Sits Ups

January Foodbank Challenge – Basic form and modifications for Sit-ups

SIT-UPS – Muscles Trained – All the abs, pelvic floors, and hip flexors

BENEFITS OF SIT-UPS
The Sit-up is a ‘Flexion’ movement essential for a number of sports but in particular long-distance running. As well as building the core strength muscles for supporting a good running form, it also helps strengthen pelvic floor muscles for us of a certain age… cough 😊

BASIC MOVE
1 – Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and your knees bent with the tips of you fingers either side of your head, or hold in front of you. Keep your neck relaxed (imagine a tennis ball tucked under your chin)
2 – Engage core, and raise your torso up so that you leave only your bum and feet on the floor.
3 – Pause at the top of the move, with core still engaged slowly lower your upper body back to the start

MODIFICATIONS – making it easier or harder (or doing a mixture of some of them)
1 – Pop your feet under the sofa or bed, to hold your feet down. This will help you to engage your core and protect your back.
2 – Don’t lift your upper body all the way up, engage your core and lift head and upper back only.
3 – Standing crunches – stand straight with your shoulders relaxed, place finger-tips on either side of your head. Raise one knee high and while breathing out fold or ‘crunch’ your upper body down. Repeat with your other leg. You should feel the move in your stomach muscles, its literally a sit-up but standing up.
4 – Toe touches – lay on your back, core engaged feet straight up in the air with your legs at a 90 degree angle to your body. With your arms straight and your core engaged, and legs still reach forward towards your toes as if you were trying to touch them. You won’t reach but you get the idea.
5 – Increase the number of sit-ups
6 – Hold a flat weight on your chest as you raise up
7 – Sit-up on an exercise ball