What is the diff between crunches&situps?
Question:
i dont know whether i do situps or crunches. thnx
Answers:
Please read the recommendations below and review these links:
http://www.sixpacknow.com/preview3.html
http://www.bestabs.com/Resources/Exercises/Default.aspx
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html
http://www.prevention.com/topic/0,5768,s1-21-0-1-ABC-0,00.html
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/71/81365.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ripple10.htm
http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/star/alert05222001.jsp
http://www.askmen.com/sports/fitness_top_ten/4_fitness_list.html
http://www.preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_abdominals.html
The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:
*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity minus the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). A website that explains this formula in more detail and will help you determine how many calories you need to reach or maintain a certain weight is at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/calsburned.htm
Get an online, desktop, or cell phone diet and fitness calculator. This will allow you to easily calculate the above formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.
Set realistic goals for your ideal body weight. Here are two websites that will calculate a suggested body weight:
Adults: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Teens/Children: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/exercise/weight/bmi.html
It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than one or two pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week you will lose one pound. If you burn through exercise 500 more calories per day for a week you will lose one pound.
Here are two articles on how to break through a weight loss plateau:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/86/99147.htm
http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/18/102117.htm
*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.
Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html
The following are food pyramids and several articles on what you should eat everyday:
Food Pyramids:
http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d
http://www.mypyramid.gov/
Antioxidant Superstars - Vegetables and Beans:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107638.html
Antioxidant Loaded Fruits:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107640.html
Good Carbs Mean Better Weight:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/100/105783.htm
The Benefits of Protein:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/85/98824.htm
Some Fats Are Good For You:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/49/40075.htm
Antioxidants in Green and Black Tea:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/104/107641.html
What You Should Eat Daily:
http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_201.jhtml
Best Foods to Fight off Disease and Keep You Healthy:
http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_101.jhtml
*3) Perform cardiovascular, core, and/or strength training on most days. Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure you're doing all exercises correctly.
The following is a website and numerous articles on cardiovascular, core, and strength training:
Exercise Prescription on the Net
http://www.exrx.net/
Starting an Exercise Program:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/startexercise.htm
Strength Training Basics:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/trainbasics.htm
Cardiovascular Machine Workouts:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/cardiowork.htm
Balance Your Way to a Stronger Body:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/64/72314.htm
Understanding Your Training Heart Rate:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/thr.htm
Exercise Errors:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/errors.htm
Getting a Flat Stomach:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/71/81365.htm
Weight Lifting - Does Order Matter:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96440.htm
Encouraging Exercise in Your Kids:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103524.htm
Strength Training Safe and Effective for Kids:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/32/1728_81005.htm
*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.
*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com
Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier.
Send me an email or yahoo instant message to "gainbetterhealth" if you have any questions and good luck!
*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Other Answers:
I think crunches are supposed to be more effective because of the isolation factor and maybe you would do less of them but then maybe if you do a combination of both that is best.
Supposedly crunches are better for your back than situps.
Situps are when you are laying flat on the floor on your back, knees can be straight out or bent, hands behind your head/neck or straight out at your sides, and then sit up, lifting the entire trunk of your body up to a 90 degree angle with the floor.
With crunches you start by laying flat on the floor on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, put your hands behind your head/neck, and sit up only until your shoulder blades are off of the floor...then lay back down.
There is more range of motion in a sit-up.
When you do a sit up, you start out flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. You can tuck them under a piece of furniture or have someone hold them if you're a beginner. The best way is to cross your arms on your chest. You can also put them behind your head or straight-arm them over your head (how little kids do it.)
You want to contract your abdomen muscles and bring yourself up to a sitting position. Your feet stay on the floor. If your hands are behind your head, DON'T pull your head. Your head, neck & arms should be doing NO work. Your arms should stay in place. When you are sitting up. lower yourself backward again (just your abs) until your head hits the floor. 1 Rep.
Crunches: same starting position but you don't raise yourself all the way, maybe only 3-4 inches off the floor (to the most difficult spot--if you keep going it will get easier and turn into a situp), then back down. It's more of a pulse.
Crunches are more difficult.
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