The UK’s 100% FREE diets website

I've heard a lot of differing opinions about the effectiveness of sit-ups.

People have told me it's the perfect way to tone up your stomach whilst others have said it does nothing but work the wrong muscles.

My stomach is my problem area so I'm really interested in exercises that can help me tone that area.
Are sit-ups worth it, or is there a better exercise for the stomach-area?

Sit ups and crunches definitely work to tone your tummy and to build a nice six-pack. But if you have a little tummy fat, sit ups and crunches won't necessarily burn that fat any faster. The easiest way to get rid of the belly fat is to get on a healthy diet.

If you are looking to reduce your tummy fat then you need to follow a good healthy diet plan, because without diet plan you can not flatten your stomach, you will also do some abs exercise for that. It will definitely help you out.Thank you.

__________________
Full Spectrum

A constant debate among fitness professionals concerns the effectiveness and safety of the sit-up. Sit-ups can be very effective in building your abs to gain the "six pack," but for people with low back problems and a weak core to begin with, they can pose a tremendous safety issue. An effective alternative to would be the negative sit-up. The negative sit-up is the simply a sit-up performed in reverse.
How to perform a negative sit-up

* Start by sitting with your knees bent and feet firmly on the ground, just as you would be if you had just performed a regular sit-up.
* Place your hands either on your chest or, to increase the degree of difficulty, behind your ears and slowly lower your torso back onto to the ground.
* Try to "roll" your spine down onto the ground starting with your lower back and slowly moving your mid and then upper back to the ground.
* Tempo is the key to building the strength in your abdominals. Try using a 5- to 10-second count when lowering yourself to the ground.
* Have a partner pull you back into the starting position or use your arms to get back up - it's the down phase that we want to focus on here.

Troubleshooting

* If you find you cannot roll each part of your back down, try starting with a quarter of the movement and come back up.
* Do not hold your breath during this exercise - breathe out as you lower yourself down.
* This exercise will fatigue your abs quickly, so if you can only do 2-3 repetitions don't be discouraged!
* If you feel pain in your lower back, STOP! Try doing this slow movement with a crunch first to build more core strength.

Doing the negative sit-up will help you build a stronger, toned midsection.

__________________
Diet & Fitness