How Many Sit-Ups A Day Will Sculpt Envy-Inducing Abs Or A Perfectly Flat Stomach

There’s a great deal of envy over a streamlined boxer with sweat running over rock-hard abs. Let’s not forget the sleek bellies and six-packs on the beach each summer. Where do these people get such bodies? How many sit-ups a day will help you achieve the same results?

It’s more complicated than knowing how many sit-ups you should do daily. Instead, you must understand what sit-ups do for you (and what they can’t do). You can then follow sit-up sequences with the right reps to achieve desired results and envious glances. 

What Do Sit-Ups Do for You?

Sit-ups aren’t useless when you know how to combine them with other workouts, lifestyle choices, and the correct number of reps. Let’s discover how to use sit-ups as part of an exercise routine to achieve your goals. You’ll find out how many you need to do soon. 

The Truth About Sit-Ups and Weight Loss

Sit-ups alone cannot burn belly fat or make you lose weight. Sit-ups tone your obliques, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis muscles, all of which make up a portion of your core (1). It is believed that around 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, all of which help target accumulated fat in the body (2). However, that’s not all you need with sit-ups. 

Having a flat belly is a wish for most women and men. Exercise is unable to target fat in one specific body area. Fat loss comes through a combination of exercise and eating in a calorie deficit. In order to get those 6 pack abs, you need an excellent body fat percentage.

A simple chart to show excellent body fat percentages for flat bellies and abs is listed below (3): 

• Women in their 20s: 14-16.5% body fat
• Women in their 30s: 14-17.4% body fat
• Women in their 40s: 14-19.8% body fat
• Women in their 50s: 14-22.5% body fat
• Men in their 20s: 8-10.5% body fat
• Men in their 30s: 8-14.5% body fat
• Men in their 40s: 8-17.4% body fat
• Men in their 50s: 8-19.1% body fat

Nutrition plays a key role in determining body fat percentage. You must eat more lean protein and less carbs and stop late-night snacking. Understanding and reading food labels for added sugars is also important as well as avoiding processed food (4). In addition, you must focus on eating in a calorie deficit in order to see body fat loss. Burning more calories than you’re consuming daily can give you the results you’re looking for. 

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Sit-Ups Burn Some Calories

Burning calories is about increasing your intensity. It’s important to remember that being in a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories can ultimately lead to one pound of fat being lost (5). This doesn’t mean that every time you burn 3,500 calories in a workout you’ll lose 1lb of fat. You will need to be in a 3,500 calorie deficit (3,500 more calories being burned than eaten) in order to see fat loss. This number works out to a 500 calorie deficit a day for the entire week. This is a more manageable and realistic number to strive for daily. On top of this, 50 sit-ups a minute will burn 10 calories. Unfortunately, you’d need to do 17,500 sit-ups at the same vigorous intensity to burn 3,500 calories, so that’s why a well-rounded exercise program will be more beneficial than doing the same movement over and over again. 

Please remember that losing a pound of weight after burning 3,500 calories depends on your body type and activity level. However, you must realize how impossible it seems to burn enough calories with sit-ups alone to drop body fat. Sit-ups burn some calories, but more exercise is necessary. 

Read more: Calf Muscle Exercises at Home and the Gym: Strengthen and Define Your Calves

How Many Sit-Ups to Do a Day to Lose Belly Fat 

Nutrition and cardio workouts are also important in addition to sit-ups to lose belly fat. Sit-ups tone the stomach muscles but don’t cut enough calories to help weight loss. However, doing 8-12 sit-up reps three times a week with cardio and a proper diet can be a good base for your exercise program. 

The Amazing Sit-Ups Benefits You Can’t Skip!

Sit-ups have incredible benefits. You must learn how to use them to support other workouts. They help tone and strengthen the obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis muscles. 

Ultimately, you’ll improve your core muscles with sit-ups, and each muscle worked helps the following (6): 

• Hip Flexors – Flex the hips up and down, improving flexibility. 
• Internal Obliques – The lateral sides of your abdomen, enhancing unilateral movements and trunk stability. 
• Rectus Abdominis – The top layer of your front abdomen where the six-pack shows if you have the right body fat percentage and genetics. 
• Transversus Abdominis – The deepest abdominal muscle in the front, responsible for core stability, strength, and flexibility in the trunk. 

Ultimately, sit-ups don’t work every core muscle. However, they work major core muscles to tone and strengthen your abdomen while improving flexibility in your hips. That alone can help you benefit from various other workouts during your sequences. 

Progressive Overload Defines Muscles and Builds Mass

Progression improves intensity and difficulty. This process involves defining muscles, building strength, and gaining mass (7). As with all forms of exercise, sit-ups don’t cause progressive overload unless you increase your difficulty, intensity, and reps or use weights. 

