Will sit ups get me abs?

Will sit ups get me abs?

The truth behind stomach fat

Yes, you know those abs are hiding behind that thick layer of fat. But the answer is how do you get to see them. Even if you are male or female we all have abs (rectus abdominis).  If I was trying to educate my clients on how to get abs, I would simply say...

 "If all you needed to do is 100 sit ups a day to get abs, would every be doing them?"

So what sit ups do?

Sit ups or any core exercise is meant to strengthen while also thickening the muscle to become more visible. So yes, sit ups will make your abs more defined, but if you are someone with body fat 16%+ you will have to do more than sit ups to get those abs you really want.

What is a great bodyweight abdominal exercise?

I like to pick 3-4 exercises that hit all areas on my core. So below is my go to bodyweight core workout.

Plank leg raises 20 reps - Whole core

Crunches 20 reps - Upper abdominals

Leg raises 15 reps - Lower abdominals (If you have back pain please avoid)

Lying knee twists 20 reps - Obliques and abdominals

3 rounds

How many sit ups should you do a week?

For everyday people wanting a visible abs/ flat stomach, you may only need to be doing 50-100 3 times per week. This is depending on you core strength.

What do I need to do if I want to see my abs?

'Abs are made in the kitchen' so there is your base. There is no tricks or quick fixes to really get abs, the main and mostly only way to see them is through a calories deficit while strength training. So you want to be slowly reducing your calories by 100-200 calories daily making sure protein is your main source of food for energy. This help drop the body fat while maintaining muscle mass. You will also need to look at your current activity levels to see where you can increase more movement.

How much protein should I take?

I will give you 2 options...

Guesstamation

120g protein - Female

150g protein - Male

Generalised guess

1lbs per bodyweight/2.2kg per bodyweight (I say 2kg)

Example- 70kg person x 2.2kg = 154g protein

If you want a more personalised approach click the link to my macro calculator.

How long will this take?

This is only based on your current body fat levels, while also looking at your current lean muscle.

For someone who is around 16-20% it can range from 2-4 months maybe longer due to the training commitments. 

Summary

You have to work hard to get the abs you really want. Be very patient with the process as you may hit plateau. Doing just sit ups without looking at your diet is guess work, so try and spend time looking at what you are eating.

Would you be interested in my total lean programme? 

I have a programme that is designed to get you lean in 12 weeks. If you want to read more click here

Have a great day.