Crunches vs Sit Ups: which one is best and how to do it

Learn how to perfect the technique of one of the most common core exercises, and the best way to do it!
Muscles worked: abs
Instructor: Dr William Fotherby
Model: Holly Boyd

[@Zak1The1]

I was looking at the comments and already love this channel U respond to every question u properly explain in the video and in replays and this channel is just an all rounder Thanks for the help

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Zakwan - thank you so much for your very kind comment (it is definitely one of our favourite comments of all time!). We are planning on filming new content in the new year, so let us know if there is anything in particular you would like to see! :)

[@Zak1The1]

Ayyyyy u pinned my comment THANKS CANT WAIT WHEN U HIT 1 MILL SUBS xD 👍👍👍

[@paullesieur147]

This is just superb, I been tryin to find out about "good sit up" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Bondraw Firm Ferriferous - (just google it ) ? Ive heard some amazing things about it and my friend got amazing results with it.

[@harmonymatthews821]

Zak1Da1_ KZbin you. and. mum. he. ir. amaze

[@josem7590]

fortnite bad minecraft good

[@sumayyahfarooq3349]

I have been doing sit ups thinking they were crunches for weeks lol

[@sadiyakalam4305]

Sumayyah Farooq same here 😅😅😅

[@Spvcedrifta]

Sumayyah Farooq same LMAO

[@cloudy5607]

Same

[@mindbreaker9921]

Im the opposite lmao

[@ChelseyEasley]

Same lol

[@halojames7778]

I thought crunch is sit up. I see.

[@Aki-km6tt]

Halo James same. good video

[@pradyumnsh04]

Halo James mee too

[@samanthadinkel1223]

Halo James samee

[@Maria-jr3lt]

Halo James same

[@amymurray7297]

same

[@mikelyons8288]

IMPORTANT - Breathe in through your nose on the way down. Breathe out at the top.

[@potgg7257]

MIKE LYONS why

[@potgg7257]

el1xs brxndt oh didnt know ty

[@Elias-jn1es]

potgg np I'm always there to help

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Potgg, Mike Lyons is correct, you want to breathe IN during the downwards phase and breathe OUT during the upwards phase. We have a video explaining this and talking through breathing when you exercise: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnzXaKmwiclomdU Hope you find it useful!

[@potgg7257]

Get Exercise Confident thanks

[@bbcleland]

I followed the instructions of the crunches and was able to do 50 reps at once. It really hurt but felt very good. This was really helpful 👍👍

[@purabus5450]

i am doing 300 crunches a day wbu?

[@treegoat5069]

@@purabus5450 have you got a six pack yet

[@purabus5450]

@@treegoat5069 not yet

[@treegoat5069]

@@purabus5450 you’ll get there (as long as you do some cardio as well)

[@hjalte2334]

@@treegoat5069 Getting a six-pack has nothing to do with crunches or sit ups really, you can strengthen your muscles yes. But a six-pack is gained by lowering fat percentage (burn more calories than you intake)/ better diet.

[@laughysophie8818]

Didn’t realize there was a difference 👀

[@Akash-qf2yn]

The trainer is so gentle :). It helped me understand better

[@Leonard_Wilson]

This was bloody helpful. I never realizes that I was doing crunches incorrectly until Holly demonstrated the correct way to do it.

[@thebanman2293]

Bri'ish lol

[@OneandonlyKiwi]

I just realized i was doing wrong crunches my whole life

[@roboot9001]

F

[@brutalblizz]

f

[@thebatman4279]

F

[@StrawberryDuck5]

F

[@ly8370]

F

[@GianEditss]

I usually skip this part

[@bestevil.]

XD

[@dancingo4th]

Thank you being succinct and not blathering on about unrelated subjects. Subscribed.

[@clarkdylan2607]

I always got yelled at for doing crunches instead of sit-ups in gym :/ I'm glad I never listened to them

[@ecapone4389]

I love right off the bat videos, keep up the great content❤️

[@DNFAn24]

Awesome explanation! I always wondered what the difference is and now I understand that as well as what they do for you. Thank you!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much for your positive feedback Rayne :)

[@biancailijah6068]

Thanks for this! Now I can see there is a huge difference between a crunch and a sit up and now I'm going to do crunches only!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for great feedback Bianca!

