Sit-ups and Crunches are two important exercises that are a part of the workout regime if you are aiming for toned abs. Categorized as middle body exercises, both the exercises are a must to perform on your abs day, but when it comes to picking which one is better, the answer cannot be a simplistic choice. Both the exercises work in different ways for the body, and each exercise can turn out to have a different impact on your body. Hence, we bring all the details of sit-ups and crunches, leaving the decision to you.
Sit Ups
They are classic abdominal exercises, performed by lying on your back and lifting your torso. While doing this exercise, individuals use body weight to strengthen and tone the core-stabilizing abdominal muscles. Sit ups promote good posture by making your lower back and gluteal muscles work.
With a comparatively larger range of motion, situps target more muscles than static core exercises and crunches, making them an ideal addition to the fitness program. Your core strength will be improved, hence, it is one of the biggest motivations for doing situps. When your core is strengthened, tightened, and toned, the risk of back pain and injuries also reduces. Sit-ups help in improving muscle strength and endurance in athletes, and along with your posture and flexibility, it also shapes your body to strike balance and stability.
Crunches
Crunches are another classic core exercise that helps you in building a strong core and defining the abdominal muscles, also called ‘abs’. There are a total of 4 types of crunches basic crunches, which target your rectus abdomens, bicycle crunches – this targets your oblique muscles along with rectus abdomens. The other two are reverse crunches and crossover crunches, while the former targets the rectus abdomens, transverse abdomens, and obliques, crossover crunches focus on shaping the rectus abdomens and oblique muscles. A strong core and better posture are two major benefits of performing crunches. It also helps you in burning some calories and reduces lower back pain.
The Verdict
For people who wish to work the abdomen muscles, crunches are a better pick for you as they isolate the core muscles and exercise them. Crunches target the abs specifically, while the sit-ups target a lot of muscles including the neck and hip flexors. As crunches don’t require any additional assistance, and people are less likely to make mistakes while performing them – they are a better exercise for beginners. The risk of facing a spine injury is higher while performing sit-ups, in comparison to crunches. Beginners who wish to have six pack abs, crunches are clearly the popular choice for them.