Do any of these things to achieve progressive overload during sit-up sequences:

• Increase your number of sets as you no longer feel muscle exhaustion.
• Add weights to activate the muscles further.
• Use variations to target more muscles.
• Increase your speed sitting up but slow down as you decline back.

Progressive overload ensures you sustain muscle fatigue to keep seeing results. 

Caution: Sit-Ups and Back Injuries

Sit-ups compress the spine too much and may cause injury and pain. The CDC suggests never exceeding 3,400 pressure Newtons on the spinal discs (8). The National Spine Health Foundation says that sit-ups generate a minimum of 3,300 Newtons on the lower back (9). 

So you should avoid sit-ups if you already live with a back injury or suffer from back pain. However, doing the exercise correctly can help you avoid injury or discomfort. Make sure you use the correct techniques in the following sequences.  

Choosing Sit-Ups Every Day for Specific Goals

Increase your reps and sets or add weights as you need progressive overload to enhance your workout sequences. Sit-ups can help other workouts, so use them in sequences for different goals. Each series will use 8-12 reps for each exercise with progressive increments. 

Sit-Ups Sequence for Core Strength

You may start with assisted sit-ups until you progressively increase the difficulty. However, researchers at Inje University found that morning exercise improves strength training (10). So, let’s focus on a morning workout routine that includes sit-ups to enhance core strength. 

Sit-Ups

Each workout sequence must have sit-ups, but you should avoid them if you have a back injury. 

For that reason, please adhere to the following instructions to do sit-ups correctly: 

1. Spread your knees hip-distance apart as you lay flush on a supportive surface.
2. Bend your knees slightly before continuing.
3. Interlock your hands behind your neck where it meets your head.
4. You want elbows pointing to either side of the room while flat against the floor.
5. Breathe out and you push your body up toward your knees. Breathing out will tighten your core further. 
6. Once you reach the top of the movement, slowly lower yourself down while inhaling. Focus on using your abs to lower your body back down to the floor slowly. 
7. Start slow before progressing speed, and don’t bend your neck with your hands.

Planks

Core strengthening workout routines contain simple yet effective exercises. Harvard Medical School recommends adding planks to a core-strengthening workout (11). Planks also pose a smaller risk of injury to your lower back. 

Follow these instructions to do a variation plank:

1. Face the floor with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
2. Relax your head and neck as your forearms and toes touch the floor.
3. Engage your core muscles as you rise with a straight spine and neck.
4. Remember to breathe in through your chest and out through your stomach. Each breath out should tighten your abs even further.
5. Maintain the position for 20 seconds per rep.
6. Perform a variation by raising one leg backward before the hold.

V-Ups

V-ups are one of the best core workouts (12). They equally work the upper and lower abdomen simultaneously. You look like a “v” while you engage your core muscles. 

However, form and technique are everything, so follow these instructions: 

1. Lie flush on a supportive yet firm surface with your arms raised above your head.
2. Your feet must stay together as you keep your legs straight.
3. Embrace your core muscles as you point your toes away from your body.
4. Exhale forcefully as you raise both legs and arms 6 inches off the floor.
5. You must raise your legs and arms simultaneously.
6. Hold the position for 10 seconds per rep.
7. Progressively increase the difficulty by holding dumbbells.

30 Sit-Ups a Day Exercise Sequence for Beginners

Daily sit-up counts of 30 may be a good place to start if you’re a beginner. This will allow you to use progressive overload over time. It will be challenging, but try to do 30 reps for each exercise. Focus on proper form and controlling your body throughout the movement. If 30 is too difficult, drop down to 20 and see how your body handles it.  

Sit-Up Variation 1

Avoid asking someone to hold your feet down or keep your legs straight before doing sit-ups. 

However, this variation can improve core muscle activation and intensity: 

1. Start in the sit-up position with your knees slightly bent.
2. Hold a lightweight dumbbell over your chest without touching your chest.
3. Engage the core muscles as you exhale and raise your head.
4. Don’t bend your neck as you fold to prevent injury.
5. Increase the weight for progressive overload as muscle fatigue stops.

Reverse Crunch

Reverse crunches can be used to strengthen the stomach. The reverse crunch can also target the lower abs more than sit-ups. However, you shouldn’t touch your feet on the floor (13). 

Follow these instructions to crunch those abs:

1. Lay flush on your back with your hips and knees bent at 90 degrees.
2. Keep your shins parallel to the floor while your forearms rest on the floor.
3. Exhale powerfully as you engage your lower ab muscles.
4. Swing your knees closer to your chest but stop before your back pulls.
5. Keep swinging back and forth to complete 30 reps.
6. Increase the intensity with speed or more reps for a progressive overload.

