Often when I see people doing sit ups, they have someone or something holding their legs down. I'm trying to get in shape and plan to start doing sit-ups every day, but how much would it affect the workout if I didn't have someone holding my feet down and they occasionally came off the ground.
Also, what would be the best time of day to do such a workout?
2007-08-26 08:53:13 · 5 answers · asked by sk4mel3on 2 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
Holding your legs down is to concentrate on the rectus abdominus while stabilizing your latisimus (back muscles). Recently most people have their feet pinned in order to gain speed and not loos control over their curls…
Shall you force your helpers hands pinning your feet down you are still working out against it. Sort of like forcing yourself to lift an impossible table but working your muscles still to try lifting it. You would still have a work-out even without the effects of seeing the table lifted up.
Thus you wouldn’t feel a great difference in results other than the amount you would be able to force yourself to doing per minute shall you have your feet not held down.
A way I find better is to actually lift your legs as well as your upper body. Just make sure that you try to have it in a repeated pattern rather than a chaotic lift in each effort. It improves flexibility and works your body much more efficiently as you improve on it.
As for “When”:
There is a rule of thumb… “If you want to loose weight exercise after you have eaten. If you want to build muscle, exercise before you have eaten”.
Through this try to arrange an hour to when you feel psychologically fit to try a work out.
2007-08-26 09:06:26 · answer #1 · answered by blackdidthis 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good variation on the traditional situp is a crunch, which can be done without anyone else. It's also easier on your neck and back and just as effective in working abdominal muscles...
a crunch is where you lay on your back as though you were going to do a situp but then lift your feet off the ground and do a start a situp until your elbows hit your knees
I would recommend doing crunches a couple times during the day (ie, when you wake up, once or twice during the day, before you go to sleep...)
2007-08-26 16:01:34 · answer #2 · answered by Bmac986 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try putting your legs in the air and bend your knees so your body makes a sideways h shape and do your crunches like that. you can do those crunches with heavy dumbells keeping your feet on the ground also. another good ab exercise are V-ups. to see how to do a V-up check out the website below. it doesnt matter if you dont have partner as long as you do a lot of sit-ups and you do then correctly. do sittups in the morning or even when a commercial comes on when you are watching tv
2007-08-26 16:00:22 · answer #3 · answered by will 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just lay on the floor and bend your knee,s with your feet flat on the floor. Put your hand,s behind your head and keeping your elbow,s straight out. Now try to touch your elbow,s to your knees (right to left left to right). Or hook your feet under the couch or chair. The time of day dose not really matter. But you will do more if you are fresh . So first thing in the morning is good.Be sure to stretch first so you don't hurt yourself.
2007-08-26 16:35:50 · answer #4 · answered by revtobadblack 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You shouldn't do them if you aren't already in shape. You can get hurt.
2007-08-26 15:58:08 · answer #5 · answered by mattgo64 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