[@Shxxaphrodith]

I love this channel, you just explain everything that I've done wrong since I just watched instruction from youtube, thank you.

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for the lovely feedback Ditha! Keep us updated on your progress.

[@Papa_Murphyyy]

Question: which exercise is better? False: Black bears

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Bears beets battlestar galactica

[@deepaligupta4938]

Michael!!!

[@morgaaaaaa]

this was amazing

[@pranjalipethkar4026]

@@deepaligupta4938 Jim.

[@durrrrburger]

IDENTITY THEFT IS NOT A JOKE JIM!

[@reeeeeeeeee7192]

Is it just me that smiled a little when he said bum. Idk why I did tho 😂

[@redyar1750]

Me 2

[@bzchii7474]

Omg he said bum😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣

[@shabeo]

It's the accent

[@cheriegrieco8347]

I really love this exercise

[@thebooger_boy4002]

Thanks for making this video. I didn't really know the difference between the two. And now I know that sit-ups aren't good for you, so I'll just do more crunches to compensate.

[@puertoriconnect4611]

Now here’s a man who’s taken more than a just a day trip round The Crunch.

[@mayam4830]

you know nothing of the crunch!

[@pureandsimple5301]

i subbed cos this channel kindly responds every questions =)

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much Amsyong! We will be filming new content soon so let us know if there is anything you would particularly like to see :)

[@golagaz]

Excellent explanation. Brilliant! Thank you.

[@deedeeGM]

Thank you for this demonstration, definitely cleared it up for me :)

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for your feedback Dee, it is much appreciated :)

[@basedcataphract5852]

I've been doing crunches thinking it was a sit up my whole life

[@arpitkumar4525]

Quick and to the point. Great!

[@GuitarBeginners]

wonderful explanation , very few explain in such an effective manner. Appreciable...

[@terragaia86]

This is so helpful. Thank you!!!

[@C.J.J.R]

I search for this because I am getting hip back pain for sit ups. Thank you for the proper crunches tips and techniques. :)

[@C.J.J.R]

Progress: I just made 200 crunches in 1 day. Great exercise to core. :)

[@ghostparty2062]

Awsome 👌 I'm just about to give crunches a try as pretty much any core exercise causes me lower back pain. Hoping this helps.

[@jommasaksimple..3396]

seriously this is the best explanation in details for crunch and situps i've come across. Thank you so much for the video. Kudos!!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for the amazing feedback Jom!

[@iiambalee]

Thankyou so much , I am getting better as more of them .

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much diorr!

[@Rickeeey1]

Crunches always confused me although I have a better grasp of how the exercise is done now. What I'm still not sure about is the part of tightening the muscles when going up and I'm not sure if I do it correctly and it also seems I can't go as far up as was shown in the video, I only lift a bit up from the ground (either because I'm doing it wrong or maybe I'm just not strong enough).

[@garydodd2837]

Thanks for this, i hav always had a problem doing sit ups, thought the crunch was inferior but i from what u hav explained i guess not, will try them, thanks..

[@PlumERia-qs5wk]

I feel so relieved thinking I don't need to go all the way up anymore...

[@Bot-ob1yg]

Fr too hard

[@Liquidcadmus]

Perfectly explained, short and clear.

[@thekekwguy5722]

If it feels like it's stretching your stomach does that mean it's working?

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for the great feedback Liquidcadmus!

[@marthatorres3526]

It's been a while since I've done crunches and as I suspected I was doing them all wrong. Thanks for the video! This helped alot.

[@vioIetee]

dude i just start doing them today and i already feel like giving up lmao

[@glydelol]

i’ve been doing sit-ups this whole time and was struggling and my pe teachers never said anything

[@sardorbekomonkulov6379]

You trust your PE teacher??

[@chaimingyang5706]

Thanks a ton, It's been informative!

[@ThunderStorm_3]

Thanks guys. It helped me a lot....🤘

[@artyomarty391]

i usually do 30 sit ups. Now I tried these 30 crunches. My core hurts more with the crunches but with the sit ups I feel like its more aerobic cuz usually I start to breathe heavily as if I ran 100 meters but the reason I dont like sit ups is because when you do them a lot they become worse for your bones and joints

[@tobilogun8991]

I was today years old when I learnt sit ups & crunches aren’t the same thing 🤯

[@jasomega2446]

Thank you for the information.

