Sit-up technique: breathing technique is the key

Sit-up technique: the right way to do it

First, lie on your back on the mat, bend your knees to about 90 degrees, and place your feet flat on the ground. Do not fix your feet on flat ground (for example, have a companion hold your ankles with their hands), otherwise the thigh and hip flexor muscles will join in the work, reducing the workload of the abdominal muscles.

Furthermore, straight-leg sit-ups will increase the burden on the back and easily cause damage to it. The position of your hands should be determined based on the strength of your abdominal muscles, as the closer your hands are to your head, the more strenuous it will be to do sit-ups. Beginners can place their hands on both sides of the body. Once they have adapted or their physical fitness has improved, they can cross their hands in front of their chest.

Finally, you can also try crossing your arms behind your head, but each hand should be placed on the shoulder on the opposite side of your body. Never cross your fingers and place them behind your head to avoid straining your neck muscles when exerting force. This will also reduce the workload of your abdominal muscles.

Beginners should avoid doing too many sit-ups at one time. At first, you can try 5 times, and then add one more time each time you practice, until you reach about 15 times. At this time, you can try to do one more set, until you reach 3 sets.

Sit-up technique: breathing technique

At the same time, you should do sit-ups with reasonable breathing. When doing sit-ups, you should exhale when bending forward and inhale when lying on your back. However, if you mechanically complete the entire inhalation process while lying on your back, it will be detrimental to the completion of the movement. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of the movement, you must also pay attention to the technique, that is, start inhaling in the process of lying on your back, hold your breath and tighten your abdomen at the moment your shoulders and back touch the pad, and gradually lift your upper body. When the upper body is lifted to the point where you feel a bloating in the abdomen, exhale quickly, pull your body forward and lower your head to complete the movement.

Sit-up technique: exercise advice

For those under 30, the best sit-up performance should be 45-50/minute; for those aged 30, it is best to do 35-40/minute; for those aged 40, it should be around 35/minute; for those aged 50, you should strive to reach 25-30/minute.

Beginners should avoid doing too many sit-ups at one time. At first, you can try 5 times, and then add one more time each time you practice, until you reach about 15 times. At this time, you can try to do one more set, until you reach 3 sets.