Setting big goals and shooting for the stars often begins with the best of intentions, but getting started usually feels overwhelming. With a goal so big, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Which is why I love fitness challenges.
Fitness challenges of all kinds start out small and gradually increase in repetitions or intensity as time passes. After a certain number of days or weeks, you’ll have built up to your goal little by little.
Related: 3 Genius Strategies to Achieve Your Fitness Goals
This 30 Day Crunch and Sit Up Challenge breaks down each ab exercise with a daily number of repetitions that gradually increase over time.
By adding just a few more repetitions each day, your strength will increase along with the exercise to help you complete more core work than you ever thought possible.
Core strength is essential for overall health, but many of us fail to include targeted ab exercises in our regular training routines. It’s easy to fit in some cardio outdoors or at the gym, but after a lengthy workout, the last thing anyone wants to do is add on an addition ab routine.
This Crunch & Sit Up Challenge is the perfect addition to any training routine. Completing the daily ab exercises takes less than 5 minutes and can be completed anywhere – including right at home in your living room.
What’s the difference between a crunch and sit up?
Two of the most common ab exercises are crunches and sit ups, and for good reason. These exercises target the entire core, helping build strength among your abs. When completed correctly, crunches and sit ups also encourage back strength as well.
The main difference between a crunch and a sit up is that a sit up involves lifting your upper body all the way up, until it is completely vertical. In contrast, crunches involve lifting your upper body just a few inches into the air before lowering it back to the floor.
Related: 10 Bodyweight Core Exercises for an Epic Ab Workout
While there are many beneficial ab exercises, adding just crunches and sit ups to your daily exercise routine has the power to drastically increase your overall core strength.
However, the challenge with crunches and sit ups is being able to complete the exercise correctly. You’ll need to ensure that your neck, jaw and chest do not strain in any way as you lift your upper body from the floor. Be intentional with each repetition and focus on isolating your core and using it to raise your upper body from the floor.
30 Day Crunch & Sit Up Challenge
In this 30 Day Crunch and Sit Up Challenge, each day has a designated number of crunch and sit up repetitions to complete. It starts out simple, with just 10 crunches and 5 sit ups, and gradually builds over 30 days. By day 30, you’ll complete 60 crunches and 50 sit ups.
This ab challenge is structured in a way that will help you gain strength while simultaneously increasing the number of repetitions. Although the intensity increases each day, you likely won’t even realize it because your core strength will be increasing as well.
There are only two ab exercises during this challenge: crunches and sit ups.
Crunches
To complete a crunch, begin by lying flat on your back. Bend your knees and plant the soles of your feet on the floor a few inches away from your hips. Bring your hands behind your head, and engage your core to lift your head, neck, shoulders and upper back off the floor.
Be sure not to strain the neck, and maintain a light touch with your fingertips on your head to avoid using your arms for extra support. Rise up about a foot off the floor and then lower back down to repeat.
Sit Ups
To complete a sit up, you’ll want to begin in the same position as a crunch. Lying on your back, plant the soles of your feet on the floor and bring your hands to the back of your head.
Engage your core muscles to lift your upper body off the floor, this time continuing to lift until you are sitting straight up. Lower your upper body back down to the floor slowly and with control, and then repeat.
Download the 30 Day Crunch and Sit Up Challenge PDF (for free)!
This Crunch and Sit Up Challenge is an excellent addition to any training plan! Regardless of your current exercise routine, you’ll be able to add in a few daily sit ups and crunches to improve your overall core strength and gain healthy ab muscles.
Download the 30 Day Challenge PDF for free to get started any time!
Accomplishing big goals may feel a bit out of reach without a plan, but by breaking them down into small, daily goals, you might surprise yourself with what you are capable of.
Try this 30 Day Crunch and Sit Up Challenge now to gain strength for the new year!