cutenbrat
06-07-2002, 04:31 PM
which is better and which burns more calories?
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joethejoe
06-07-2002, 04:43 PM
Crunches use mainly the abs so they are better for toning. Sit ups use more muscles and tend to focus less on abs. So if your doing an ab work out go for crunches
Brandi04
06-07-2002, 06:52 PM
I do crunches, I can feel the effects of them more than I can situps. Situps cause too much strain on my back and neck.
H8CC
06-08-2002, 12:14 AM
sit ups work more of your abs than crunches...IMO, wighted situps are much better than crunches, you go through a greater range of motion.
H8CC
H8CC
cutenbrat
06-10-2002, 05:09 PM
which burns more calories?
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"The future is not only tomorrow, but the next second that comes, and anything can happen in a second." Penny
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"The future is not only tomorrow, but the next second that comes, and anything can happen in a second." Penny
ScottGee
06-10-2002, 08:29 PM
Don't mean to pry but why are you concerned with the calories burned by a situp versus a crunch?
Technically speaking, although they are very close... full situps would win hands down because you are involving more muscle groups (abs, hip flexors, obliques and some quads,obliques and the iliopsoas if you force your hips out when you do them in order to get yourself up!)
However, your time would better spent doing some cardio or weight training to burn calories. then you could concentrate on proper form while doing less but more intense ab work.
Technically speaking, although they are very close... full situps would win hands down because you are involving more muscle groups (abs, hip flexors, obliques and some quads,obliques and the iliopsoas if you force your hips out when you do them in order to get yourself up!)
However, your time would better spent doing some cardio or weight training to burn calories. then you could concentrate on proper form while doing less but more intense ab work.
cali99boy
06-20-2002, 12:50 AM
I agree with Scott. In the amount of time you spend during situps or crunches for burning calories, you could have done a more aerobic type excercise and burn way more(Running, Jogging, Jump Roping)
C.J.W. Fit
06-21-2002, 02:12 PM
Crunches. When you do situps you are using mainly hip flexor muscles. You do use abs, but only for about the first 20-30 degrees of the movement. The best way to isolate your abs is to eliminate your hip flexor muscles as much as possible and you can do this by doing crunches either laying on the ground with your legs unanchored or by placing them over a bench. The important thing is to ELIMINATE the use of the hip flexor muscles.
As for burning calories, aerobic activity done for a sustained period of time is the way to go, usually in the neighborhood of 20-30 minutes.
As for burning calories, aerobic activity done for a sustained period of time is the way to go, usually in the neighborhood of 20-30 minutes.
ScottGee
06-21-2002, 02:26 PM
Assuming that C.J.W. Fit is answering your first question about which is better (for best ab work) I would have to agree.
When doing a sit up you are mainly doing an isometric contraction which is nearly useless for building quality muscle ouner most conditions. The fact that this isometric contraction takes place and the angle that the contraction takes place in is constantly changing, this helps in making it a little more effective. But this is not the best type of contraction for building stronger muscles generally speaking.
When doing a sit up you are mainly doing an isometric contraction which is nearly useless for building quality muscle ouner most conditions. The fact that this isometric contraction takes place and the angle that the contraction takes place in is constantly changing, this helps in making it a little more effective. But this is not the best type of contraction for building stronger muscles generally speaking.
C.J.W. Fit
06-21-2002, 04:08 PM
The other important thing to realize is that spot reduction does not work. To shape your abs, proper form utilizing the correct exercise and dieting, used in combination should do the trick. In general if one wants to trim their abs down, you will tone and shape other areas along with the abs.