2013 Official Chaz Weight Loss Challenge

[Beanie]

Originally Posted by sparks19

The sit ups were easy at first but now that I am up to 25 full sit ups (all the way up and all the way down. Not crunches) OY VEY lol

Psst... a crunch is actually better for you.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker10.htm

A crunch is easier to do entirely focusing on your abs and leave your back out of it; the sit up is easier to bring your back muscles into and not get much out of the abs, and if you do it incorrectly will put a lot of strain on back muscles - and actually, there's some research lately that the bend to your spine when you're in the top "sit up" position is bad for you.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/48...for-the-spine/

You could read the research articles by McGill on spinal flexion but you will probably find a lot of stuff by people who misunderstand what he has to say. ALL spinal flexion is not bad... poor form is bad.


Don't get me wrong, I do crunches too so I don't have a problem with them (I definitely think that a sit up is inferior to a crunch.) But if you want the BEST bang for your workout, planks are the far superior ab exercise... unless you're deadlifting. ;>