How To Improve Your Sit-Ups In 5 Easy Steps

Farhan Shafie
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 00:00:00 Z

Work that core to hit your intended target in this IPPT station

Photo: 123RF

Sick and tired of hearing that dreaded ‘No count!’? Imagine the agony of squeezing out those sit-ups in succession, only to have your PTI tell you that they did not qualify.

The IPPT sit-up stations is one of the easiest to score in but we are sometimes let down by poor technique, gassing out too easily after a few reps. Here are 5 simple solutions to help you improve your sit-up game!

1. Get Your Technique Right

First things first, get your form right and you’re already halfway through acing that test! Make sure your knees are bent at a comfortable angle and your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Lead with your head, followed by your shoulders with your hands cupping your ears as your upper body rises. Bring yourself back down with your body flat on to the ground before repeating the process once more. Don’t be that guy that bucks his body like a salmon out of water.

2. Improve Your Core

Increase your core body strength so that you can perform your sit-ups effectively. A stable core will ensure that your abs and hip flexor muscles move safely in tandem with the rest of your body. Exercises that you can do include traditional planks, side planks, bicycle crunches, bridges as well as V-sit ab exercises. You might be getting cramps after doing them but hey that’s much better than cramping during your actual IPPT!

3. Build Up Your Flexibility

A much more flexible and mobile body will help do wonders for your sit-up game! Not only does it improve your form but it also helps to prevent injury. Just be sure to stretch your back after every workout, cobra stretches being a good recovery exercise. Also, not forgetting segmental rotation stretches from side to side to increase your range of motion.

4. Add Resistance

Want to make your sit-up training more challenging? Try adding weights to your sit-ups, be it with weighted plates or medicine balls. Trust us, not only is it more intense, but it will make your regular sit-ups feel like a breeze!

5. Repetition! Repetition! Repetition!

You know what they say, practise makes perfect. What better way to improve your sit-ups than by, you know, doing more sit-ups. Practise doing as many repetitions as you can until you start to tire or compromise your form. Rest for up 10-15 seconds before repeating up to 3-4 sets. Aim to gradually increase the number of consecutive sit-ups that you can perform before you trying to time yourself for one minute. Eventually you will be able to reach your intended goal in no time!