As far as ab exercises go, this used to be the one and only. Thing is, after you raise your back off of the floor a few inches, you aren't doing much for your core. "The abdominals' optimal range of motion is relatively short," says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. "Sit-ups take you past this range, and that extra motion doesn't do much for your abdominal muscles."
Worse, that extra motion can wreck your back. A traditional sit-up exceeds the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety's recommended limits for lower-back compression. Translation: Over time, sit-ups increase the risk and prevalence of lower-back disorders. When you flex your spine—bending it forward over and over again and compress it under your torso's weight, you risk bulging discs, says Stuart M. McGill, PhD, director of the spine biomechanics laboratory at the University of Waterloo. (Here are his alternatives: The 5 Best Ab Exercises)
See More At The 3 Worst Ab Exercises of All Time
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