Abs Machine | Best Ab Machine

Abs Machine or Abs Work Out the Old School

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Oct 182009

The truth is that you can train your abs perfectly without an abs machine. And if you’re one of those hard-core “no pain, no gain” bodybuilders, you probably prefer the good ol’ crunch. In that sense, the floor is the cheapest ab exercise equipment you can find!

However, if you think about what is the most effective and most comfortable abs workout, then the abs machines come back into consideration. One of the most common reasons why exercisers stop doing crunches are neck and lower-back strain. The best ab machines support your neck, thereby avoiding the neck stress and making your abs workout more comfortable. And when your workout is more comfortable, this might lead to that you do work out more and longer.

Also, on the floor in the initial position your back is just straight. But the most effective way to train your abs is to have them pre-streched, like for examplewhen you lie on an ab ball. So, using an abs machine you can train your abs more effectively.

As we haveseen in our last article, hanging abs exercises are great for lower ab workout and some even claim that hanging exercises are more effective thanlying exercises. You can do a hanging lower ab workout just hanging from a chin-up bar, or if your grip is not that resistant you can use ab straps.

And finally the mere act of investing into an abs machine might make you take your abs workout more seriously, be more motivated and determined to really get the maximum out of your investment.

So, you definitely can do just ab exercises on the floor, but using an abs machine can make your abs workout more varied, more fun and it can be more effective. And there are some cheap ab machines out there so you don’t need to spend a fortune.

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Ab Straps - an Abs Machine for your Lower Ab Workout

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Oct 142009

Can ab straps serve as abs machine? Well, it’s a little strange to describe a few straps you hang your body on as “machine”, but strangely enough they are the best tools for your lower ab workout.

As we have seen in a previous article, the abdominals are actually a group of muscles, including the “washboard”-like rectus abdominis. Some researchers claim that one of the best and most effective lower ab workouts targeting this muscle are hanging abs exercises, such as the hanging leg raise (see below for an explanation of how to perform hanging leg raises). However, you have to keep in mind that generally all abdominal exercises target at the lower abs are dangerous for your back and you have to be very careful to choose the right exercise and to perform it properly. On the Wikipedia there is a comparison of the back risk involved with doing ab exercises.

The tricky part is that – in order to perform hanging abdominal exercises – you need a strong grip, as you need to hold on to a chin up bar. Sustaining your body during the length of your lower ab workout takes a lot of strength in your hands and forearms, and many people don’t have grip to hold on to the chin up bar for that long.

That’s where the ab straps come in. Ab straps are slings with a ring or carabiner onone end where the straps can be fixed to the chin up bar. You then just fityour arms into the cushioned slings and that way your body hangs on the straps, while your arms and shoulders support your weight and you can focus on your abs workout instead of fighting with your grip.

(image courtesy of amazon, the featured product are the Perfect Pullup Heavy Duty Performance Series Ab Straps)

Now you’re ready to start your lower ab workout. First of all, it’s very important that when you train your abs with ab straps you need to do slow, controlled movements and you don’t swing. You don’t want that the momentum of your swing lifts your legs, you want to train your abs! Also, if you make any jerky movement you can easily strain your back, so you really need to make slow controlled movements and you should try to maintain your back in a neutral position as much as possible.

Hanging Knee Raises:

In the initial position you hang in the ab straps, arms parallel to the floor. Now you slowly raise your knees towards your chest while bending the knees until you reach a 90º angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor. Slowly lower your knees back to the initial position. Remember: no swinging!

Hanging Leg Raises:

This is an advanced exercise and it works your abs even more. From the same initial position, you slowly raise you straight legs without bending the knees until your legs are parallel to the floor. You hold them for a count of two and then slowly lower them back.

HangingTwists:

If you want to train your obliques, you can vary the previous exercises by twisting your body, i.e. while lifting your legs you lift them first to one side and then in the next movement to the opposite side.

