Why don't situps make my stomach flat?
83046
situps tone your muscle, which wil slowly help burn the fat over the muscle, but watching what you eat will help you get there faster
512410
doing the sit ups may actually be causing the muscles to build up behind your stomach and cause it to look fat\n\ntry walking, bike riding, swimming, aerobics, pilates or the rowing machine previously mentioned (a combination of all of these would be great!) \n\nhave fun with it- and even if your body isn't perfect- who cares!?!? you are who you are on the inside- not the outside!\n\nsusan
340000
Don't worry about it, it's just that your stomach muscles aren't used to the exercise from the situps. If you do them every day your muscles will get used to it and it won't hurt anymore. And well done for trying to lose weight :o) it will help with the symptoms of the PCOS.
1089737
for an effective sit up, you need to make sure you are using your stomach(abs) and only your stomach to pull yourslef up, not your back
93996
Sometimes it's genetic, unfortunately.  Also, sometimes it is due to improper breathing during ab exercises.  For situps and crunches, make sure you breath out when you go up, and back in when you go down.  This will prevent the muscles from sticking out.\n\nAlso, they have proven that drinking too much soda can have the same effect that "beer belly" has, due to the amount of carbonation and sugars.
79729
Sit-ups mess with your back and are unnecessary.  Crunches, forward and to both sides, are going to concentrate only on those muscles.  As you get stronger hang from you knees on a bar and do crunches that way.  The more you do the more you can do.  When It's burning it's working.  If you don't have  a lot of fat over those muscles you'll be there in a few weeks, or even less.  Once you reach the burn get to where you like it.  It's sort of an addiction.  At first it's a bad feeling but then you start craving it.  But you need that to get a real solid six pack.
631603
You don't give a lot of information, but provided you're already in pretty decent shape, doing work on your abdominal muscles and also working your back muscles will help fill out your torso and improve your posture, making your tummy both look flatter and be in better shape overall.
884871
crunches and push ups, for crunches you only bend your stomache upwards, as if u were crushing nuts on ur belly, dont do situps, bad for the lower back\nnow push-ups are good, and there are differemt kinds for different muscles!\nok so we start with your hands shoulder width apart. this works out your chest. next you put your hands very close together, touching, as if your making a diamond with your hands. this works out mainly your triceps. next put your hands further out then shoulder width. this workd out shoulders and a little bit of your back. obviousely all are push ups so they work out your chest always. for added dificulty put your feet on a chair to do them, this applys more weigh. it also works out upper chest rather than mid chest, same deal if u elevate your front half, but only slightly on this one because this aleviates weight, the higher this slant the easier, but it works lower chest\n\nhopes this helps with ur limited space
104566
running really works the stomach, if you do a combination of crunches, situps, then try twisting your torso when you do a situp that works the obliques, and then lay on the floor and hold your feet a couple inches off the floor and raise them up and when you come down stop a couple inches before you touch the floor that will really work the lower abs
497544
the best ways to flatten your stomach is to do different kinds of crunches and sit-ups, do this 4 about 10-15 minutes a day and i garentee u will have flatter abes in less then 2 weeks!
382650
You need to work on your abs and your lower back. Those muscles work together. If your abs are weak, you probably have a weak lower back as well.  That will make you slouch, make your stomach stick out more and cause lower-back pain and even constipation if your intestines are too crunched from your bad posture.  (My personal trainer taught me all this.)\nImagine this: your head is a block of wood.  So are your shoulders, your hips, your knees and your feet. Each block is attached to the next by a cord.  On top of your head is a balloon. Feel the balloon rise and pull all of the blocks into alignment. That's how you want to stand and sit.  Your shoulders should be slightly back.  If you are standing still, tilt your pelvis slightly forward and bend your knees just a bit. You'll feel your spine settle right into  your pelvic girdle. It's very comfortable. (That part's from my Chi Gong teacher.)
121786
Steam roller.  But actually crunches do help by retaining your guts.  With weak abdominal muscles all your guts just kind of spill over.  If you tighten up your abs you'll have a flatter stomach even if there still is flab in front.  Of course if theres an excessive amount of fat that won't make much difference, but muscle still burns fat. Again sensible diet and exercise and slow steady dedication are the best answer.  If you don't like that, go with the steam roller option.
291965
You actually can't make your stomach thin with JUST sit ups.  Sit ups (and other stomach-focusing exercises) will help build MUSCLE in the stomach (abs) area, which can help, but to actually make the bulge disappear you'll have to ALSO do some type of cardio.  And, watch what you eat.  You can't expect to lose the tummy and not make some changes in your diet as well.  My advice, have a cardio regimine, AND do the situps.  And don't get frustrated if you don't see results right away... there is no magic thing out there that will make it all happen in a week.  Keep at it, and you may be surprised with what you see in a few months, and if you keep it up, your tummy will be sexy as any pop stars.  Oh, but you should probably talk to a doctor before you start any kind of exercise routine.  It's always a good idea.  Good luck!
95303
In general, unless you are already have a low percent of body fat, you will loose body fat in the reverse order you put it on.  That is, if your belly then your chest, then your rear increased in size as you gained weight - it will loose it in rear, chest, belly order.\n\nAlthough you can exercise muscles at a specific area, the fat does not go away in that particular area. So doing sit-ups is excellent, but none of it will show till you get rid of the fat... But because of the order it might be th last thing that shows.
930817
Lots of sit-ups, make them a regular everyday thing and it will disappear, it can happen man ! so go make it happen! it will take a bit of effort though i won't lie.
999071
yep, crunches or sit ups.  U don't have to lay all the way down on the floor, clasp your hands behind your head and then just bring your shoulders up to your knees that are bent and then don't go all the way back down on the floor.  That is the way they do it in the military and man it works, hurts like the dickens, but works.  Good nutrition and drinking lots of water does help but exercise will tighten up those muscles and your belly will be flat before u know it!
627863
One thing you shouldnt expect to happen is to do situps and crunches to flatter your stomach. This is will just strenghthen the muscles inside but it wont get rid of the fat thats lieing above. To get rid of this fat, you have to do cardio (combine situps or weights and it will work better). The more intense you do it, the less amount of time you have to spend and it burns more fat that way. Try HIIT. Its a great way. Read here and im sure it will get you alot of confidence that it will work.\n\nhttp://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp\nHope this helped!