.

Not strictly true, you don't have to cut just eat correctly... that's what I did. Just stop eating crap and eat fruit, veg and anything that's low fat/high protein.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Problem is your at home and more likely to raid the fridge.. yes? It's even worse when you have kids..

There are plenty of exercises you can do every day for an hour. A good stretching program, core work on a gym ball and maybe even some lighter dumbbells in combination get the muscles working thereby burning extra calories but this will equate to nothing if your calorie intake is more than you're burning off. A six pack should be off your objective for the time being. Work on a target that's more achievable otherwise you'll just give up before you have started. Stay off the beer and bacon

 

[Glaceon]

Id be happy with a 2 pack and V how dya know if you have too much belly fat? im exactly 9stone (57kg~) and i swear i can pinch like half an inch of fat over my belly when tightened- and it looks really fat/distended after eating

 

[arc@css]

Diet and aerobic activity are more important.

 

[wannabedamned]

Sit ups AND leg raises for a nice six pack. but you need low bodyfat as said about 90 times already

 

[JBuk]

Diet and aerobic activity are more important.

Anaerobic exercise is just as important

 

[platypus]

I just like food too much. Am a greedy bugger.

 

[^TANK^]

Problem is your at home and more likely to raid the fridge.. yes? It's even worse when you have kids..

Don't buy crap to put in the ridge problem sorted.

There are plenty of exercises you can do every day for an hour. A good stretching program, core work on a gym ball and maybe even some lighter dumbbells in combination get the muscles working thereby burning extra calories but this will equate to nothing if your calorie intake is more than you're burning off. Stay off the beer and bacon

I love my exercise ball best thing I ever bought, I use it pretty much every day. Absolutely **** loads of exercises you can do with it.

 

[Nexus]

As others have said...

The situps will certainly help build the muscle, but you will never see it if you don't do cardio exercise to lower you body fat.

I also read in a fitness magazine once that if you don't have six-pack by the age you are 26, the chances of getting one are severely no longer in your favor. You can certainly trim down a lot of weight though.