Are Sit-Ups Done on a Slant Board Effective?

Sit-ups on an incline can increase the difficulty of a normal sit-up.

According to The Citadel, the military college of South Carolina, you should perform sit-ups three to five times each week to strengthen your core muscles. To see results, also maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

How to Perform the Exercise

According to The Citadel, to perform sit-ups on a slant board, you need to lie on the slant board with your feet on the higher end of the board. Place your hands behind your head, as with a normal sit-up, and bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Sit up and touch your elbows to your knees, go back down slowly and repeat up to 30 times. If this becomes too easy, raise the slant board so that you have to work even harder to do the sit-up.

Why It's Effective

According to All About Abs, sit-ups performed on an incline are very effective because your muscles have to work against gravity to complete the movement, increasing your strength more quickly.

How to Improve

One reason incline sit-ups on a slant board are so effective is because you can increase the difficulty by adjusting the slant board. So, unlike with a normal sit-up, you can continue to increase your strength and work harder over time. You can also hold a weight in your hands while completing the movement to add another degree of difficulty. Additionally, you can twist at the top of the movement to add an oblique twist, working the abdominal muscles on your side.

References

• The Citadel Military College of South Carolina: How to Improve Your Ability to do Sit-ups
• All About Abs: Tips on How to Perform Incline Sit-ups
• Ab Exercises ABC: Incline Sit-up Guide