Overview
A regular weight training and exercise routine doesn’t have to involve going to the gym or owning equipment. You can build muscle and get your heart pumping anywhere, using your own body weight. Situps and pushups help tone and develop lean and strong muscles. Situps work your core and lower back muscles; pushups work upper and lower body muscles. With regular practice, these exercises will help you maintain good stamina, balance and health.
Abdominal Muscles
Situps target your abdominal muscles -- particularly the rectus abdominis -- while pushups also aid in strengthening your core muscles, which are engaged while helping to support and stabilize your body. A strong core will help you carry out other activities with more ease, such as lifting a box or playing tennis.
Upper Body Muscles
Build upper body strength with pushups. With every pushup, you’re strengthening and toning arm, chest, shoulder and back muscles. Regular pushup exercise helps you gain more control over your daily movements because of the increased upper-body muscle tone and strength.
Stability and Balance
Regular situp and pushup workouts train your muscles -- including your abdomen, back, shoulder, arms and hips -- to work together, which creates more overall body stability and balance. A solid upper body and core allows you to perform other types of exercise with more confidence. For example, yoga and Pilates routines incorporate similar exercises that engage both the upper body and core muscles. Performing situps and pushups, therefore, adds to the overall balance and poise that yoga and Pilates devotees gain.
Health
Performing a regular routine of situps and pushups helps sustain your overall health. For example, well-toned abdominal muscles improve your digestion and posture, which in turn helps to improve the flow of oxygen and blood throughout the body. Strong core muscles can prevent lower back pain. Doing pushups and situps also helps you maintain muscle mass throughout your life.
Appearance
A regular routine of situps and pushups can create a shapely and finely sculpted physique, flatten your abs and give you the much-desired six-pack look, with a muscular but lean upper-body silhouette.
