Are Sit-Ups Pointless For Losing Belly Fat?

NFH

26, male, 6 foot, 180 pounds, slim with bit of a belly.

Right now just trying to gain muscle. Doing a mon, wed, fri, sat split session routine in weights and not doing any cardio because just focusing on gaining muscle.

My diet is good for weight gaining and I dont eat any crappy food with little fat intake.

Just want to know if it is pointless for me to do sit ups every moring on top of what im doin to try to keep the belly in check.

I know you cant spot reduce fat (altough that seems odd seeing as I can certainly spot increase my fat:mad:) but I would assume it would have to be somewhat benificial to do a 20 min abs session every morning.

cowzerp

YES.

tlev

Hmmm...yes

NFH

Ok, well then is there any kind of 20 to 30 minute circuit training routine I could do every morning to help with reducing body fat but that wont hinder muscle gaining.

I do weights in the evenings. Monady(chest/biceps), Weds(back), Fri(shoulders/triceps), Sat(legs).

Perhaps this routine in itself is enough to keep my metabolism high enough to keep body fat low and I should just be a "saint" when it comes to my diet?

My main goal is gaining muscle and I've been told doing cardio while trying to gain is just counter-productive, if this is so, I can live with the bit of a belly until I get to a size I'm happy with and then start cardio. The only thing is it can take years to get to a good size.

cowzerp

30 mins cardio will not ruin your muscle building chances, might help you cut some fat-might.

hallelujah

NFH wrote: »

26, male, 6 foot, 180 pounds, slim with bit of a belly.

Right now just trying to gain muscle. Doing a mon, wed, fri, sat split session routine in weights and not doing any cardio because just focusing on gaining muscle.

My diet is good for weight gaining and I dont eat any crappy food with little fat intake.

Just want to know if it is pointless for me to do sit ups every moring on top of what im doin to try to keep the belly in check.

I know you cant spot reduce fat (altough that seems odd seeing as I can certainly spot increase my fat:mad:) but I would assume it would have to be somewhat benificial to do a 20 min abs session every morning.

I'm in the same position.. Would you mind posting your diet?

Remmy

doing 30 minutes or so to improve conditioning isn't going to affect you gaining size providing you are eating enough.

short but intense stuff like dumbell thrusters,burpees,skipping are all good.Just try not to pick exercises that will effect your performance on the big lifts that you might have the day after.


check this site out for some ideas.
http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/

BossArky

Remmy wrote: »

short but intense stuff like dumbell thrusters,burpees,skipping....

+1

DeVore

The only way doing sit ups may help is if you had poor definition there in the first place.... in which case building some defined muscles there might make any fat look less , well, fat.

For fat loss, my personal choice is cycling... weight will fall off you and it shouldnt bother muscle building at all. second choice would be swimming but I go with the bike every time...


DeV.

NFH

What about 20 minute runs every morning. I have a treadmill at home and I could do a high intensity run every morining for 20 mins at a pace thats lets say just below sprinting so at the end of the run I would be f**ked. If I were to do that EVERYDAY, would this be enough to aid fat loss but also not too much to effect muscle gain. I used to do long 45 minute runs on the treadmill every second day in between weights but didnt notice a whole lot with regard to fat loss.

metamorphosis

Diet is KEY

The phrase 'abs are made in the kitchen' exists for a reason.

You can do all the training in the world but if the diet is not set to meet your goals you running an endless roadPost up a typical days doet in full warts and all and you will get some more advise from others. Many people think they have a good doet, when in fact, they do not.

O.P.H

I'm not looking for washboard abs, I'm just looking to tone up some of that belly fat. My diet is good trust me. Can someone answer my question from my last post please.

squod

O.P.H wrote: »

I'm not looking for washboard abs, I'm just looking to tone up some of that belly fat. My diet is good trust me. Can someone answer my question from my last post please.

Yes

NFH

So doing a high intensity 20 min run every morning to reduce body fat wont have any negative effects on me gaining muscle?

It wont negate the weights session I did the night before or anything?

**Timbuk2**

NFH wrote: »

So doing a high intensity 20 min run every morning to reduce body fat wont have any negative effects on me gaining muscle?

