While practiced for years as a way to trim the belly or develop firm abs and a stronger core, sit-ups are fast becoming irrelevant. Exercise experts are no longer fans of the routine and even fitness trainers in the military are pushing to eliminate the exercise. It's been dubbed "outdated," according to Navy Times. Worse, it poses high risks of back injuries and could even lead to other physical problems.
Traditional sit-ups can actually lead to the unintentional squeezing of the spine's disc. Compounded with repeated flexing motions, the result could be a disc bulge that can then cause herniation, according to spine biomechanics professor Stuart McGill via Wall Street Journal.
There are modifications to the traditional sit-up though, and among these include curl-ups or crunches using an exercise ball to keep the abdominal muscles firm and trim. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy has proven that routines with exercise balls can work better than sit-ups, and below are videos showing how these are done:
Still, exercise experts shun even the variations and instead push for non-spine threatening routines like the plank pose for core strengthening. The plank pose works all the muscles from the front, sides and the back, unlike sit-ups which only target the abdomen:
Other alternatives to sit-ups for developing ripped abs also include push-ups and weights, per Men's Fitness. The idea is to stay away from sit-ups and other variations completely. "Staying active and doing regular exercise the old-fashioned way is far more advantageous than doing nothing," said physical therapist John Childs in the WSJ report.