Ab straps are relatively affordable, costing around 10-30 US$. The problem is that you need a chin-up bar to fix your ab straps on, so if you want to train at home and not in a gym you’ll also need to buy a bar.

In a nutshell, ab straps are a good way to trains your abs, especially your lowerabs. However, if you don’t perform the exercise correctly you can strain your back, so if you have any kind of back problem you’re probably better offlooking for a different ab exercise equipment. Read also our post on the best ab machines.

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Abs Machine’s attitude towards ethical marketing and editorial content

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Oct 132009

There has been much talk about fake bloggers using their blogs to promote their product.In order to avoid any misunderstanding, we want to make clear here thestandpoint of this blog about the best abs machines and about abdominal exercise towards information, editorial content,advertising and ethical marketing.

This is a private blog, all articles are based on the best of knowledge we have about the subject based on our experience and careful research. This blog does accept advertising and it hosts ads for affiliate marketing programs which will clearly beidentified as sales ads. However, we believe in honesty of information, opinion and the relationship with our readers and the views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely our own.

We are not compensated for any product reviews that we post on this sites, and we will only endorse products or services that we truly believe in.

This blog features links to products on Amazon, Ebay and other similar onlinesstores. You should know that if you buy an ab machine or purchase any of these products or an affiliate program advertised on this blog, the blow owner will earn a little commission. However, the cost for you will be the same, no matter whether you accessed the affiliate site through this link or directly.

We hope that this post adds transparency. We will continue to strive for excellent quality content with honest information about abs machines. If you have any questions, please direct your questions to abs.machine@gmail.com.

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What muscle groups should an abs machine train?

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Sep 272009

Anatomy Chart courtesy of FCIT

In order to be able to do a proper abs work out (no matter whether with abs machines or with some other kind of abs program), we first need to have a (at least basic) understanding of the anatomy of the abdominal muscles. So, in this article we will explain the different muscle groups that are the abdominal muscles, and what their primary functions are.

Even though many people think of the abdominal muscles only of the “six pack” of the rectus abdominus, actually the abs also consist of the internal and external oblique abdominal and the transverse abdominis. These Latin names might look a little scary at first sight, but you will soon see that it aint’t that complicated.

The rectus abdominus is the muscle that runs from the pelvis all the way up to the ribs. Three fibrous bands crossing the rectus abdominus give it the washboard look that is so attractive. The function of this muscle is to bend the spine and bring the rib cage closer to the hips (as happens in the abdominal crunches). It also helps stabilize the spine. The rectus abdominus is one long muscle, so even though some people speak of upper and lower abdominals they are just referring to different areas of the same muscle.

The oblique abdominals are muscles situated on the sides of the rectus abdominus. Their function is to help bend and twist the torso and to make angled movements. Their fibers run diagonally – interior and exterior oblique abdominals run in opposite directions, so that a contraction of the interior obliques makes the torso bend to the same side, whereas the exterior obliques make it bend to the opposite side. They work together to make possible all kinds of rotation and tilting movements of the torso and are essential for the stabilization of the vertebral column.

The transverse abdominis is located underneath the obliques and wraps around the abdominal contents. It is a muscle that traditionally has been neglected, even though it’s crucial for the stability of the core and has an important aesthetic impact: it is called the “corset muscle”, as it is responsible for tucking in the organs of the abdomen and thus give us a flat stomach. It is like a natural weight belt, that stabilizes the spine and pelvis when we lift any kind of weights.

All these muscles together wrap around the abdominal area and provide stability and protection. Now that we know what muscles to focus on, we can start thinking about how to train them. So whereas the rectus abdominus can easily be trained with your perfect abs machine, the transverse abdominis is best trained without any kind of equipment, just contracting the muscle in 3 sets of 30 seconds. The over time you can increase the duration and the number of sets.

Sidenote: the serratus anterior which is also colored in the anatomy chart actually does not belong to the abdominal muscles.

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What to look for when choosing an Abs Machine?

