20 sit ups a day - anyone like to join me?

[mabel1973]

In a vain attempt to get some kind of stomach back after recently having my 3rd baby, i decided I might need some moral support.

My plan is I am going to do 20 sit-ups every day this week - it should take 5 minutes? Should be able to fit it in somewhere during the day.
Next week 30 a day, weeks after 40 etc.
I am going on holiday on the 1st august, I would love to be able to go and buy myself a really nice well fitting bikini to take with me.
So if anyone would like to join me so we can give each other some support - then please do!

A good idea. I'm trying to reclaim my body after dc4 and my tummy needs all the help it can get. Will start with 20 tomorrow.

lol at starting tomorrow!

I'll join too

I have done mine this morning. I need all the help I can get, Dh and the DC's are taking me out for fish and chips later

There are more effective ways to tone stomach than traditional sit ups. Some pilates moves are excellent and see reults much quicker

I'm in, shall go and do mine once I get off MN

well done mabel, you deserve those chips!

mrsmaidamess - please let me know! I am willing to try anything.

I am doing a yoga position as well, i think it's called the boat? Which is supposed to be quite good.
You sit on your bum, lean backwards slightly, put your arms straight out in front of you and then lift your legs up, if you can straighten them, all the better.

Nooooooooooo

Am going to do pelvic lifty things too. I have a Joanna Hall DVD that has some great stomach exercises but it takes ages to get it in dvd player and fired up so I never bother!

done them [smug]
see you all tomorrow!

well done Belgo!
Go enjoy your newly tight abs!!!!

Jackbauer - good idea pelvic floor things

Yes the boat is good. The best one I've tried is this..its akiller but great

Lie on your back with your legs up at right angles over your hips. Arms by your sides, palms down. Put your heels together so your feet are in a 10 to two position, and extend your legs slightly, push your heels away.

Lift your head and shoulders off the floor like you are doing a sit up, only come up a little way.
Lift your arms off the floor and move them a tiny amount up and down as fast as you can, flapping them but keeping them and hands straight. Go really fast! You will feel a pull in your stomach.

Done mine!
Also did lower stomach ones where you lie on your back, raise your knees up to your chest and then lower your feet slowly to the floor and back up again.
They work the lower (extra flabby on me) bit.

Couldn't do 30 though

mrsmaidamess - i remember those vaguely from pilates are they called hundreds?? hundreds and thousands??

ooo JB - you are extra keen!
With all these different variations on stomach toning my plan of doing it in a spare 5 minutes will go out the window....

oh lovely fish and chips by the way...
happy mothers day everyone

Yep there are much better ways to strenthen tummy muscles - crunches suck, and they will likely damage your back.
Google - Plank, Side Plank, reverse crunch, flutters for starters

Plank rocks, and when you get reeely good you can balance a small child on you and still do it! Much more effective and less stressful on the joints.

morning ladies! done your sit ups yet?
I have {much smugness}
I remember plank from yoga - will try that as well.
Although having said that did yoga continuously for a year after having DS2 and saw no improvement whatsoever in my physique!

done it miss!

Done! Had to wait until sick children were sleeping...

Oh, and that plank thing is fecking hard

I can do the Plank thing for 2 seconds at most!

haven't planked today - might try later....

boat thing also v painful - managed a very quick 10 seconds.....so prob more like 5

Ha ha!! Yep! Plank is a real core strength exercise. Ensure that your bum isn't in the air and that you don't hvae a drop in your lower back (hips too low). Just work on squeezing that belly button into your back, bracing your abs and breathing!

If you can't manage 10-15secs, start with the same movement but on your knees and your thighs about 45degs to the floor to build up, so your bodyweight is travelling forward slightly.

Later you can do the side plank.........!!

You are better off trying to do 3 sets of say 12 and then next week 3 sets of 15 than doing 20 all at once - or even 2 sets of 12 etc than a big run of them.