ARE SIT UPS A WASTE OF TIME?

ARE SIT UPS REALLY A WASTE OF TIME?

I’ve been hearing something going around lately that’s really getting to me.

“SIT UPS ARE A WASTE OF TIME!”…really?!

At first I thought to myself, “Yeah, I see how they can be a waste of time.” BUT the more I thought about it the more I started thinking, “WAIT A MINUTE…that’s some Bull Sh$@ I simply cannot support and/or agree with.”

You see, like all things in life, it’s not that simple…and it completely depends.

WHEN ARE SIT UPS A WASTE OF TIME

Let’s say you are just starting to workout and that you need to lose more than 75 pounds, well then, sit ups would be a waste of your time.

SIT UPS ARE A WASTE OF TIME WHEN…

Sit ups for anyone trying to lose more than 30 pounds and/or are over 23% body fat for men and about 30% fat for women, is simply a waste of time IF and only IF they can replace a 15-minute ab routine with a good high-intensity cardio routine.

The reason is simple; a 15-minute ab routine never burns as many calories as a higher intensity cardio routine. So, if you’ve only got time for abs or to run, ALWAYS RUN…hard!

Now, that being said, note exactly what was just said – “IF you only have time for EITHER an ab routine or a run.”

So, if you have time for both, a nice cardio routine and an ab routine, THEN DO BOTH!

I can’t stress this important point enough to the people I hear tell me, “Well, I heard sit ups are a waste of time because abs is all about cardio and diet….and genetics”

The truth of the matter is that getting those side obliques and lower abs is all about what we put in our mouths and how many calories we burn…AND AS FOR THE GENETICS EXCUSE – DON’T GET ME STARTED…another post for another time!

BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO SIT UPS!

WHY SIT UPS ARE NOT A WASTE OF TIME!

A WEAK CORE = AN OVERALL WEAKER YOU

First and foremost, most of the people working out across America do your typical-run-of-the-mill circuit training and or weight lifting, and that’s all fine and dandy BUT it’s not really working out the core…so for most of these people an ab routine 3 days a week is CRUCIAL!

If your workout routine already involves a lot of core-engaging exercises then you most likely DO NOT need to make room for an ab routine…especially if it comes in the way of a cardio routine that will burn more calories.

BUT, if the only core workout you do during the week is your ab routine, then you better try to fit it in ON TOP of your cardio routine…for those of us trying to lose weight that is.

ONCE THE WEIGHT COMES OFF YOU WANT TO SEE THE ABS…NO?

So, as mentioned above, if your workout program does not include solid core engagement, then sit ups are pretty important,

BUT A STRONG CORE IS NOT THE ONLY REASON TO DO SIT UPS!

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people get discouraged because they’ve “Been dieting and working out for weeks and still can’t see (their) abs.” Well my friends, I hate to break it to you but if you’re not doing sit ups because they are “a waste of time” and your workout regime doesn’t include core development, then chances are you’ll have no abs to show. I mean, yeah, you’ll have abs…we all have abs…but we won’t really get to see them…you know what I mean.

DON’T BE THAT GUY OR GAL

So, simply put – don’t be that guy or gal!

Make sure that as you start losing the weight you really start working in time for those sit ups because nothing is more disheartening then working your tail off for results and seeing none!

WHEN TO START DOING SIT UPS IF YOU AREN’T ALREADY DOING SO?

SO, WHEN SHOULD YOU START DOING ABS?

First and foremost, it’ll be different for everyone.

First of all – everyone’s body build and genetics are different. Second, body fat percentage is not an exact science unless you’re submerged in water in a facility about exact science. And thirdly, “X” percent body fat does not look the same from individual to individual (in other words, man “A” at 10 percent body fat might look different then man “B” at 10 percent body fat and both men at 10 percent body fat WILL look much different than any woman at that same percent body fat).

“So, you don’t know when I should start doing abs?”

Nope – I DO know…and I’ll do better than just telling you – I’ll show you!

START DOING SIT UPS WHEN…

No matter what your fat percentage or weight may be, I’d suggest starting to make time for a good 15-minute ab routine just 3 times a week the day you start looking something like this.

WHEN SHOULD MEN START DOING SIT UPS?

WHEN SHOULD WOMEN START DOING SIT UPS?

FINALLY, WHEN SHOULD YOU START DOING CORE WORK…

So, now that you know when you should start adding a minimum of Three 15-minute ab routines per week, when should you start strengthening your core?

Well, this one is easy! Go to a mirror, and look into it…