300 Sit Ups per day for 365 Days

March 4th 2012.

Today I am embarking on a new challenge.

300 Sit Ups per day for 365 Days

Why? Because I want to have really nice abs and it is a completely doable challenge. Since the start of January 2012 I have been doing 300 to 500 jumping jacks per day as part of my cardio routine since I don't bicycle much in the winter and its more difficult to get cardio in the winter.

The thing about sit ups is that they're essentially just cardio, but they target the abs and core muscles (similar to yoga, a separate fitness goal of mine for 2012 which I will discuss in a different post).

The thing about sit ups is that they are a tad boring for most people... so here is a few things to do to make them more interesting.

#1. Find a song you would NEVER get bored of. Play that song once in the morning, once when you get home from work and once before bed. Do 100 situps during the duration of the song. That is my plan at least. I may even change the song from time to time depending on my mood.

#2. Make the sit ups more challenging by holding small weights.

#3. Add even more challenge by doing it on a reclined angle where your head is lower than your feet. You may want to research different ways to do this. Myself I am using the edge of my bed wherein my top torso is over the edge and I have to hold myself steady in the air whilst doing sit ups. There are also reclined benches you can purchase. Lots of options if you want a challenge.

#4. Add some kind of mental mind game to the exercise. Try to solve a riddle or a 1 minute mystery while counting your 100 sit ups. 1 Minute Mysteries are basically short mysteries with often funny answers.

ie. Robert and Carol and Stephen and Andrea all live in the same house. Robert and Carol go out to a movie, and when they return, Andrea is lying dead on the floor in a puddle of water and glass. It is obvious that Stephen killed her but Stephen is not prosecuted or severely punished.

Answer: Andrea is a goldfish; Stephen is a cat.

Just Google 1 Minute Mysteries and you will find hundreds of such little mysteries you can try and solve while exercising.

#5. Some people even like to read while doing sit ups. If it works for you, sure, just do it.

Other than that sit ups are really just something simple and easy you can add to your fitness routine. A 100 to 300 sit ups per day is all this is necessary for a good ab workout. You don't need to over do it with sit ups.

If you don't normally do sit ups or similar exercises you will notice significant abdominal strength increase over 1 month of doing them. If you're already pretty fit you won't see a huge change, but you will still gain the physical benefits of more toned abs and an easy to do (but short) cardio routine.

If you are suffering from a flabby tummy you won't see any weight loss from doing sit ups. To see huge fat loss you need to be running, cycling, swimming, etc. Ab workouts are really more for people who have already shed a chunk of fat and are looking to tone up their muscles.