crunches/sit-ups

[KittyKatt]

Do crunches and sit ups actually do anything? Everything I read is conflicting.

[TracyK]

They do when they are done properly, but they're not going to tone you until you get rid of all the fat that's covering up your muscles. So, if you still have weight to lose, you'll need to get rid of the excess fat first before you have any luck with this type of exercise.

[Charlotte]

They won't help you burn fat but they will tighten and tone your abs. As TracyK said, until you burn the fat away, you're not going to see any benefits from crunches or situps. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't do that, just don't expect to see anything until you've got that flat tummy already. Also, if you do decide to do them, make sure you do them properly, because it's really easy to injure your neck and spine if you do them wrong.

[TinaDancer]

That's exactly it, Charlotte! It helps muscle, not fat.

[Bean]

They won't help you burn fat but they will tighten and tone your abs. As TracyK said, until you burn the fat away, you're not going to see any benefits from crunches or situps. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't do that, just don't expect to see anything until you've got that flat tummy already. Also, if you do decide to do them, make sure you do them properly, because it's really easy to injure your neck and spine if you do them wrong.

Do you not burn any fat at all by doing these exercises? Are they just for muscle building?

[TroyBurger]

They are primarily for muscle building. To burn fat you need to burn calories. You'll burn calories when you do situps and crunches, just not enough that it will matter in the grand scheme of things. That's why you need to do cardio, which will help you burn way more. That said, ever little bit does help!

[Whirlybird]

When you build muscle, your muscles will burn more calories. But the exercises themselves don't do much

[M-Stark334]

When you build muscle, your muscles will burn more calories. But the exercises themselves don't do much

That's exactly it.It's not that they are bad exercises, it's just that they aren't great for fat loss.