I often see this huge debate on whether sit-ups or crunches are better. To me, it just depends. But first, lets take a look at why someone might prefer one or another.
Sit-Ups
Why do some people think that sit-ups aren't a good exercise? Well the sit-up goes beyond the range of motion of the abs, using the hips flexors to lift you up into a seated position. Because of that, some say it isn't a good exercise because it uses a lot of hip flexors and because once in the seated position the abs are relaxed. But if you think about it, you use your hip flexors a lot, in pretty much any sport, especially soccer and martial arts where you need to kick. So a sit-up might not be such a good abs exercise, but it Joseph Pilates History be a good core exercise.
They also say that because the hip flexors pull on the spine in the opposite direction of the abs, it creates a big amount of torsion on the spinal disks, leading to eventual chronic back pain. This is true, if your lower abs aren't functioning properly. When your lower abs are functional, they will oppose the force of the hip flexors and keep your spine in a comfortable position. So a sit-up is safe as long as your lower abs function correctly.
Crunches
Why do some people think that a crunch isn't a good exercise? Well some argue that a crunch doesn't work the abs through their full range of motion. This is true in part, because the abs can go a lot further back into extension; so a crunch on a ball would work your abs through a full range of motion. But a sit-up does not work your abs through a full range of motion. The only motion it gets more than in a crunch is motion at the hip with the hip flexors. So people who use this argument to say that a sit-up is better than a crunch probably have very limited knowledge in anatomy and biomechanics.
The Winner of the Ultimate Battle
The winner of the battle, as I said earlier, it depends. It depends what your level of conditioning is, if you have lower abs coordination and what are your objective with the exercise. If you just want to develop your abs, a crunch is probably better; not to mention that there are a lot of variations to a regular crunch. On the other hand, if your lower abs are functional and you want to train your core for ultimate performance in your sport, you might want to go with a sit-up, which integrates more muscles in a more global and functional movement.
I hope this puts an end to this non-sense debate. It's non-sense because there isn't one answer, the answer depends on many factors. So evaluate your level and your objectives and YOU decide which one you think is best, not some internet guru who never even spoke to you or even less saw you.
Enjoy Ultimate Performance!!!
Andrew DeVyne
Andrew DeVyne is a personal trainer and an athletic development coach who specializes in performance enhancement, whether you are a beginner who never trained or an advanced Ellie Herman Pilates San Francisco athlete. He will make sure you achieve your ultimate performance level. To ask questions or receive weekly articles, exercises and nutrition Pilates Cursos Formacion for FREE, visit http://www.devynecode.com
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