Do you wish you had more time to exercise? You're not
alone. People cite a lack of time as the number one reason
they don't exercise, and it's not surprising. With long
commutes, 40-hour or more workweeks, family commitments and
thousands of other obligations demanding our time, we often
put ourselves last.
But can you really see fitness results in "five minutes a
day," the way home exercise equipment infomercials promise?
Remember this: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
These products give hopeful consumers promises for "fast
weight loss" and "million dollar abs." When the products
turn out hard to use and results fall short of
expectations, consumers become disheartened and abandon
their fitness efforts altogether.
Ab Exercisers Worst of the Bunch The biggest culprits in
the "slimmer-in-only-five-minutes-a-day" scam are the
so-called "ab exercisers." The problem? Spot reduction does
not work. The exercises may help you tone and build your
muscles, but if your beautifully strong abs are hidden
beneath layers of fat, no one will see the results!
We're not saying ab exercises themselves are bad. We're
saying you won't get a six-pack with these exercises alone.
Not even crunches will give you those results—but at
least crunches are free and don't take up room in your
closet!
In a study conducted by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego
State University and funded by ACE (the American Council on
Exercise), many ab exercisers advertised on infomercials
were found to be no more effective or only slightly more
effective than traditional crunches. Other ab equipment
doesn't require a study to support the fact that it won't
live up to its claims. All you need for that is common
sense. A NASA scientist doesn't need to sit on a tin can to
know it won't fly his butt to the moon.
Here are just a few of the ab exercisers that don't live up
to their hype and false promises.
Ab Lounge XL - The Ab Lounge XL claims to "tighten and tone
upper abs, lower abs and obliques faster than you ever
thought possible." The product looks like a fold-up lounge
chair, and the infomercials show people effortlessly
rocking back and forth in the chair. Momentum is doing most
of the work. Manufacturers claim the AB Lounge XL works
because it provides a wider range of motion, keeping ab
muscles working longer. But longer than what? And does it
matter? Research shows that crunches are most effective
when completed over a range of no more than 30 degrees. If
you stick this in your living room, you'll probably use it
as a lounge chair rather than an exerciser. Save your
money, do crunches on a mat, and buy a La-Z-Boy if you want
an extra chair. Torso Track - Once again, this product
promises results in five minutes a day; be very skeptical
of these claims. The user kneels on the attached kneepad
and glides back and forth, exercising the abs, arms,
shoulders, and back all in one motion. According to the ACE
study, the Torso Track seemed to be marginally more
effective than traditional crunches. However, the study
reports, "This training benefit is likely offset by the
lower-back discomfort reported by a significant number of
subjects while using the Torso Track." If it hurts, you're
doing it wrong! (I don't mean the burn that comes from
working muscles hard... I'm talking about aches and pains
caused by straining and pulling in awkward positions.) The
Web site claims this exerciser stores easily under the
bed... and that's where it should stay.
Ab Rocker - In two separate ACE studies, the Ab Rocker,
perhaps the worst in the bunch, was shown to be 80 percent
less effective than crunches. Why would someone want to
spend money on an exerciser that is only one-fifth as
effective of something you can do for free? Most users
reported that it was difficult to use, and some reported
tipping over backwards on it the first few times they
tried! Ineffective and dangerous... a losing combination.
Red Exerciser - This is another example of how
manufacturers try to create a new mousetrap to snare
consumers but use the same old lies. The product claims you
can reduce inches from your waistline by sitting on a red
seat that spins like any office chair. By twisting your
upper body from left to right while holding hand grips, you
are supposedly exercising your midsection "where you need
it, to sculpt a slimmer, new, you." The biggest problem
with this piece of equipment is that it is a rotary torso
movement, which can place stress on the spine if not
performed properly. The dangers are increased when
additional resistance is added, placing more pressure on
your spine as you twist your body back and forth. Those
with back problems should avoid this movement altogether.
There is a simple tension knob to adjust the resistance on
the Red Exerciser called the "Torsion Max Resistance
System," which makes it sounds like there is some sort of
advanced technology involved. This piece of equipment is
anything but advanced. It's just another marketing scheme
and a waste of money.
The Bean - One of the newer ab exercisers, the Bean
promises a "full-body workout in only five minutes a day!"
If you read more closely, you'll see you can use the Bean
instead of a stability ball (exercise ball) for Pilates or
Yoga. But why not just buy a much less expensive, more
reliable, stability ball? Unfortunately there have been
many reports of a deflating Bean and, since I purchased one
myself to test and it did, in fact, deflate after only a
few months, I can vouch for that theory. I have owned a
stability ball for about ten years now and it's still as
good as new. The other problem with doing ab exercises on
the Bean is that it allows you to rock back and forth,
creating momentum. It's a great ride if you have a
four-year-old daughter like I do, but if you actually want
to exercise your abdominal muscles, there are much better
solutions for less money.
----------------------------------------------------
Craig Pepin-Donat has helped millions of people get on the
path to living a healthier and more active lifestyle. He
has dedicated his life to helping people through health and
fitness education and now brings that knowledge and
expertise to you in his ground breaking book, The Big Fat
Health and Fitness Lie. He founded
http://www.FitAdvocate.com
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