Exercise Comparison
3/4 Sit-Up vs Stomach Vacuum




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
3/4 Sit-Up
Lie down on the floor and secure your feet. Your legs should be bent at the knees.
Place your hands behind or to the side of your head. You will begin with your back on the ground. This will be your starting position.
Flex your hips and spine to raise your torso toward your knees.
At the top of the contraction your torso should be perpendicular to the ground. Reverse the motion, going only ¾ of the way down.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Stomach Vacuum
To begin, stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart from each other. Place your hands on your hips. This is the starting position.
Now slowly inhale as much air as possible and then start to exhale as much as possible while bringing your stomach in as much as possible and hold this position. Try to visualize your navel touching your backbone.
One isometric contraction is around 20 seconds. During the 20 second hold, try to breathe normally. Then inhale and bring your stomach back to the starting position.
Once you have practiced this exercise, try to perform this exercise for longer than 20 seconds. Tip: You can work your way up to 40-60 seconds.
Repeat for the recommended amount of sets.
Verdict
Both exercises target the abdominals. 3/4 Sit-Up is a beginner exercise using bodyweight, while Stomach Vacuum is beginner and uses bodyweight. 3/4 Sit-Up is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Stomach Vacuum isolates the target muscle for focused development.