Does Crunch/Sit-up actually make us slimmer or not?

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Fri Jan 20, 2006 11:45 pm

Well, I plan to remove this extra fat around my belly, as well as reducing my waistline. However, I don't have much time to exercise, so I've been trying to do a crunch on regular basis.

However, some people told me that crunch / sit-up doesn't actually reduce waistline. It only develops the muscle, but doesn't remove the fat. In fact, if you do sit-up without doing the diet/aerobic, your belly may end up larger because instead of only the fat, now you have both fat and muscle.

Well so is that true? Can we reduce the waistline with crunch alone, or not?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:13 am

No, you cannot. Aerobics are the way to go to reduce the fat, while crunches will make the muscle underneath hard and sculpted. And since aerobics and stomach exercises are something that can be done every day (your stomach muscles heal very rapidly), there's not excuse at all to not workout everyday to lose the paunch.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Sat Jan 21, 2006 9:10 am

The Cleric wrote: (your stomach muscles heal very rapidly),

Um, does it mean good or bad? Does it mean stomach muscles are harder or easier to develop?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:22 am

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:
The Cleric wrote: (your stomach muscles heal very rapidly),
Um, does it mean good or bad? Does it mean stomach muscles are harder or easier to develop?

Means that they recover from a workout overnight. You can do stmach exercises every day without hurting anything.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:05 pm

As a person who is now under the evil regieme of Sgt Estrada, the destroyer of souls, breaker of spirits, inflicter of pain, etc, I have to argue with how fast your stomach muscles heal...

But Cleric is right in the other regards. Crunches alone will not turn your keg into a six-pack(drinking requires that!

), aerobics will help though.

Go to your local gym and go join a women's aerobic class or pilates class or hell even a spin class. Don't laugh to hard, I've done them and some of them are freaking hardcore that leave me exhausted by the end easily.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:35 pm

If you really want to trim your abdomen, you need to do a fat-reducing "full-body" workout as opposed to targeting specific areas, because unless your whole body is losing fat then fat from other areas literally "migrates" down to those so-called trouble zones (abdomen, hips, ass) because that's the way most people's bodies react to being thin. It's a genetic thing.

Also, just your abdominals need to be worked. You also need to work on your obliques (they're on the sides of your abs).

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:50 pm

Josh, your stomach muscles are one of the few muscle groups that do heal extremely rapidly. You CAN work them to the point that you're sore as hell the next day, but it requires a LOT of effort. I haven't been able to manage to do that in a couple years, and I've gone hard-core a couple times in an attempt to do it.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:05 pm

Alright, how about skipping then? Can a shorter time of skipping replace a longer time of jogging?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:02 am

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:Alright, how about skipping then? Can a shorter time of skipping replace a longer time of jogging?

No, not particularly. What you're looking for is a sustained high heart rate, to burn off energy. There's no real shortcut, you just have to spend time with your heart going hard to burn off the calories.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:36 am

If you're really worried about losing weight, first things first.
Sodas, cut them. Switch to diet if you have to then ween yourself off of them. You'll lose a bit of weight from cutting this alone.

Eat a little healthier. I know in my life and probably yours if you don't have time, that this is a hard one to do. It's quick, easy, tastes good, but fastfood and quick unhealthy meals hurt you a lot.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:57 am

B4UTRUST wrote:If you're really worried about losing weight, first things first.
Sodas, cut them. Switch to diet if you have to then ween yourself off of them. You'll lose a bit of weight from cutting this alone.

Well I've already avoived soda since six years ago because of ulcer. It is, alas, the very same reason why I always take larger portion everytime I'm having meal. Lately, however, I've been 'conditioning' my own stomach to 'cope up' with less and less amount of food until it reached the level of that of normal people.

The Cleric wrote:
Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:Alright, how about skipping then? Can a shorter time of skipping replace a longer time of jogging?
No, not particularly. What you're looking for is a sustained high heart rate, to burn off energy. There's no real shortcut, you just have to spend time with your heart going hard to burn off the calories.

Alright, how about skipping compared to jogging, given the same amount of time? Is it less effective, equal, or more effective?

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:19 pm

Alright, how about skipping compared to jogging, given the same amount of time? Is it less effective, equal, or more effective?

What's with the skipping?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:54 pm

frigidmagi wrote:
Alright, how about skipping compared to jogging, given the same amount of time? Is it less effective, equal, or more effective?
What's with the skipping?

I was thinking the same thing.

And the skipping will wear your leg muscles out a lot faster, meaning you have a raised heart rate for a shorter amount of time. Biking is probably the BEST heart raising low impact workout, but it simply means you can do it for a lot longer period of time.

The Silence and I · Post by **The Silence and I** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:10 pm

Agreed, biking is among the best ways to burn off fat. Running is ok, but it is high impact, and surprisingly innefective (all exercise is--that is why biking has the advantage, you can keep going for hours). Most exercises are even less effective than running is.

I think swimming is also very good, but I have no experience with it as an exercise form. So yes, biking all the way. Get a road bike, and hit a challenging pace you can hold for an hour or longer. As you improve (and your butt hardens :P ) you can go faster, longer. And beware the evil wind, it can slow you down more than you'd guess if you've never tried it before.

EDIT: if KAN means skipping as in skipping rope or something similar, where no displacement takes place, then he might keep asking because he can do it in his house. It's just a guess though

Robert Walper · Post by **Robert Walper** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 11:28 pm

The Silence and I wrote:I think swimming is also very good, but I have no experience with it as an exercise form.

Swimming is definitely awesome exercise. It works out pretty much every muscle in your body, and you burn a ton of energy. As kids my brother and I went swimming for hours on end. There's nothing that strikes you like "swimming hunger" after being in the river for a few hours.

I'd take swimming over biking anyday, although I love biking quite a bit as well.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:06 am

Swimming is an incredible workout, but if you're doing it AS a workout, you tire extremely quickly.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:18 am

The Silence and I wrote: EDIT: if KAN means skipping as in skipping rope or something similar, where no displacement takes place, then he might keep asking because he can do it in his house. It's just a guess though

Yup, that's what I meant; skipping rope. I'm looking for something I can do at house; probably every morning and evening. See, that's they way I routinely do the sit-ups and push-ups as well.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:07 pm

Robert Walper wrote:
The Silence and I wrote:I think swimming is also very good, but I have no experience with it as an exercise form.
Swimming is definitely awesome exercise. It works out pretty much every muscle in your body, and you burn a ton of energy. As kids my brother and I went swimming for hours on end. There's nothing that strikes you like "swimming hunger" after being in the river for a few hours.

I'd take swimming over biking anyday, although I love biking quite a bit as well.

Mmmmswimming. It is indeed the best workout you can get as far as muscles used and cardiopulmonary action as well. Just be sure you're actually swimming as opposed to just dog-paddling or else you'll tire too quickly for it to be helpful.

zac naloen · Post by **zac naloen** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:31 am

The desire for copious amounts of food following just half an hour swimming is unmatched by anything.

Due to my shoulder i can only swim short bursts like that or it gets very painful for me, and i get incredibly bored doing sit ups for some reason.

Shark Bait · Post by **Shark Bait** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:22 pm

When this cold snap ends I will begin swimming more, truly a good activity and one of the few Ã¢â‚¬Å“work outsÃ¢â‚¬Â

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Does Crunch/Sit-up actually make us slimmer or not?

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