Sit-Ups Vs. Crunches - Healthline

Maybe your like

HealthlineSubscribe

Fitness

Situps vs. Crunches

Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS, Fitness — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on April 7, 2023

Situps
Crunches
Takeaway

Situps and crunches both strengthen and develop core muscles, improving posture and reducing the chance of back injuries. However, if you want a flat stomach, you’ll also need to do aerobic exercise and eat healthfully.

Everyone longs for a slim and trim core. But what’s the most effective way to get there: situps or crunches?

Situps

Pros: Work multiple muscles

Situps are a multi-muscle exercise. While they don’t specifically target stomach fat (Note: neither do crunches!), situps actually work the abdominals as well as other muscles groups, including:

chest
hip flexors
lower back
neck

Muscle cells are more metabolically active than fat cells. This means they burn calories even at rest. By helping you build muscle, situps will help you burn more calories in the long run. Also, strong core muscles can help improve posture. Good posture can improve appearance without weight loss.

Cons: Injuries

The main drawback to situps is the possibility of lower back and neck injuries. You should ask a doctor for advice if you’ve had any related injuries to prevent strain.

The form

To perform a proper situp:

Lie down on your back.
Bend your legs and place feet firmly on the ground to stabilize your lower body.
Cross your hands to opposite shoulders or place them behind your ears, without pulling on your neck.
Curl your upper body all the way up toward your knees. Exhale as you lift.
Slowly, lower yourself down, returning to your starting point. Inhale as you lower.

Beginners should aim for 10 reps at a time.

By hooking your feet together during a situp, you can get a decent workout for your lower legs, too!

Crunches

Pros: Intense muscle isolation

Like situps, crunches help you build muscle. But unlike situps, they work only the abdominal muscles. This intense muscle isolation makes them a popular exercise for people trying to get six-pack abs.

This also makes them ideal for strengthening your core, which includes your lower back muscles and obliques. Doing so can improve your balance and posture.

Cons: Exclusive to the core

While a strong core is certainly an asset to overall fitness, it’s not necessarily conducive to everyday movements. Also, like situps, while crunches are good for developing muscle, they don’t burn fat.

Another consideration is your current fitness level. Crunches build up the abdominal muscles over time, but can cause significant back pain for beginners. If you do incorporate crunches into your workout routine, it’s best to start off with a set of 10 to 25 at a time and add another set as you get stronger.

The form

Share on Pinterest

The setup for a crunch is like a situp:

Lie down on your back.
Bend your legs and stabilize your lower body.
Cross your hands to opposite shoulders, or place them behind your ears without pulling on your neck.
Lift your head and shoulder blades from the ground. Exhale as you rise.
Lower, returning to your starting point. Inhale as you lower.

It’s best to start off with a set of 10 to 25 at a time and add another set as you get stronger.

The takeaway

Both situps and crunches are helpful for strengthening and developing core muscle. Over time, a stronger core can also improve your posture and reduce your risk of back injuries later in life.

However, neither exercise burns fat. The only way to attain a flat and muscular stomach is to combine these exercises with a healthy, low-calorie diet and regular fat-burning aerobic exercise.

3 Moves to Strengthen Abs

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Abdominalfat and what to do about it. (2015).http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it
AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Swap the sit-ups: Effective vertical coreexercises [Press release].http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/swap-the-sit-ups-effective-vertical-core-exercises
Isthere ‘one trick’ to losing belly fat? (n.d.).https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/losing-belly-fat
MayoClinic Staff. (2014). Can sit-ups flatten your stomach?http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/health-tip/art-20049107

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.S., NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS, Fitness — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on April 7, 2023

Health Conditions

Condition Spotlight

Wellness Topics

Product Reviews

Featured Programs

Featured

Lessons

Newsletters

Lifestyle Quizzes

Health News

This Just In

Top Reads

Video Series

Find Your Bezzy Community

Follow us on social media

Fitness

Situps

Pros: Work multiple muscles

Cons: Injuries

The form

Crunches

Pros: Intense muscle isolation

Cons: Exclusive to the core

The form

The takeaway

3 Moves to Strengthen Abs

How we reviewed this article:

Read this next

Contact