subject: Ab Workout Equipment - The Pros and Cons [print this page] Ab Workout Equipment - The Pros and Cons Ab Workout Equipment - The Pros and Cons
We asindividuals are very different and so are our aims and goals for our abdominal muscles. Some of us want badly that six-pack, while some just want a flatter belly. Because we differ to much, we cannot say that using ab workout equipment makes your training sessions better or more efficient. But we can say that some equipment is more suitable for certain goals compared to other equipment. And we can also say that some goals are better reached without any equipment whatsoever. So let's have a look at the differences.
Many ab equipment commercials promise weight loss and flat abs in no time. And many of us are tempted by these promises and pay huge amounts of money to get to this goal instantly. But these unrealistic promises cannot be kept. There is equipment, like the ab roller, that helps you increase the efficacy of your regular crunches by including a head support that removes the uncomfortable neck pain many people experience during their workout. But that does not mean your abs will get sculpted quicker. It only means you may be able to perform more ab exercises per training due to the increased comfort provided by the ab roller.
O one side, if you do not estimate you fitness level realistically, some workout equipment may even be harmful to you. Using a weight station may be too much for you and, instead of getting better results, you may get a muscle-bound or a muscle-strain. This could discourage you from keeping up the workout and will definitely harm your muscles.
On the other side, if you have been working your abs out for a few years now, some weights may be absolutely necessary for you. If your workout is no longer challenging, it is no longer efficient. So if you are barely challenged by 50 crunches, it is definitely time for you to get ab workout equipment and upgrade your training sessions. It would be a pity to lose your shape because you're too advanced for the regular exercises.
Other equipments can be replaced by regular objects in the household. The captain's chair, for example, which can be used for a very efficient lower ab-focused leg lift, can be replaced by a regular chair in the house. Surely, the exercise will be modified and, instead of standing up, leaning on your elbows and lifting your legs, you will be sitting on a regular chair lifting your legs. But that does not make it less efficient.
Other equipment may not be useful at all. Many exercises done with the help of equipment can be done without it. The crunch machine, for example, is not vital. One can make a wide variety of crunches or sit ups without any machine whatsoever and get a sculpted ab from it. If you're out of shape, you may be surprised what miraculous effects 10 sit ups per day can have.
