Sitting up is difficult for your back, which is one of the reasons. In addition to working your hip flexors, which are the muscles that extend from your thighs to the lumbar vertebrae in your lower back, they have the effect of pressing your curved spine into the floor. It is possible for the hip flexors to cause discomfort in the lower back when they are very strong or overly tight. This can cause the lower spine to be pulled on.
Furthermore, in comparison to sit-ups, which only target a select few muscles, plank exercises work a more balanced set of muscles across the front, sides, and back of the body.
It is important to note that activities of everyday life, such as taking a shower, getting out of bed, or going for a walk, as well as sports and leisure activities, require your muscles to operate together rather than in isolation. On the other hand, exercises such as sit-ups or crunches only strengthen a select few muscle groups. A solid core workout, such as plank exercises, helps build the complete set of core muscles that you utilize on a daily basis, leaving you with a body that is stronger and more balanced. This is accomplished through dynamic patterns of movement.
Reading Core Exercises, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, can provide you with additional suggestions on how to build up your core strength that you may implement.