[@aquamarinemintakangoddess9073]

Thank you so much for the I fo and tips to correct. Very quick and helpful video

[@GetExerciseConfident]

You are so welcome Jhoselyn!

[@chrislandsmith2260]

THIS MAKES SENSE😱

[@cassandrakemara8755]

thank goodness because i cant do a single sit up

[@wolfeloma]

beautifully demonstrated

[@carmillaaa]

This trainer is so supportive

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much Grace!

[@LuciferFallen_31]

I've been doing crunches in p.e on accident...- when I don't want to finish my sit-ups, I barely do them- and it was exactly like a crunch- no wonder I didn't get in trouble

[@MinxyKitty]

this was very helpful i had no idea that there was a difference in these two exercises. i hope that with this knowledge i can start doing proper crunches and maybe my tummy will start to look less like a potato lmfao!

[@aldinhernandez5196]

Plain and simple I like this

[@6171boots]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@healthi5839]

As a personal training and sports therapy channel, 8 couldn’t agree more with this, everything thinks sit ups are best but your really just exerting more energy and not getting any more benefit from the top part of the sit up!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much Healthi, great to have feedback from another exercise specialist!

[@sisterspoof23]

i feel like i can do a million sit ups but not a single crunch

[@RogueIRL23]

I feel like crunches are easier

[@Simon-bu4kc]

then u either mixed them up or you are doing the sit-up wrong ;)

[@Gl-my8fw]

@@Simon-bu4kc no....situps are way easier and less useful

[@Simon-bu4kc]

@@Gl-my8fw not if you do them the right way. or let's at least say it depends on the kind of sit-up and the kind of crunch you are comparing

[@jessicajessi9674]

Damn situps are tough for me

[@xtremepainful]

Amazing, thanks mate

[@siddharthasrivastava6435]

Thanks..its quite informative video

[@iam_destroyer]

I always felt like crunches were better because I just felt it way more and there was no extra movement to go all the way up. I would always do sit-ups tho because it was more popular up and it was introduced to me first.

[@kelu5439]

I’m gonna do 50 crunches each day for 3 days Edit: Well it formed my abs a bit but I will try more days

[@gidd]

how did it go?

[@tatendatz7340]

You good bro? You still alive

[@Akash-cm5yo]

Does anyone feel a bump near lowet back while doing crunches ?

[@smokeshawt7750]

@@Akash-cm5yo no but that could be cancer

[@arpitkumar4525]

@@Akash-cm5yo Yes I can feel my spine. My spine protrudes a little cause of my years of bad posture.

[@saneleskhosana1850]

This was very helpful!!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks Sanele!

[@moh574]

Thanks for sharing! 🙏

[@scottywhitis6215]

I subbed because this is a really good video

[@malteserb1875]

Same haha

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much Scotty Whitis and Amy Briffa - its brilliant to hear your great feedback and that you have subbed :) If there are any more exercises or videos you would like to see let us know as we would love to hear!

[@urmomjokesRfunny]

Thank you for explaining so well

[@GetExerciseConfident]

So pleased to hear you found it useful Storm Willberg!

[@johng5295]

Thanks in a million. Awesome.

[@beastafdude]

This is so INTERESTING

[@williamwiggins6690]

That was a very good video, I'm trying to get in shape so I can enlist and I just couldn't figure out why crunches sucked so freaking much, turns out I was going too high, bending my neck too much, not supporting my head, and not controlling my descent lollll. Thanks

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for your kind message William - so pleased to hear that the video has been helpful, and great summary of the key points! Best of luck getting in shape and enlisting!

[@crispychris9158]

Do not enlist bro🙏😭

[@monamody5373]

Is it only me that though situps were squats 😂

[@doshi12345]

No even me

[@josephchristopherlewis6020]

Awesome sauce 👌

[@kimberlyhampton5332]

Thank you!

[@Koops2245]

Thanks for this, you've saved me some grief~!!

[@Smokey4462]

Are the crunches equally good for upper, mid and lower abs or do they focus on just one area? What other exercise do you recommend for bringing a big gut under control?

