How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do a Day

Now just hold that position for a while. It’s not too hard to start with, but as time goes on your core muscles will have to work harder to keep you in that straight line position. The longer you go, the harder it gets. It’s usually best to start holding it for a shorter length of time but do the exercise more often.

How Many Sit-Ups A Day To Lose Belly Fat 2024?

If you were to ask someone to name three exercises, it’s a good bet two of them would be sit-ups and push-ups. They’re two simple, effective, and basic exercises that we all learned in gym class. Sit-ups tend to stay popular as we grow older, as they work your core and can help tone your abs.

The real reason they stay popular, however, maybe that it seems like they should trim off abdominal fat. Sit-ups work the abdominal muscles after all, right? In fact, while sit-ups are great exercises, achieving a low body fat percentage is a little more complicated.

How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do A Day To Lose Belly Fat?

There is really just one simple answer to this: none. Resistance training exercises like sit-ups focus on building your core strength and are not an effective way to burn fat. When performing sit-ups, you’re working on relatively small muscle groups. In absolute terms, you’re not using much energy, even if you’re exerting yourself and breaking a sweat.

Therefore, if burning belly fat is your goal, you should consider exercises that are more energy-intensive such as cardiovascular workouts.

How Many Sit-Ups A Day To Lose Weight And Belly Fat?

The answer to this is pretty straightforward: none. Exercises like sit-ups are a variety of exercises called resistance training, [1] more or less the same thing as strength training. Sit-ups use your body weight to provide resistance, building strength in your core muscles. Resistance training is not really an effective way to burn fat, however.

The muscle groups you’re working on while performing sit-ups are relatively small. Even if you’re working hard and breaking a sweat, you’re not burning much energy in absolute terms. The same could be said for most other targeted exercises, like bicep curls.

If you want to shed belly fat, you need to look at cardiovascular workouts, exercises that get your heart pumping and lungs working. Cardiovascular exercises are more energy-intensive because they engage more muscle groups and will therefore burn calories faster. That’s the key to burning fat: using multiple muscle groups at high intensity.

That’s not the same thing as saying sit-ups are pointless or that they won’t help you achieve a flat stomach. Strengthening the core muscles is never really a bad idea. Increasing muscle tone in that area can also make your belly tighter and less round. Sit-ups can help you achieve both of those goals.

Anatomy Of A Sit-Up

Sit-Up Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

A sit-up is popular because it is pretty simple. There is a whole range of variations on the sit-up, but the basic version is straightforward. To perform sit-ups:

Lay on your back.
Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.
Put your hands up loosely next to your ears or cross on your chest.
Engage your core muscles to lift your upper body up, keeping your back straight.

That last part is what distinguishes sit-ups from crunches by the way. Both have you lying face up and knees bent. A sit-up involves lifting your shoulders and back up, while the crunch just requires you to lift your shoulders and head.

The two exercises work different sets of muscles. A crunch will engage your rectus abdominis, your abs, almost exclusively. A sit-up, on the other hand, will engage several different muscle groups. Those include:

External obliques
Internal obliques
Transverse abdominis
Hip flexors

Sit-ups engage more muscle groups, so they burn slightly more calories. Engaging more muscle groups with one exercise can also make your workout more efficient. Both can be useful for toning and strengthening your core. While sit-ups burn more calories, they do have some disadvantages.

In fact, many fitness coaches prefer crunches in a workout routine. Sit-ups put more pressure on your lower back, causing strain. It’s also usually pretty difficult for beginners to maintain good form. As a result, other core exercises that are less likely to cause pain can be substituted.

Alternative Core Exercises To Sit-Ups

Since the core muscle groups are important in so many ways, a lot of different core exercises have been designed to work them. It’s very easy to find effective alternatives to sit-ups that are less likely to strain your back.

The Plank

Plank Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

The plank is a deceptively simple exercise. Despite being a simple, static position, it has a reputation as a great, if tough, part of your workout.

It’s similar to a push-up. However, instead of resting on your palms, you prop yourself up on your elbows, keeping them underneath your shoulders. Your back and legs should form a straight line, higher at the shoulders than the feet.

The Reverse Crunch

Reverse Crunch Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

You reverse a crunch by moving your legs instead of your chest. To perform a reverse crunch:

Lay on your back.
Raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the ground.
Bend your knees so your calves are parallel to the ground.
Engage your core muscles to pull your hips up, bringing your knees to your chest.

It’s called a crunch, but it really works many of the same muscle groups as a sit-up. Your legs weigh less than your torso, so you’re less likely to strain yourself. However, a lower weight also means you’ll need more repetitions.

What Exercises Flatten Your Belly?

We’ve burst one fitness bubble already, that sit-ups can reduce belly fat. We’re about to pop another one: there is no truly effective way to trim fat from a specific body part. Your body draws the fat it burns more or less evenly from across the body. In order to lose belly fat, you have to lose excess body fat generally.

Any sort of activity may burn fat. Though we just got through saying that sit-ups won’t burn belly fat, it’s true that sit-ups burn calories. However, some types of exercise burn calories much faster in a shorter period of time.

To lose weight, an exercise routine has to be paired with a healthy diet. You need to run a calorie deficit, taking in fewer calories than you burn. It’s very difficult to achieve weight loss through a balanced diet alone, however. Instead of counting each calorie, burn as many as you can with exercise.

Cardiovascular Exercises

Running is a good cardio exercise to raise the heart rate and respiration rate. Photo: Freepik

Different exercises focus on different areas of the body. For example, sit-ups focus on the abs. Push-ups work the chest and arms. In the same way, cardiovascular exercises focus on improving the endurance and strength of the cardiovascular system, including the heart and lungs.

