Hello person who is interested in the Ab Lounge. What you are about to read is a review containing my honest opinion of this abdominal exercise machine, as well as a little secret about abs and belly fat that most people still don’t know.
My goal is to provide you with the info you need to know so you can decide if the Ab Lounge is right for you. By the end, you should also have a really good understanding of abdominal exercises and machines in general.
Uh, you know what, I don’t feel as though I’ve gotten your attention yet. Hmmm… let’s see… I know…
The Ab Lounge commercial sucks!
Do I have your attention now? Fantastic. Let’s keep going then.
So I’ve been seeing this commercial for the Ab Lounge a lot lately, and it kinda makes me want to laugh and cringe at the same time. Why? Because it reminds me of a deceptive commercial I saw years ago for another similar machine that I actually went out and bought as a result. Seriously… in 1998 I bought this thing called the “Ab Rocker.” I was clueless and stupid. It took about a week for me to realize what a total waste of money it was and how it was doing nothing different for my abs than plain old crunches.
The thing is, I feel like the Ab Lounge might be to you today what the Ab Rocker was to me then. I want to prevent you from being as clueless and stupid as I was.
First, The Good News…
Before I go any further, I want to state that I have had people email me and tell me that due to their back problems, they can’t perform basic ab exercises like crunches, which is understandable. They go on to say that fancy abdominal machines such as the Ab Lounge are useful to them because it’s easier on their back.
Now, I am not a back specialist, nor do I know the individual injury history of every man and woman on the planet. Therefore, I cannot refute the claims that machines such as the Ab Lounge are better for people who have bad backs than exercises like crunches.
So, in this regard, score one for the Ab Lounge. It may be less stressful on the lower back than crunches for people with preexisting back injuries. Of course, there’s at least a dozen other abdominal exercises out there that are significantly less stressful on the lower back than crunches, and none of them require buying a big expensive contraption.
Here’s what I mean…
Now, The Bad News…
Let me ask you a question. Are you interested in buying the Ab Lounge for any of the following reasons:
- You think it will train your abs significantly more effectively than other ab exercises.
- You think it will directly get rid of your stomach fat by itself.
- You think it will directly make you lose weight and get the body of your dreams by itself.
If you said yes to any of the above, then there are some important things you need to hear before spending any of your time, money and effort on the Ab Lounge.
Is It Better Than Other Ab Exercises?
If anything, I think it’s probably a less effective ab exercise than many others. Why? Because like most machines, it’s putting you in a position where the machine is doing part of the work for you. Meaning, an exercise like ab wheel roll-outs or planks or hanging leg raises all require you to literally do EVERYTHING taking place during the exercise. Not just move from point A to point B, but stabilize your entire body (and “core”) throughout the entire movement.
With an ab machine like the Ab Lounge, the machine itself is doing some (or all) of the stabilization for you. In fact, you’re kinda just using the machine to move your body parts where they need to go. It’s basically helping and assisting with the movement itself.
So, while I’m sure you’ll still “feel the burn,” (almost anything will make you “feel the burn” if you do it enough times), I think it’s at best equally as good as any other FREE exercise. And at worst? It’s not even as good. So, there goes claim #1.
Will It Get Rid Of Your Stomach Fat?
By itself? Nope. The Ab Lounge will NOT get rid of the fat on your stomach just by using it. No ab exercise will. It’s scientifically impossible to directly target the fat on a specific body part. It’s a common workout myth known as “spot reduction.” The same is true for every muscle, not just abs. Back exercises don’t burn back fat, leg exercises don’t burn leg fat, and ab exercises don’t burn ab fat.
Exercises work muscles. A proper weight loss diet gets rid of fat. So, there goes claim #2.
Will It Cause Weight Loss And Give You An Amazing Body?
By itself? No it won’t, and they even sort of admit it themselves. If you’ve ever seen this specific Ab Lounge commercial, you’ve probably seen the part where they show some lady or some guy giving their testimonial and talking about how using the Ab Lounge caused them to lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time.
Now, if you can force yourself to look away from them for a minute and focus your eyes on the bottom of your TV screen, you’ll see a message that goes a little something like this (note that the following quote is exaggerated for comedic effect):
” *We are lying to you. This guy and this lady actually ate a diet low enough in calories so that they would lose weight. They also probably used an intelligently designed weight lifting and/or cardio workout program on a regular basis. The Ab Lounge barely played any role in their overall weight loss results or their awesome bodies.”
Yes, that’s just my exaggerated parody version. But, it’s not THAT far off from the point the real thing sets out to make. The next time you see this commercial be sure read the fine print. And there goes claim #3.
The REAL Benefit Of The Ab Lounge
I gotta say, the one thing I do like about this thing is how it’s called the Ab Lounge. It’s like… forget about working out on the floor or a weight bench like a normal person… just sit back and relax on our ultra comfortable lounge.
It makes me want to invent a machine called the Ab Hammock. “Now you can workout while relaxing at a BBQ in your backyard!” Then maybe the Ab Bed. “Its like sleeping only it’s working your abs!!!!!” It’s all gimmicky marketing crap designed to make it look like getting the body you want is quick and easy (and super comfortable!!). Unfortunately, it’s not.
Summing It Up
So, that’s the end of my little opinion/review, and here’s what it all comes down to…
If you just want to have another ab exercise to do and have extra money to spend, go for it. I guess it’s kinda so-so as an additional expensive ab exercise that takes up space in your living room. If you have a bad back and think this may be better for it than crunches, go for it.
Of course, I’d much rather see you doing other normal ab exercises that just aren’t as stressful on the lower back. There are plenty (and they’re all free), and I’ll write about them in the future.
However, if you’d rather not spend any money on ab training, feel free to put your credit card away and stick with normal abdominal exercises that are free. Add in a proper diet plan that will actually cause fat loss and a proper overall workout routine for the rest of your body, and the perfect slim sexy swimsuit washboard six pack abs you desire will eventually be yours.
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