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi alias dak, thanks for your great question. The main muscle worked during the crunch is the rectus abdominis - the muscle that is known to make up the 'six pack'. What is really interesting about the rectus abdominis is that although it looks like multiple muscles, it is actually just a pair of muscles that run down in parallel from the bottom of your rib cage to the front of your pelvis. These two muscles have multiple horizontal 'tendinous intersections' which give the appearance of there being 6-8 separate muscles - but they are actually just a pair of continuous muscles. Therefore, whenever you do a crunch you are working the whole of rectus abdominis and not one particular area (it is impossible to work only a part of it, just like when you do a bicep curl it is impossible to work only part of the bicep). You can feel this for yourself by putting your hand on your lower abdomen whilst you crunch - you will feel the lower part of the rectus abdominis contracting. In terms of reducing the size of your stomach - exercises such as the crunch and the plank (kzbin.info/www/bejne/bH3Uoph4qauhb68) are great for strengthening your core, but the best way to lose weight is through a combination of: 1) Cardio training (in particular interval training is very effective for weight loss). 2) Healthy diet (avoiding processed and sugary foods). 3) Resistance training (science shows that resistance training helps lose weight). We've got some really good circuits on our channel which combine the cardio with resistance training, so feel free to give those a try: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp_agIifma6qncU Hope that helps and please let us know if you have any other questions! And make sure you let us know how you get on :)

[@maygunhance882]

Well here goes. In love with these videis

[@rawanalhamwi7512]

My whole life I thought they were the same exercise but ppl use diff names

[@gisellez]

wow I have been doing crunches wrong this whole time.

[@bethaldaya26]

Nice instruction

[@dash2k8gmail]

Why did the girl swing her arms up during the sit-up? That's not how you're supposed to do it.

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Jesse Lee, thanks very much for your question. With CRUNCHES we agree that it is important to keep your hands by the sides of your head. However, all variations of Sit Ups have negatives and therefore it doesn't really matter whether the arms swing or if the hands are by the side of the head. Negatives of Sit Up variations: a) Swinging the arms: you will rely more on momentum and therefore will not work your abdominal muscles as effectively. b) Hands by the side of the head: you will not use as much momentum, but will engage your hip flexors more, resulting in tight hip flexors, which are not only uncomfortable but also can have a negative effect on posture and are associated with an increased risk of groin strain. This is why CRUNCHES are much BETTER than any variation of Sit Ups - as they work the abdominal muscles more effectively and do NOT tighten the hip flexors. Hope that makes sense, The Get Exercise Confident Team

[@user13976]

Jesse Lee yesssssss i agree

[@CommonCrater]

I was also confused.

[@ItzMidnighti]

Jesse Lee same

[@Candy12438]

Yea

[@varence7007]

i can feel i got pretty solid abs coz ive been doing 100 sit ups everyday but i still have fcking baby fats. gdi

[@juanjimenez-garcia9773]

Crunches don't burn fat they only build muscle.

[@thelegendaryone4566]

Do cardio

[@pilovwithketchup]

Keep doing sit ups until you see your abs trough your fat

[@lettimtt8189]

Tooo😂😫

[@SocialistFinn1]

burning fat and building muscle are separate things. Do cardio if you feel that you have muscles but still too much fat.

[@aratisamaddar3096]

Nice guide

[@xornedge8204]

Thank you very much.

[@asinglepieceoflettuce3938]

That's a big oopsie from me, didn't know the difference

[@elhamhussainemy5116]

Hi. I had a silly question regarding workout in general. I've been working out for a week now and it's already taking me half the time to do the exact things I was doing at the beginning of the week. Does this mean I'm getting stronger or am I doing something wrong? And your video gave me useful insight, so thank you!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Elham - thanks for your great feedback. The speed of the crunch should stay the same - as you need to be doing a controlled movement in order to work the abdominal muscles effectively - (as if you go too fast you will be using momentum instead). However, if you are doing it quicker because you don't need to rest as much between crunches then this means you are getting fitter. Keep up the great work and let us know if you have any other questions. The GEC team.

[@1anushka11a7]

Thank you nice video

[@thetransferaccount4586]

nice one there sir

[@nightflashnfh147]

I don’t know why but my body keeps shaking when i do crunches..am i doing wrong?

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi NightFlash, two questions: 1) Does the shaking start straight straight away or after a couple of crunches? 2) During which part of the crunch is your body shaking (up, down or both)?