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Sep 272009

Buying an abs machine can get you on the road to getting these firm abdominals you dream of. But as with any investment, you want to chose carefully where you put your money. In our last article we looked at some advantages abdominal machines have and how they can help you with your lower ab workout to achieve these desired rock hard abs. Today we are going to look with detail what points you need to keep in mind when you consider buying your own ab exercise equipment.

We recommend you to first analyze whether you really want to buy an abs machine or whether maybe you prefer an abs workout program combined with a diet for burning belly fat. Many internet sites offer such programs or you can hire a personal trainer.

Not all abdominal machines really deliver what they promise, so before taking a decision on which is the best ab machine for you, first consider these recommendations:

Check out a variety of different models and look which ones fit best your objectives and your general physical condition. You can get a personal trainer to recommend you or you can check out the reviews on different websites. Very soon you will also find product reviews on this site.
The abs machine should be adaptable to your height and weight.
In order to avoid any injuries, you need to make sure that the abdominal machine is not going to stress your back. This is especially important if you suffer from any kind of back problem, in this case you should consult your health provider for recommendations.
The abs machine should target all abdominal muscles (Upper ab and lower ab workout, abdominal oblique and transverses abdominis).
The abdominal machine should be comfortable to use and not cause any discomfort or cramping.
Check also whether it gives support to your neck.
You also need to check whether you actually have enough space at home for your new abs exercise equipment.

Keep in mind that contrary to what most people think, the most expensive abs machine is not necessarily the best. Unless you’re a hard-core bodybuilder, you should be able to find a suitable cheap abs machine for around 100 US$ or less, so don’t spend too much! For example, you can find a cheap ab circle pro – right now one of the most popular ab machines – for around 130 US$.

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Does the perfect abs machine exist?

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Sep 162009

Abs Machine

Do abs machines work? We all dream of having this perfectly shaped sixpack: nicely ripped abdominals. And though we tell ourselves that it’s all about fitness, we know that we just want to look like these toned studs or the sexy girls with their flat stomach on the infomercials. It’s because these toned abs that we get from a proper ab workout are irresistibly attractive.

So, we start thinking about buying an abs machine, and that’s when all the confusion starts… So many manufacturers and brands out there: ab exerciser, ab cruncher, 6 second abs, ab lounger, to name only a few of them. Then we hear some trainers warn that some of these heavily advertised machines are a scam and our confusion only increases.

So, do abs machines really work? Well, yes they do, but only if you have your objectives very clear and know what an abs machine can do for you and what it can’t. In order to obtain these defined abs, firstly you need to strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles, so you need a good abs workout, considering also a good lower ab workout. For this goal ab exercise equipment can be of great help as we will see below. Of course, you can also train your abs without any machine, just with a good ab workout program.

Secondly, you also need to focus on burning belly fat in order to eliminate that excess fat that is presently hiding your abdominals. For this objective you need a proper nutrition, maybe a diet program and cardio exercises.

So, is there something like the perfect abs machine? What are the true advantages of abs machines? Obviously they vary depending on each individual model, but some of the advantages include:

An abs machine can be especially good for beginners as some allow to adjust the intensity of the exercise.
Using an abdominal machine can reduce the stress on your neck and your back
Some provide a wider angle for the abdominal muscles to stretch
Using an ab exercise machine usually is more comfortable than just doing an abs work out on the floor
An abs machine can allow for an effective lower ab workout while not straining your back
Abdominal machines can help motivate you
Finally, having your own ab exercise equipment can be very convenient as you can spend just a few minutes a day exercising, without the need to leave your house.

These last points are especially important, considering that – as for any type of exercise – for your ab workout consistency is key. So, the easier, more convenient and more motivating you make it for yourself, the more probable it is that you are really going to follow through, exercise regularly and that way achieve these defined abs you are dreaming of.

To sum up: yes, abdominal machines can help you, but you also need to keep in mind burning belly fat. So, think about whether you really need an abs machine, and in case you decide to buy an ab machine make sure to keep in mind the recommendations you find on this blog to find the best ab machine.

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