Crunches or sit-ups for belly fat—which one should you pick to slim down?
Well, it’s normal to get confused between these two exercises because both of them look pretty similar. The only visible difference is while doing crunches your lower back stays glued to the ground, which is not the case with sit ups.
What’s similar, though, is that both sit-ups and crunches target and tone your core muscles, and that’s precisely the reason why they are often included in the workout routine of people with a belly bulge.
Every fitness trainer or health expert will suggest you perform any one of these exercises to shape your belly. But which is more effective?
To know the answer, read this blog carefully. First, we will start with a quick comparison between crunches vs sit ups for belly fat before giving our final verdict.
Crunches Or Sit Ups for Belly Fat – Which is Better?
If you ask anyone in your gym what exercise burns the most belly fat, 90% of them will tell you about sit-ups and crunches. Both of these exercises are a great way to target your tummy area.
But one should be clear on the fact that they can’t do the fat reduction in a particular area like the tummy. Spot reduction is a myth that has been debunked many times. So, whether it’s sit-ups or crunches, both of them can reduce fat by shaping and toning the belly area.
The only reason fitness trainers relate this exercise with belly fat loss is that they can make your pouch look smaller by building those abdominal muscles.
This essentially is a better strategy to target belly fat as you are building core muscles, and muscle is metabolically active, which will lead to more calorie burn. Calorie burn = belly fat loss.
So, are crunches or sit-ups better for belly fat? Here are some of the major differences between these two to decide the one for you.
Major Differences Between Sit Ups and Crunches
Sit ups and crunches make the abdominal area look small, which is one of the most important advantages of these exercises. They look pretty similar, but there are some differences:
1. Calories Burned
When deciding which is better, crunches or sit-ups for belly fat, the first thing we look for is calories burned. Physical activities that burn more calories in a short period are considered best for fat loss.
We know that sit-ups are often more difficult to perform than crunches because of their range of motion, which is one of the disadvantages of sit-ups. Crunches are more of an isolation exercise whereas sit-ups are like a compound workout.
Compound exercise targets more than one muscle at a time which asks for extra effort. This extra effort burns extra calories which will help lose fat including the belly area.
Thus, sit ups usually targets more muscles, including your chest, neck, and lower legs. This is not the case with crunches. Including sit ups in your routine is a far more better deal due to this factor alone.
2. Abdominal Muscles
As we have discussed, toned abdominal muscles make the belly look smaller. After knowing about the calorie expenditure of crunches vs sit-ups, now it’s time to learn which one builds better muscles.
According to some fitness experts, crunches are much better for building abs as they are more targeted and isolated exercise. So, does it mean doing crunches for belly fat is better than sit-ups?
Probably not because crunches are more focused on the upper abdominal muscle and not the lower abs. Unfortunately, the lower abs is the area where most of the fat gets stored.
In comparison to crunches, sit-ups are better in this regard because they target the whole abdominal muscles, including the lower abs.
By considering these differences, we can say that both exercises are good for reducing belly fat, but sit-ups might be slightly better than crunches.
However, it’s important to know that many fitness trainers don’t recommend their clients to perform sit-ups because it’s much more risky than crunches and puts more strain on your neck if the exercise is not performed correctly.
One can not perform sit-ups without properly arching the back whereas in the crunches, the back never leaves the floor.
So, people with bad backs should choose crunches over sit-ups.
Now, if you have decided which one to use, you must be wondering how much crunches or sit-ups for belly fat are needed.
Crunches Or Sit-Ups – How Many Do You Need to Get Rid of Belly Fat?
By now we know whether crunches or sit-ups are better for belly fat. But what we don’t know is, how many one needs to perform to get rid of belly fat.
Honestly speaking, it depends on the individual. Exercising is not only about numbers but also about intensity and focus.
Doing only 3 to 4 repetitions of crunches or sit-ups in a slow and focused way will be equal to 10 repetitions. But we are humans; we need to have, numbers, data, or information to move forward. So, here are the number of repetitions and sets of crunches or sit-ups for a flat stomach.
How Many Crunches to Do to Lose Belly Fat?
Crunches do not work like magic and cannot make your abdominal fat disappear in just 2 weeks. It needs time and hard work to burn calories and shed fat.
As far as the numbers are concerned, doing 3 sets of 20 to 30 reps will be good in the beginning. Increase those numbers along with intensity and focus as you get better at doing crunches.
How Many Sit-Ups a Day to Lose Belly Fat?
We have discussed in the previous sections that doing crunches to lose belly fat is much easier than sit-ups. This is one of the reasons why doing less number of sit-ups will burn more calories than crunches.
So, if your physical fitness allows you to do 30 reps of crunches in one go, then you will be able to do 15 to 20 sit-ups easily. Perform 3 sets of sit-ups every day, 4 days a week by doing these numbers of reps.
Remember that sit-ups can cause more injuries than crunches, if you’re not careful or do not know the correct exercise form. So, we suggest you talk to a fitness expert first before following this workout routine.
These were the reps and sets of crunches or sit-ups for belly fat for beginners. You can adjust these reps and sets according to your preference. If you have any other queries left, go through these frequently asked questions as they may serve some help.
FAQs
Losing belly fat with just sit-ups and crunches is not everyone’s cup of tea. To make this process easier, you have to take care of the details.
1. Can I do 100 crunches a day to lose belly fat?
You can do even more than a hundred crunches a day. However, it’s better to have a well-rounded workout routine with more variety. Plus, to lose belly fat, first you have to be on a calorie deficit for any exercise to be truly effective.
2. Can you get a flat stomach by doing crunches?
No, you are not likely to get a flat stomach by just doing crunches. It takes a balanced diet along with a disciplined workout routine to lose belly fat and get a flatter stomach.
3. How can I flatten my stomach in a week?
Honestly, there is no healthy way to flatten your tummy in a week. You have to at least give it a month to see noticeable changes, provided you avoid all junk foods, eat your macronutrients in a balanced way, and exercise regularly.
4. What exercises burn the most belly fat?
All the cardiovascular exercises are good for reducing belly fat. Crunches and sit-ups are also great choices to strengthen and tone your core. For the most belly fat burn, incorporate quick-paced walking, leg raises, Russian twists into your workout routine.
Final Note
Choosing crunches or sit-ups for belly fat is indeed a great choice. They will tone your core and work the abdominal muscles for that much needed burn.
Remember these exercises will not spot reduce your fat. The burn will reduce fat from all over the body. When it comes to deciding crunches or sit-ups which one is better for belly fat, sit-ups have an upper hand because it’s a compound exercise and will target multiple muscles for added burn.
Plus, sit ups also work the lower abdomen where most of the belly fat is stored.
If you’re a beginner, try with low reps and sets and gradually increase the numbers as you get stronger. Perhaps, most important aspect is to notice your form to avoid any additional strain on your neck.
However, sit ups might not be the best fit for everyone, especially the elderly, so choose the exercise according to your fitness levels. Additionally, always talk to your fitness expert before opting for any exercise or a workout routine.
So, what are you going to include in your routine to get a flatter belly—sit ups or crunches?