Ab Machines: Home Remedy for "Waisted" Pounds?

Fitness Balls

They seem to be the hottest workout aid these days. Called by a variety of names, including Physio-balls, gym balls and Thera-balls, these big rubber balls may be the answer to your workout woes. When asked what device for toning abs they would recommend, Todd Filicicchia, fitness director at the Malden YMCA in Massachusetts, and Sal Fichera M.S., C.S.C.S., an ACE certified fitness trainer, chose the exercise ball.

Filicicchia recommends it due to its ability to give you the "best and most cost effective workout." With the fitness ball you can exercise all of your abdominal muscles, safely. You get the added benefit of using your ball for a variety of other exercises. You may want to have a brief lesson at your local gym to teach you how best to perform the exercises. For more on exercise balls, see Play Ball in the House.

Ab Rollers

If you are a novice when it comes to exercising your abs and think you want a little help from a machine, an ab roller may help you. Another device recommended by Filicicchia, it is durable and easy to use. Both Filicicchia and Fichera, agree that ab rollers can be beneficial for those who require support for their head and neck.

These foam padded aluminum and steel rockers for your upper body take a little getting used to. They are designed to mimic your spinal flexion, while lending support to your head and neck. This is the type of machine that you may want to try before you buy. They usually come in two sizes, the smaller version is for individuals under 5'3".

The primary disadvantage with the ab roller is that unless you are really savvy, you can only work your upper abdominal muscles with it.

Filicicchia recommends sticking with the name brands, such as the Ab Trainer�. You may pay a little more, but these devices are built to last. The Ab Trainer Original, which usually comes with a video and poster guide, will cost you around $70.00. If you opt for the fancier models that come with weights to add resistance, an exercise mat, a 10-day training and nutrition program, a video and a poster guide, you can expect to pay around $149.00.

The Others

The Torso Track
Endorsed by Suzanne Somers, and manufactured by Fitness Quest, this machine promises a total upper body workout for a fat price (you can pay nearly $300 for it, but prices vary). The Torso Track is designed to work all four areas of the abdominals, the upper, middle, lower and oblique, along with the chest, arms, shoulders and back. Buyers of this product have wide ranging opinions. Some users feel the track is well worth the high price, while others cite instances of wrist and back pain. Being an infomercial product, neither Fichera nor Filicicchia had worked with this device.

A cheap alternative?
Do you really need something as fancy as the Torso Track to get a good abdominal workout? Take away the board, the tracks and the kneepad, and add a wheel. Attach to either side of the wheel a handgrip and you have the poor man's torso track, a.k.a. the Ab Toning Wheel. Nautilus's version of this simple device sells for around $14. Of course, if you opt for simplicity in design over cost and complexity, you trade in a little of the ease and comfort. Filicicchia has tried these devices and did not care for them due to the level of coordination and balance that they require.

Do You Really Need Abdominal Workout Aids?

Overall, Fichera is less than enthusiastic about home abdominal exercise aids. As a fitness trainer he tries to steer clear of workout machines for the abs, using primarily the fitness ball and the good old-fashioned crunch. He prefers to simply teach people how to get on the floor and do different types of crunches to work their abs.

Fichera has yet to see an infomercial product that he likes, and says to beware of any product that makes unreasonable promises, such as a total upper body workout. No single machine could work all of the muscles of your upper body.

Fichera's advice is to be sure you have the correct technique, and if possible, to invest in a short session with a fitness trainer at your gym. In addition, he says it is very important to save your abs as the final muscle group in your workout, as "everything relies on the abdominals for support." Working abs first can lead to injury if your abs are too tired to support you during other exercises.