Want Six Pack Abs? Ignore The Critics And Do This Exercise

The sit-up has been ostracized by fitness professionals for some time now. These "experts" claim that sit-ups and their variations are dangerous to your spine. Was this opinion formed after millions of six pack abs hopefuls damaged their backs from performing sit-ups? The answer to this question is clearly no, so where did this opinion come from?

Trainers started chanting, "Sit-Ups are hazardous to your health" after clinging on to some studies findings. These studies have shown that sit-ups do stress the spine more than crunches do. Alright, I don't disagree with these particular findings. I also agree that biking uphill stresses the body more than biking downhill. Does this mean we should never pedal our bicycles up a hill? Of course not. What many "experts" missed here was the fact that all exercises stress the body. This stress is what persuades our body to get stronger from exercise.

Let's investigate the sit up a little further. The reason why the critics say sit-ups stress the spine more than crunches is because of the involvement of the hip flexors during sit ups. They state that this hip flexor activation leads to a compressive force in the spine, and therefore, should be avoided. Is this a gross overreaction, or do they have a point?

Well considering that athletes and fitness enthusiasts have been performing sit ups safely for decades, it should be glaringly obvious that this "fear" is unsubstantiated in the real world. In fact, after being in the fitness industry for over 16 years, I can say with confidence that I have NEVER seen a single back injury result from a set of sit ups.

I still hear many trainers say to me, "Ok, I'm convinced that sit-ups are not so dangerous now, but since crunches work the abs just as well, why even bother with sit-ups? Let's see why they feel this way and why they can miss out on some advantages of sit-up variations.

The truth is that the abs are only responsible for the beginning portion of the movement during a sit-up. Once you are in the finished "crunch" position, the hip flexors take over to finish the top portion of the sit-up. It should be noted that although the hip flexors provide the movement in the top range, the abs are still contracting hard. This contraction prevents your back from arching and contributes to the overall ab workout.

Another great "side effect" of the sit up is the caloric deficit that it creates. The sit up requires you to move through a large range of motion and incorporates the hip flexors as well as the abdominal musculature. Thus, a sit up burns a significantly greater number of calories than a crunch. If you want six pack abs, burning calories and losing body fat are of the utmost importance.

There are two requirements you must meet prior to performing sit-ups. Firstly, you must have a base of abdominal strength and coordination. Secondly, you should have no chronic and/or serious back conditions. If you meet the requirements and use correct exercise technique, you will not be at any risk by adding sit-up movements to your training routines.

Article Source: http://www.articles.com.mx

John Alvino is a industry famous professional fitness expert.For over 16 years John has been considered to be one of the most innovative weight loss and abdominal experts in the industry.Click here to learn how to lose fat and how to get six pack abs

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