Dead Bugs

Dead bugs engage the lower and upper core equally and allow you to progress your load quickly with weights (14). 

Follow these instructions to add your third exercise for beginners:

1. Bend your knees at 90 degrees while lying flat on your back.
2. Extend your arms higher than your head with your shins parallel to the floor.
3. Raise one knee closer to your chest while bringing the opposite arm to meet it.
4. Keep your back flush and without an arch during this movement.
5. Reverse the move to repeat it on the opposite knee and arm.
6. Start progressively increasing your load by adding weights to your hands.

Read more: Best BodyWeight Leg Workout: What You Need To Know For Massive Gain

Core Exercise Ideas for Advanced Fitness Experts  

As previously mentioned, it’s important to follow progressive overload to gain muscle mass and tone your abs. So you must increase your difficulty and finish more reps and sets to get well-defined abs. 

Sit-Up Variation 2

Use a Swiss ball resistance crunch as a variation to increase intensity and resistance. Research has suggested that it’s safer and can work the core muscles harder (15). 

Follow these instructions closely:

1. Attach a resistance band between a solid structure and the medicine ball.
2. Lie with your back resting over the medicine ball while grabbing the resistance band overhead.
3. Your head, neck, and shoulders hang over the ball as it supports your back.
4. Dig your feet flush against the ground as you embrace your core and raise your upper body.
5. Don’t bend your neck when lifting your head toward your abdomen.
6. Stop if you feel any pressure on your lower back.
7. Adjust the equipment to support you better.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers enhance endurance and strengthen the core muscles (16). It’s also a high-intensity workout that burns calories to reduce body fat. 

Here’s how to do the full-body workout that shreds your abs:

1. Create a clear space around you before standing straight with your feet flush.
2. Bring your hands to shoulder height in front of your chest before making tight fists.
3. Start running on the spot with your knees bending toward your abdomen.
4. Raise your left fist toward the ceiling as your right knee comes near your belly.
5. Do 10 reps before switching to the opposite side.
6. Keep your abdomen powerfully engaged the entire time.
7. Increase the difficulty by adding lightweight dumbbells or kettlebells to your hands.

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Twist Spider Mountain Climber Variation

Adding a twist spider variation will give you another high-intensity workout to tone your abs (17). 

Follow these instructions for 20 reps to start with because you’ll grow tired initially: 

1. Place yourself in a high plank position before starting.
2. Keep your back straight as your palms and toes support your body.
3. Your shoulders extend slightly past your wrists as you focus your gaze on the floor.
4. Your hips and shoulders should align well before you engage the core muscles.
5. Start your reps with a mountain climber by bringing your knee toward your chest.
6. Step it back before repeating it and changing to the opposite side.
7. Start twist reps by bringing one knee to the opposite elbow.
8. Stop immediately if you experience back pain or feel intense muscle pulls.
9. Step your knee back and repeat the reps on the opposite side.
10. Start your spider reps by bringing your knee to the same-side elbow.
11. Return the knee before repeating for 20 reps and then changing sides.
12. Progressively increase the workout by speeding up your reps and adding more sets.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many sit-ups do I need to do a day to lose weight?

Sit-ups can’t help you lose weight alone. However, you can add high-intensity cardio workouts and a nutritious diet to lose weight. Include sit-ups with your exercise days to strengthen your core. You should ideally aim for 30 minutes of exercise daily. This can include a combination of cardio, strength training, and mobility/flexibility exercises. In addition, focus on consuming lean protein and complex carbs and eating at a calorie deficit to see fat loss. 

• Do sit-ups work the lower abs?

The University of New Mexico reviewed different exercises and how they activate the abdominal muscles (18). Raising your upper trunk in sit-ups results in higher activation of the upper-body abdominal muscles. Raising your pelvis activates the lower abdominal muscles.

In summary, you won’t target your lower abs with sit-ups alone. Reverse crunches raise the pelvis and target the lower abs. The university also confirms that all ab muscles are involved in sit-ups, but higher activation occurs higher in the abdominal muscles, near your ribs(18). 

• How many sit-ups do I need to do a day to get abs?

Progressive overload builds muscle mass and defines gorgeous muscles. Beginners can start with 30 sit-ups for each exercise day. In order to see muscle growth, you’ll need to progressively overload your workouts. This means that over time, you’ll have to challenge yourself further in order to continue to see results. Increasing the weights, reps, sets, and intensity will all work to make your exercise more challenging and enable you to progress over time.  

The Bottom Line

Sit-ups aren’t a miracle workout that tones your abs to match the guys on Baywatch. However, using sit-ups safely and with progressive overload can help. Working sit-ups into sequence routines will achieve different results. Choose the type of sit-ups that works for your fitness level or goal.