How to Choose Your Abdominal Exercise Equipment

Abdominal exercise equipment has been gaining ground in exercise communities around the world. From the gym to the home, this equipment is proving to be hardy partners in the quest to quell fat. However, there are some issues that need to be resolved.

Putting “exercise” back into abdominal exercise equipment

There are two kinds of equipment dedicated to targeting abdominal fat. First, you have genuine machines that allow a person to expend force and effort- in short, real exercise. These machines often make use of curved frames and springs to add resistance to the workout. Back in the nineties, these sold like pancakes because they were compact and easy to use.

Then you have the second kind of exercise equipment for the abs. These are called “lazy bone” equipment because they require you to do absolutely nothing. Products like AB Energizer, AbTronic and Fast Abs are under this category. If you’re offered a belt that does wonders, chances are that’s a “lazy bone” exercise machine.

What the FTC says

According to the FTC:

“We have charged marketers of three widely advertised electronic abdominal exercise belts - AB Energizer, AbTronic, and Fast Abs - falsely advertising that users will get "six pack" or "washboard" abs without exercising. The ads have falsely stated that the devices (a) cause fat loss and inch loss; (b) give users well-defined abdominal muscles; (c) are equivalent or superior to ordinary abdominal exercises like sit-ups or crunches and (d) are safe for all users.”

So as you can see, the FTC doesn’t really play around with false promises. So if you’re in the market to buy effective abdominal exercise equipment, make sure that you’re buying something that requires you to actually move. If it promises everything you dream of except real exercise, it’s probably not effective.

What doctors say about false abdominal exercise equipment?

According to Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a practicing doctor in Washington:

“Your brain does send an electrical impulse along nerves that enter muscles to cause them to contract. The electrical impulses generated by ab machines are so weak that they can't possibly cause contractions that strengthen muscles significantly. If they did give you enough electricity to strengthen your muscles, they would give you a very painful shock.”

He continues with:

“More than half of the fat in your body is stored underneath your skin and over your muscles. Exercising a specific muscle does not get rid of fat over that muscle. If it did, tennis players would have less fat in their tennis arms, but they don't.”