[@nightflashnfh147]

Get Exercise Confident 1) it start straightaway sometimes but after a couple of crunches it starts shaking 2)down

[@user-ly7rg3ll4o]

My abs shake when I do the crunches after few times but I guess that's because the body is not trained yet. It's like when I first started weights my arms would shake because I was building the muscle, but it no longer does. Now I'm focusing on my abs and in my situation, it's just that I am trying to gain and define those muscles.

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Nightflash - the going down part of the crunch is actually the hardest part of the exercise (when done correctly with control). So if you have a bit of shaking just with that part then that's ok. You should find that as you get better the shaking will take longer to come on. Hope that helps and let us know how it gets on!

[@nightflashnfh147]

Get Exercise Confident i see, i shall take your advice then. Thank you for the info and help

[@myththanatos6082]

Is it okay if someone is supporting you while doing crunches? (If somebody is stepping or sitting on your feet while doing a crunches)

[@barrywilson6262]

Yes it is but you shouldnt because you would get to reliant

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Thanatos, if you find it more comfortable then yes its fine.

[@waluigihentailover6926]

Thank you! Now I know.

[@nsbr6]

Hey great info 👍🏻 thank u 🙂

[@0miral]

I have literally started working out yesterday and my stomach still hurts

[@megganbeck6772]

How do I keep my feet on the floor ? They always come up when I engage my core because I’m very weak. Maybe I should put my feet under something?

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Kittyin - thanks for your question. We would recommend that you avoid putting your feet under anything - as this will actually result in your hip flexors working more (and therefore your core muscles less). We would recommend that instead you put your feet up on something (like a chair or bed) with your knees bent at a right angle. This will work the abdominal muscles just as well - so give it a go and let us know how you get on!

[@megganbeck6772]

Get Exercise Confident thank you so much! Omg I can really feel my core working hard. Lifting my legs in the air has been perfect for me!

[@GetExerciseConfident]

SO pleased to hear this helped Kittyin! :)

[@harmonymatthews821]

Kittyin Indy 😍😘

[@harmonymatthews821]

o

[@Somerset-In-The-Blood]

Wow this will be better for me to do as I have long-term lower chronic back pain I can't manage sit ups it hurts to much.

[@benmayo7220]

thank you very much!

[@Retalak]

Good thing I can just do these instead. Situps were seriously injuring my tailbone even with padding.

[@iwasanMBTInerd]

Crunches hurt my knees to bend them. Is this a problem?

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Isaac, if the crunch position is hurting your knees then another option is to do the crunches with your feet up on a chair. You might find this helps take the pressure off. Let us know if it works!

[@varshikvallala9610]

Superb explanation 😍😍

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks so much Valalla!

[@samriddhi1389]

Thanks!!

[@deekk2995]

Helpful video.. Keep it coming...but need bit more explanation.

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks Dee KK! Please let us know what you would like more of an explanation of?

[@sufiyansaiyad9259]

My height is 5 feet weight is 57 kg How many cruches i should do to reduce belly fat

[@lautarodiaz5200]

Good nutrition

[@battub7384]

Have a healthy diet...

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Hi Sufiyan. Lautaro and Princexedrhic are both correct - crunches alone won't reduce stomach fat. The best way is a combination of cardio training (eg running /swimming / football), resistance training (eg squats / lunges) and healthy nutrition (low sugar diet). Try giving one of our circuits a go (which combine both): kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp_agIifma6qncU Let us know how you get on!

[@perpetualconfusion5885]

500 a day.

[@Monikainlove]

very helpful thanks

[@whovian5478]

this helped a lot ty

[@GetExerciseConfident]

So pleased to hear!

[@WillFons]

Ive heard some people say crunches are bad, and i dont understand why

[@GetExerciseConfident]

Thanks for your message Will. This may be because there are several mistakes that are commonly made. That's why we point out three of these most common mistakes at 1.49, so that you can master the technique and do the exercise correctly. Hope that helps!

[@cianhughes4438]

They're bad because they can actually strain your back or cause damage. The plank is the best ab exercise as it engages all your core muscles but also improves your back muscles and spine improving your posture

[@abhishekpadwal4939]

IMxYOURxDADDY I think you don't like planks

[@pracik6949]

I thought squats were sit ups 😑😑😑🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[@clairem8071]

I- How did that even happen

[@gopinathm9695]

Mee too... 😹LMAO ( a full squat)

[@Usman.-khan]

Ok we’re all thinking some wrong shit but you my friend are on another level