Short answer
Yes, sit ups are bad for you, especially if you aren't doing them correctly. There are many alternatives that put less stress on your body.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Originating from the military as an abdominal strengthening fitness routine, sit ups are a very common workout seen today. Unfortunately, many people do sit ups on a daily basis without recognizing how much stress they are putting on their back and neck. When flexing your back during a sit up, the vertebrae in your spine exhibits a huge amount of stress. A study done by Stuart McGill in 1995 shows that one sit up can put over 3,000 N of force (around 675 lbs.) on your spine. Doing this for a long time can eventually result in nerve damage, bulging / herniated discs, and compressed vertebrae. Another disadvantage of sit ups, is they only focus on your abs. Other alternatives to sit ups focus on your entire core (deep muscles in your back, abdomen, and pelvis area), which in turn helps your overall posture and offers protection to back injuries. So why not choose a healthier alternative that helps strengthen more of your core while saving your neck and spine?
Possible short-term side effects
- stress on neck
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stress on back
Possible long-term side effects
- bulging or herniated discs
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compressed vertebrae
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nerve damage
Benefits
Healthier alternatives
- planks
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leg raises
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ab wheel rollouts
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windshield wipers
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cable crunches
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Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Brendan Quigley
Published on: 12-27-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Brendan Quigley
Published on: 12-27-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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