Sit-ups: Why You Should Stop If you're ready to get rid of your love handles and replace them with rock-hard abs, then go easy on the sit-ups. Doing a million crunches or sit-ups will leave you with a super-sore gut instead of the super-sexy six-pack you're striving for. Overdoing sit-ups will just put strain on your muscle and could end up hurting your back. One set of 10 properly done sit-ups is good for a beginner. As you get better, add another sit-up, then a few more sets.