These are generally the same sort of things as aerobic exercise. The goal is to raise the heart rate and respiration rate. Even small amounts of cardio can be beneficial, as long as the heart rate is raised. Some examples of good cardio exercises include:

Running
Jogging or walking
Swimming
Biking

Some might better fit your needs. For example, swimming is often low-impact and can be good for people with joint problems. Biking is also generally easier on the joints.

It can also be helpful to think of it as an activity, rather than exercise. Dancing will definitely help you burn calories, for example. Playing basketball or baseball with your buddies may be more fun than doing laps at the pool.

Compound Exercises

It is possible to combine strength training and fat burning. As we mentioned, using more muscle groups at once can also be a good way to burn calories. Compound exercises are movements that engage multiple muscle groups and use multiple joints. Examples of compound exercises include squats, jumping jacks, and lunges.

There are many different types of compound exercises. With these, you may not burn body fat as quickly as you would doing a cardiovascular exercise. You may also not build strength as much as you would with an isolation exercise, focusing on a single muscle group. But you’ll do both faster than you would be doing each separately.

There are many different compound exercises, including:

Push-ups
Bench presses
Lunges
Kettlebell swings
Pull-ups
Deadlifts

Some of those require equipment. There are also methods that use compound movements without any equipment. Bodyweight exercises, which use the weight of your body to add resistance, are an example. Another example is the ‘animal’ or ‘primal’ movement exercise programs.

Reach Your Fitness Goals

Any one type of exercise is not enough for whole-body fitness. Workouts are usually designed to focus on a few specific areas or a particular type of fitness. While many people may focus on one area of the body, to truly be fit requires exercising your whole body. To put together a personal exercise program, you’ll need to:

Identify your goals
Select exercises that focus on meeting those goals
Create a schedule that includes time for recovery
Follow through
Re-evaluate and repeat

Recovery is a key aspect and can’t be skipped. Most muscle is actually built during the recovery period, so skipping it just means robbing yourself of some gains.

Some people have found that supplements can help lose weight or build muscle. Even using supplements can affect your weight. It’s important to be careful, however, as there can be serious side effects.

Otherwise, the most important part is to keep yourself motivated at each step. Many people use some sort of reward system, treating themselves to a day at the spa or a new power tool when they hit certain goals. It may seem silly, but all that really matters is that it works.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

Health (2022). Resistance training – health benefits. [online] Vic.gov.au. Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/resistance-training-health-benefits.

About the Author

Sean Newton, BS Health and Fitness Writer

How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do a Day?

How many sit-ups should you do a day? Read on for the answer to this and other questions about the effectiveness of sit-ups and the proper method for doing them.

Sit-ups are great for your abs, and they don’t require special equipment or gym membership. Other core exercises work, too, from crunches to bridges. If you’re wondering how many sit-ups you should do a day, the answer is the same for all: about 10 to 12 reps in three sets.

Sit-ups are workout classics, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows how to do them correctly. This handy guide covers frequently asked questions about sit-ups, crunches and other core exercises, including how many sit-ups you should do a day.

How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do a Day To Build Abs?

If you’re working toward a six-pack, targeting your core is the way to go. Sit-ups can give you firmer abs, toning your stomach and making you sweat.

Beginners should start with two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions . How many sit-ups a day should you work up to?

Once you’ve strengthened your lower back, you may be able to handle 15 to 25 repetitions for each set. Just be careful not to push yourself too hard.

Are Sit-Ups Better Than Crunches?

Many fitness enthusiasts actually prefer crunches to sit-ups. A crunch is when you keep your lower back on the floor and only lift your head and shoulders. This exercise tenses your core muscles too, but it’s less likely to strain your back. Start with three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

The truth is that you have many core exercises to choose from, including:

Glute bridges
Abdominal presses
Bicycle (elbow-to-knee) crunches
Planks and side planks
Mountain climbers

When you follow a variety of exercises for your abs, you give other muscles a workout, too. For example, planks help your hamstrings and glutes. Aim for three sets of 30 to 60 seconds each.

How Fast Should I Do Sit-Ups?

Don’t be surprised if you ask friends how many sit-ups you should do a day, and they tell you a crazy number, such as 100 or 200. Those are Hollywood numbers. Movies like to show the hero flying through sit-ups lightning fast.

In real life, slow and steady gives you better results. Taking your time and holding your position for a few seconds makes your core work harder.

Another reason to slow down is that you have to do sit-ups carefully to avoid hurting your back. The lower back should stay straight the whole time. Moving quickly can curve your back and cause strained muscles.

What Is the Right Way To Do Sit-Ups?

With sit-ups, you may need to practice a bit to get the form down correctly. Here’s what to do:

Place a mat on the floor and lie down with your muscles relaxed.
Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor so your legs look like the letter A.
Bring your hands up beside your head, wrapping your fingers behind your ears.
Tense your abs (while exhaling) and slowly lift your upper body toward your knees.
Inhaling, gently lower your torso back to the floor.

You’re not “cheating” if you put your feet under something heavy to stabilize your lower body either. This method is a smart way to do sit-ups without hurting yourself.

How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do a Day To Burn Belly Fat?

No exercise specifically targets belly fat. A consistent routine of aerobic exercises can help you lose weight, however ZOZOFIT’s technology will motivate you by showing your progress in real-time. You can even try the ZOZOFIT app first for 7-days free with a one-month or three-month subscription to see your progress in ral time.

How many sit-ups should you do a day? Read on for the answer to this and other questions about the effectiveness of sit-ups and the proper method for doing them.

How Many Situps Should I Do A Day

How Many Sit-Ups Should I Do a Day

How Many Sit-Ups A Day To Lose Belly Fat 2024?

How Many Sit-Ups A Day To Lose Weight And Belly Fat?

Anatomy Of A Sit-Up