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Why Sit-Ups Are A Waste Of Time

10 Greatest Tips forWeight Loss

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Why sit-ups are a complete waste of time!

By Mike Heatlie MSc
Article Word Count: 415

Everybody wants a toned midsection, a tight waist, or a sculpted sixpack, called it what you will. In order to achieve that people are performing
hundreds of situps and crunches which is completely unnecessary.

Firstly a sixpack is at least 90% diet. You could have a firm and tight abdominal musculature, but if you have too much body fat stored around that
area, then you won’t be able to see it. When you look at an athlete or a bodybuilder and you witness an incredible exhibit of physical musculature,
you’re not only looking at an individual with toned muscle tissue, you’re seeing an individual with a very low body fat percentage.

When people ask me how they get a six pack I demonstrate a push away motion with my hands. They always look at me with frowned eyebrows and
ask, “What is that exercise?” I explain that I’m showing what they must do when that big plate of fettuccini alfredo arrives at their table!

We must assess what our ‘abs’ really do for us. Basically our abs and all the muscles of our core section are used for stabilization of our trunk. Yes they are
the prime mover in forward flexion when you touch your toes or perform a situp, but they’re not stressed to any great extent with these motions. I’ve seen
people perform hundreds of crunches without ever really fatiguing the abs, and when you forward flex from a standing position, your motion is not
against gravity so you don’t need to contract your abs hardly at all.

The best exercises for really stressing your entire trunk are through rotation exercises using cables. When you use a cable you can increase the resistance
which is the key for breaking down muscle tissue. I highly recommend wood chopping exercises, rows with rotation, and any motion that requires quality
resistance with rotation.The exercises highlighted above are just a few that can be performed using cable machines. If you are a gym user then
ask your Personal Trainer for exercises with a cable machine that rotate your trunk. If you can combine these exercises with squats and lunges, you will receive an incredible recruitment of muscle fibers from your legs, trunk and upper body. More energy (calories) will be expended, and you will also reduce your workout time as you are exercising in combinations rather than isolating muscle groups.

Your time is precious, so use it wisely in your training sessions to get the most
out of your workouts.

Mike Heatlie MSc is one of the leading Personal Trainers worldwide. Mike holds a Masters Degree in Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise and a 1st Class Honors Degree in Sport & Exercise Science. He has a ten year Personal Training relationship with US singer Gwen Stefani, and is the author of the epic ebook 'Lose 10 Years, 10 Pounds, in 5 Weeks!'