It’s All About the Abs – Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Really Works

It’s All About the Abs – Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Really Works

We are all familiar with the studies that society is getting fatter as a whole. The stomach, in particular, has become a trouble spot for many people. This is due in part to the fact that many of us have desk jobs where we rarely use our stomach and abdomen muscles. For some, we can link it to a diet laden with fast foods and alcohol.

Whatever the reason for our big bellies, there has been a host of abdominal exercise equipment and gadgets to help do away with stomach flab. To be sure, there are some products better designed than others. Hopefully, after reading this, you will have a easier time knowing the difference.

Before beginning a discussion of abdominal exercises and equipment, it is important to point out that even the best ab machine will not help you loose fat in your stomach area. Abdominal exercise equipment can tone and shape your muscles, but the only way to loose the fat is to consume more calories than you take in. Exercise will help you to burn more calories than you take in, but it is a total body process not just for certain areas.

It is important to realize that even though some people are in good physical shape, genetically they are not ever going to have a flat stomach. Some people’s bellies have a slight curve to them, no matter how many crunches they do. Even so, you will find these exercises and equipment helpful in defining, toning and strengthening your

abdominal muscles.

Abdominal Exercises & Equipment

There are several kinds of abs exercise equipment. A machine that works very well, the Roman Chair, is not used just as an ab machine. It is a common piece of equipment found at the gym but it can be used to perform a very effective ab exercise. The Roman Chair is comprised of two stationary, parallel arms and a straight, padded back and is somewhat tall. There is no seat.

When working on abs, the best way to use this piece of equipment is to place your forearms flat on each armrest, with your back firmly against the padding. You should have the Roman Chair set high enough that your legs dangle straight down when you are in position. Next, you can slowly bring your knees toward your chest and hold, then extend them down to the original position. This exercise was named number two in a recent study done by San Diego State University for top.

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According to the survey, the best ab exercise is the Bicycle maneuver. This is a common exercise that most people are familiar with. As it turns out, this familiar exercise is surprisingly one of the best exercise for working your abdominal muscles. To do the exercise correctly, lie on a mat and press your lower back flat. Put your hands beside your head. Bending your knees towards your chest and contracting your ab muscles to a 45 degree angle is the next step. Bring your right elbow in contact with your left knee.

Alternate the movement with the opposite elbow and knee and repeat. Correct performance of this exercise will cause you to feel it in your abdominals and sides.

Leg Crunches are comparable to the Bicycle but with crunches, your upper body does most of the movement. Lie on the mat again with your lower back pressed flat. Place your hands at your sides or by your head, whichever is more comfortable. The exercise will lose it’s effectiveness if you put pressure on your arms.

Your legs should be lifted straight up into the air and bend your knees slightly. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and then lift your torso up off the mat toward your knees. Place your back flat down on the mat into the original position. After relaxing your abdominal muscles, then repeat. Breathing is one thing not to be forgotten.
Using an exercise ball is another way to do crunches that some feel are more effective than regular crunches. Sitting on the ball, place your feet on the ground about a foot apart. Start by rolling your back cautiously on the ball until you are lying on your back fully extended. Contract your abs while lifting your upper body off the ball to a 30-degree angle. You will repeat this process after you return to the original position.

Exercise balls are very versatile and fit into most people’s budget making them a great choice for abs exercise equipment. A stretch band is often a good choice for an inexpensive piece of fitness equipment. These stretchy bands can be comprised of lycra or nylon and sometimes rubber. These are often called resistance bands because they let you work a muscle group while the resistance of the band stabilizes the opposite muscle group. It is good for stretching and strengthening muscles and is often used with beginners and those who have experienced an injury.

If you are looking for something a bit more high-tech, there are several pieces of equipment made especially to work the abs. There are the Ab Crunch Machine and the Back and Ab Machine. The lower back and neck will be supported by each of these pieces of abs exercise equipment. Adjustable resistance settings is another feature.

The Ab Slider, Ab Wheel, and Ab Trainer are other examples of equipment designed to target abdominal muscles. Just as with other exercise equipment, best results can be found with proper use and the addition of other abdominal exercises. It is important to fully research the equipment and read instructions before using.

Flat stomachs and six-pack abs has increased in popularity in the past few years. As a result this the fitness community has worked overtime creating new products, reinventing old exercises, utilizing the old ones all in effort to target the abs. If you combine these exercises with a regular fitness routine and a balanced diet you are sure to see your stomach shrink and your abdominals strengthened.