Is it time to skip the sit-ups? A number of experts think so.
The U.S. Navy, for instance, is eyeing a revamp of its twice-yearly physical fitness test to ditch sit-ups, calling it “outdated” and viewing it as a culprit behind lower back injuries.
“Experts say there are better measures of core strength that have the added advantage of being less prone to cheating,” stated a Military Times editorial, citing the plank as a good alternative to accurately measure core strength and avoid muscle strain.
Calisthenic routines such sit-ups have long been used by the military to train and test fitness, depending on the unit they are trying to apply for. Research showed, however, that back strain – one of the most popular injuries from exercise – is commonly caused by sit-ups, and it took quite some time for the military to adopt experts’ opinion on crunches for years now.
In 2013, powerlifter and training figure Jordan Syatt proclaimed that V-ups are both “a waste of time” and a potential danger.
"Like most crunch/sit-up variations, V-Ups force the spine through repetitive flexion and extension while sustaining low magnitude compressive forces," Syatt wrote.
Dr. Stuart McGill of University of Waterloo in Canada also debunked the misconception that crunches lead to six-pack abs, saying they simply stress back muscles and might even cause disc herniation.
The spine biomechanics expert instead suggested a modified form: the hands positioned at the small of the back, a leg straight while the other is bent, and the head and shoulders lifted off the ground and held for 10 counts.
No less than a new report from Harvard Medical School, too, found that the traditional sit-up targets only few muscle groups, versus a good core workout that assists in strengthening the entire core muscle set for daily use.
“[A]ctivities of daily living, as well as sports and recreational activities, call on your muscles to work together, not in isolation,” emphasized the report.
These different voices seemed to be in agreement that the plank pose, a routine where one holds position by balance in a straight line on the forearms and toes, is a better way to go.
According to the Harvard report, planks do a better job at recruiting muscle balance on the front, back, and sides of one’s body while exercising. Sit-ups lack muscle targets, when the human core is way beyond ab muscles.
Syatt echoed these recommendations, promoting a strong, stable core by adhering to ab workouts that force one to resist rather than create movement.
A reboot of the Navy’s annual fitness test is indeed in the works, and it’s not just about the move to “deep-six the sit-up, an outdated exercise today.” Some recommendations to be integrated into the annual test are a 50-yard loaded carry, a kneeling powerball toss, and the single-leg wall squat to gauge ability for lifting heavy items.
Whatever relevant exercise emerges victorious, experts seemed to agree that the sit-up needs to be laid to rest.
“[It’s] an antiquity of exercise best left in the dustbin of fitness history,” said an American Council on Exercise spokesperson to The Wall Street Journal.
Photo : The U.S. Army | Flickr
