Recent Blog Articles

Optimism, heart health, and longevity: Unraveling the link for Black Americans

Late-stage cervical cancer on the rise: What to know

A mindful way to help manage type 2 diabetes?

Close relationships with neighbors influence cardiovascular health in Black adults

Why play? Early games build bonds and brain

5 numbers linked to ideal heart health

Rating the drugs in drug ads

Postpartum anxiety is invisible, but common and treatable

The popularity of microdosing of psychedelics: What does the science say?

Pouring from an empty cup? Three ways to refill emotionally
Staying Healthy
Want a stronger core? Skip the sit-ups
Sit-ups once ruled as the way to tighter abs and a slimmer waistline, while "planks" were merely flooring. Now plank exercises, in which you assume a position and hold it, are the gold standard for working your core, while classic sit-ups and crunches have fallen out of favor. Why the shift?
One reason is that sit-ups are hard on your back - they push your curved spine against the floor and work your hip flexors, the muscles that run from the thighs to the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. When the hip flexors are too strong or too tight, they tug on the lower spine, which can create lower back discomfort.
Second, plank exercises recruit a better balance of muscles on the front, sides, and back of the body during exercise than do sit-ups, which target just a few muscles.
Finally, activities of daily living, as well as sports and recreational activities, call on your muscles to work together, not in isolation. Sit-ups or crunches strengthen just a few muscle groups. Through dynamic patterns of movement, a good core workout like plank exercises helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles you use every day.
Image: JohnnyGrieg/Getty Images
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…

Core Exercises: 6 workouts to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve balance
Want to bring more power to athletic pursuits? Build up your balance and stability? Or are you simply hoping to make everyday acts like bending, turning, and reaching easier? A strong, flexible core underpins all these goals. Core muscles need to be strong, yet flexible, and core fitness, like that found in the Special Health Report Core Exercises: 6 workouts to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve balance, should be part of every exercise program.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!