It wont negate the weights session I did the night before or anything?

No.. not at all!

NFH

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

No.. not at all!

Ok, but will a 20 minute fast run everyday be any good at shifting body fat, provided diet is good and keeping in mind I do weight 4 times a week?

jdivision

NFH wrote: »

with little fat intake.

.

That suggests to me your diet probably isn't where it should be. To echo the others, post what you eat as this will be the key for you getting rid of it.

D.R cowboy

Take a cod liver oil table and a zinc table before you go to bed and this will make your metabolism go fast and you will loss weight while your sleeping, A study carried out by the University of London found that people who took a zinc supplement had a faster metabolism that those who had less zinc in there body.

NFH

D.R cowboy wrote: »

Take a cod liver oil table and a zinc table before you go to bed and this will make your metabolism go fast and you will loss weight while your sleeping, A study carried out by the University of London found that people who took a zinc supplement had a faster metabolism that those who had less zinc in there body.

Hmmm, thats interesting, cheers.

As for the diet, there's no need for me to post it cause the little fat I might have would be somethin like cheese and buter in a wholemeal bread chicken sandwich or butter in my scrambled eggs. Fat yes, but I dont wanna be a robot about things, I eat absoloutely no crap so those little things like butter or the odd bit of cheese is just for my own sanity. I'll give the running, cod liver oil and zinc a go and see how that works.

itsallaboutheL

D.R cowboy wrote: »

Take a cod liver oil table and a zinc table before you go to bed and this will make your metabolism go fast and you will loss weight while your sleeping, A study carried out by the University of London found that people who took a zinc supplement had a faster metabolism that those who had less zinc in there body.

I imagine folding Zinc Tables would be pretty handy storage-wise.....

NFH

Oh he meant whole zinc tables? I don't think I can be arsed takin that much zinc to be honest.

Transform

it does not matter that you eat no crap. what matters is whether your current diet is getting you to where you want to be.

I have lots of clients come to me telling me they do not eat this or that yet still look out of shape or have areas they need big work on.

Thats the whole reason behind the stickies - read them

Finally, zinc and cod liver oil are great but will in no way beat a good weights session (30mins) with 10mins intervlas at the end for increasing metabolism

Esse85

Just make sure you fuel up before HIT

NFH

Esse85 wrote: »

Just make sure you fuel up before HIT

What you on about?

Esse85

Look it up, you might learn something.

NFH

Esse85 wrote: »

Look it up, you might learn something.

Look mate, why don't ya keep your odd posts to yourself and go be a dick somewhere else. I know what HIT is, I just wanted to know what you were on about cause you brought it up as if we had been talkin about it.

BossArky

NFH wrote: »

Look mate, why don't ya keep your odd posts to yourself and go be a dick somewhere else. I know what HIT is, I just wanted to know what you were on about cause you brought it up as if we had been talkin about it.

Careful now.

Esse85

NFH wrote: »

Look mate, why don't ya keep your odd posts to yourself and go be a dick somewhere else. I know what HIT is, I just wanted to know what you were on about cause you brought it up as if we had been talkin about it.

Im sorry that you didnt understand me, I didnt realize what little knowledge you have.

With your attitude anyone would think your 16 and not 26.

Esse85

NFH wrote: »

I used to do long 45 minute runs on the treadmill every second day in between weights but didnt notice a whole lot with regard to fat loss.

Then you must of had a poor diet.

Remmy

Op,
Can you verify what is it that you want?You are on a weight gaining diet.Unless it is over the top a little extra bodyfat is to be expected.It's a good sign. It means your taking in enough calories.
There have been plenty of good suggestions on different conditioning and cardio methods.
You have the choice of adding some cardio in or slowly dropping back the calories you take in.simple as.

If you post up your diet people will have a better idea on where you are going.

--SmItHy--

I've the same problem but resolving it in a way, im 17, 6 foot and weigh 13 stone. i have the stubborn fat but its fading into hardened muscle. I just do ab workouts. 3 sets 10 minutes each, weight training and 30 minute run every morning. Healthy diet is the key though, energy is needed for these workouts.