Tone your muscles, burn abdominal fat with sit-ups
Feb 06, 2011
WHEN Jane got a car, she swore never to walk again. Little did she know that this would take a toll on her life. Jane began gaining weight, especially around the waist and soon, she started complaining of joint stiffness.
By Viqué-Ocean Kahinju
WHEN Jane got a car, she swore never to walk again. Little did she know that this would take a toll on her life. Jane began gaining weight, especially around the waist and soon, she started complaining of joint stiffness.
Jane’s fitness instructor advised her to hit the gym, and started her on sit-ups to stretch her joints and burn fat around the abdomen.
Dr. Muhammad Ali, a fitness physician at Albia Medical Centre in Kampala, says sit-ups are performed to strengthen (tone and shape) muscles, especially around the hips and abdomen.
Sit-ups help with back problems, but one should learn the technique of practising them in order to benefit from them and avoid unnecessary injuries.
Although sit-ups are known to tone the torso muscles, they also burn fat in the upper chest and abdomen, explains David Bogere, a fitness trainer in Kampala.
But he warns that sit-ups can be dangerous when done recklessly.
Begin by lying gently down on the back with arms across the chest or behind the head and bend the knees so that you reduce stress on the back muscles and spine.
Consequently, elevate both the chest from the ground until everything above the buttocks is off the ground.
Bogere cautions that sit-ups are not recommended for pregnant women, especially those in the last trimester of pregnancy. In addition, people who are ill should not do sit-ups because this exercise requires high energy burning.
Dr. Ines Kimani, a physical fitness trainer at Kampala Fitness Centre, says doing sit-ups on a regular basis produces many health and physical benefits which include:
Cardiovascular fitness Doing eight sit-ups in 10 minutes is recommended for a healthy heart. Sit-ups are high capacity exercises, thus increase the heart beat and blood circulation especially when one holds their breath as he or she moves up and down. This also introduces oxygen into the lungs, keeping them healthy.
Burn excessive fat
The intensive workout can burn at least about 800 or 1,000 calories in 30 minutes.
Muscle strength
Sit-ups build strength. Routine practice of these exercises strengthens the arms, shoulders, back, abdomen, chest, wrists, hands, hips and legs. When perfected, sit-ups can work all the muscles.
Endurance
Regular sit-ups gradually increases endurance and resistance to bone and muscle aches.
Prevention of injury
By strengthening all your major muscle groups, including the muscles of your abdomen, you will greatly reduce the likelihood of injuries.
WHEN Jane got a car, she swore never to walk again. Little did she know that this would take a toll on her life. Jane began gaining weight, especially around the waist and soon, she started complaining of joint stiffness.
Jane’s fitness instructor advised her to hit the gym, and started her on sit-ups to stretch her joints and burn fat around the abdomen.
Dr. Muhammad Ali, a fitness physician at Albia Medical Centre in Kampala, says sit-ups are performed to strengthen (tone and shape) muscles, especially around the hips and abdomen.
Sit-ups help with back problems, but one should learn the technique of practising them in order to benefit from them and avoid unnecessary injuries.
Although sit-ups are known to tone the torso muscles, they also burn fat in the upper chest and abdomen, explains David Bogere, a fitness trainer in Kampala.
But he warns that sit-ups can be dangerous when done recklessly.
Begin by lying gently down on the back with arms across the chest or behind the head and bend the knees so that you reduce stress on the back muscles and spine.
Consequently, elevate both the chest from the ground until everything above the buttocks is off the ground.
Bogere cautions that sit-ups are not recommended for pregnant women, especially those in the last trimester of pregnancy. In addition, people who are ill should not do sit-ups because this exercise requires high energy burning.
Dr. Ines Kimani, a physical fitness trainer at Kampala Fitness Centre, says doing sit-ups on a regular basis produces many health and physical benefits which include:
Cardiovascular fitness Doing eight sit-ups in 10 minutes is recommended for a healthy heart. Sit-ups are high capacity exercises, thus increase the heart beat and blood circulation especially when one holds their breath as he or she moves up and down. This also introduces oxygen into the lungs, keeping them healthy.
Burn excessive fat
The intensive workout can burn at least about 800 or 1,000 calories in 30 minutes.
Muscle strength
Sit-ups build strength. Routine practice of these exercises strengthens the arms, shoulders, back, abdomen, chest, wrists, hands, hips and legs. When perfected, sit-ups can work all the muscles.
Endurance
Regular sit-ups gradually increases endurance and resistance to bone and muscle aches.
Prevention of injury
By strengthening all your major muscle groups, including the muscles of your abdomen, you will greatly reduce the likelihood of injuries.