Sit Ups for Single Parents: Worth It or Not?

“Should I still be doing sit ups?” is one of the questions I get asked most, usually by a parent who did them at school, then stopped somewhere between nappies and nursery runs. When you are raising kids on your own, you want to know that the few minutes you spend exercising are worth it. So here is my honest take on sit ups for single parents: whether they are worth your time, how to do them well if you choose to, and what to do instead if you have had a baby or your back is not happy.

Are sit ups still worth doing?

Sit ups have a bad reputation in some corners of the fitness world. The truth is more boring: they are neither magic nor dangerous for most healthy adults. They train the muscles that curl your trunk forward, which you use every time you sit up out of bed, get up off the floor after a game of Lego, or lift a child out of the bath.

Where they fall down:

• They do not burn tummy fat. No exercise targets fat in one spot.
• Done fast and in high numbers, they can aggravate a sore lower back or neck.
• They are not the best first choice soon after pregnancy, especially if you have any tummy separation.
• They only train one direction. Your core also needs to resist twisting and arching.

So my view is: sit ups are a useful tool if you do a modest number, slowly, as part of a balanced routine. They are not the routine.

How to do sit ups for single parents properly

Most people do sit ups by yanking on their neck and flinging themselves up. Try this instead.

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip width apart. Hook your feet under the sofa if you need help, but try without first.
2. Arms crossed over your chest or reaching towards your knees. Avoid hands behind the head while learning, because people tend to pull on the neck.
3. Breathe out and tuck your chin slightly, as if holding a satsuma under it.
4. Peel up one vertebra at a time, ribs towards hips, until you are sitting tall.
5. Lower slowly, taking 3 seconds to roll back down. The lowering is where most of the strength is built.

Watch your tummy as you come up. If it domes or bulges into a ridge down the middle, stop and swap to the alternatives below, and mention it to your GP.

A sensible sit up routine

Twice a week, as part of a 15-minute session after the kids are in bed:

• Sit ups, slow lowering: 3 sets of 6 to 10
• Glute bridges: 3 sets of 12
• Bird dogs: 3 sets of 6 each side
• Side plank from knees: 3 x 20 seconds each side

Rest around 45 seconds between moves.

If full sit ups are too hard

• Negative sit ups: start sitting up and just lower slowly. Roll to your side to come back up.
• Half sit ups: come up until your shoulder blades are off the floor, pause, lower.
• Assisted: hold a towel looped round your feet and help yourself up with your arms.

The postnatal-aware alternative

If you have had a baby, sit ups are usually not where I start. Curling up hard increases pressure inside the tummy, which can be too much for healing abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor. Please check with your GP before returning to exercise; most women have a postnatal check around 6 to 8 weeks. The NHS guide to your 6-week postnatal check explains what it covers, and the NHS page on your post-pregnancy body covers pelvic floor and tummy recovery. If you had a caesarean, recovery can take longer, so read the NHS advice on recovering from a caesarean and get the all-clear first.

Once you have been cleared, this is the gentle progression I use. Work through it over weeks, not days, and ask for a referral to a women’s health physio if anything feels wrong.

1. Breathing with pelvic floor: lie on your back, breathe in to let the ribs widen, breathe out and gently lift the pelvic floor and draw the lower tummy in. 10 slow breaths.
2. Heel slides: keep that gentle connection while sliding one heel away and back. 8 each side.
3. Head lift: breathe out and lift only your head, keeping the tummy flat. 8 reps.
4. Dead bug with feet on the floor: lower one foot to tap the floor at a time. 6 each side.
5. Partial curl-up: only once there is no doming, and only with your physio or GP’s okay.

Many single mums do this with the baby lying on their chest or beside them on a play mat, which makes it one of the easiest postnatal routines to actually stick to. For more on this topic, see my posts on exercise after a C-section and pelvic floor and exercise classes.

Making it work in a busy solo household

A few tricks that help single parents I coach:

• Morning sit ups before you get up. Five slow reps on the floor next to the bed before the kids wake.
• Give-me-five sit ups. Your child holds up a hand; you sit up and high-five it each rep. Slow lowering included.

If time and childcare are the real problem, the hub post on single parent fitness is where I would start.

Where a bootcamp class fits

In my bootcamp classes, sit ups are just one option on the menu. If they are not right for you that day, I give you a different move that trains the same area, without fuss or anyone watching. Groups are small, so I can spot neck pulling or tummy doming and fix it there and then. The SYP Built To Last functional strength class is a good fit if you want a solid, all-round core.

FAQs

Are sit ups or crunches better?

Crunches are a shorter range and a little easier on the back for some people. Full sit ups also work the hip flexors. Neither is essential; pick whichever you can do with good control and no discomfort.

How many sit ups should I do a day?

You do not need to do them every day. Two or three sessions a week of 2 or 3 slow sets of 6 to 10 is plenty for most beginners.

When can I do sit ups after giving birth?

There is no single date. Get your postnatal check with your GP first, usually around 6 to 8 weeks, and build up from gentle core work. If you notice tummy doming, leaking or heaviness, ask for a women’s health physio referral.

Do sit ups hurt your back?

Slow, controlled sit ups are fine for most healthy people. If you have back pain, swap to dead bugs or bird dogs and check with your GP or a physio.

Book your first class

If you would rather be coached than guess, come and try a session. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19 with a maximum of 10 people, every exercise has an easier and harder option, and it is £15 a class. Book your £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. Mums who want more tailored postnatal support can also look at my personal training for women in Archway.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.