Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I have been watching the TV recently and all of these new ab deals are out. You know, the ones that all you do is strap them around your waste and they make your abs contract making you have a six pack. I mean, it sounds great and it seems pretty convincing, has anyone tried these machines and had any success with them?
ab machines?
- Thread starter DeezGunz
- Start date
i dont understand
why do u bash on it, when i bet u are have never tried one. Maybe it does work and all of that work you do at the gym is a waste of time, I mean it tightens up your stomach muscles which is exactly what you do when u do normal crunches. It obviously wont give you pick buldging packs sticking out, but if you are looking for a more defined mid section it doesnt seem that crazy.
why do u bash on it, when i bet u are have never tried one. Maybe it does work and all of that work you do at the gym is a waste of time, I mean it tightens up your stomach muscles which is exactly what you do when u do normal crunches. It obviously wont give you pick buldging packs sticking out, but if you are looking for a more defined mid section it doesnt seem that crazy.
Stryc-9
New member
I don't care if you do traditional crunches or strap one of those ridiculous things on your stomach - you won't get a six-pack unless you're eating a clean diet and doing your cardio (or you've been blessed with outstanding and RARE genetics)...period.
But think about this - those contraptions cost MONEY and crunches cost nothing.....
....seems like the lazy man's approach if you ask me. But that's just my opinion....
But think about this - those contraptions cost MONEY and crunches cost nothing.....
....seems like the lazy man's approach if you ask me. But that's just my opinion....
think about it though, it really makes sense, all u do when u do crunches is contract your ab muscles. With that machine your muscles contract but i takes no effort so you can make them contract a thousand times without any effort or lower back pain or any of those side effects of abs.
diamonddiceclay
New member
stry-9 is right-you never have to work abs if you eat clean and have good genetics
gymtime
New member
Stryc-9 said:
Exactly!!
You want to waste your money? YOu go right ahead. But if you want something to think about, think about this. You said yourself that this machine makes your muscles contract with no effort. By that logic, all I have to do is bend my arm 1000 times and I will soon have huge biceps. Yes, there is a slight, weak muscle contraction, but there is NO RESISTANCE!
Ab excercises will make your ab muscles bigger and stronger, just like resistance training works any other muscle. With out resistance, there is no growth.
But none of that matters anyway becasue of what Stryc-9 said. No matter how big and strong your abs are, if you don't diet and do cardio, you will never see them.
i am not looking to have huge packs though, I would just like a lean look, like an athletic look. If you sit there and contract your arms 1000 timesa day, you will not get huge biceps, but you should get leaner biceps. Thats what I am looking for, a leaner look, and I am just wondering if someone out there on this board has tried it, and it has worked for them, let me know.
gymtime
New member
DeezGunz said:
I'm sorry man, but you're just wrong. I would not have leaner biceps. I would have the exact same size bis I would have had without doing them.
You cannot spot-burn fat any more than you can spot-gain fat. You want a leaner look, you need to diet. The only machine out there that will help you with that is a treadmill, stat. bike, or stair climber. No one with any training experience at all is going to respond with something positive about this machine.
i meant no offense by my post, i was just curious if anyone had success with it, i think its a little immature to assume that the machine doesnt work because its the easy way out. I mean, you really dont know anyone who has tried it, and thats why i am looking for someone who has tried its opinion
i think its immature to be jealous of ab machines which is obviously your case. You have no facts whatever so ever, you are going on a, " I work hard 3 hours a day in the gym" basis, which I think is a little ignorant. I mean, try it first, or talk to people that have, and then make your decision by that, otherwise I am sure you are a very mature person, I really did not mean to insult you, I just think that its an ignorant perspective to assume that there could be a machine out there to help you get a more defined six pack.
gymtime
New member
DeezGunz said:
How do you infer that I am jealous of a machine?
At what point did I say I work hard 3 hours a day in the gym?
I took no personal insult from your last post. However, you said my opinion was immature so I am responding.
In your profile you state that you are a personal trainer. Yet you believe that a machine like this can give you a leaner look. You also believe that I can have leaner arms by bending them several times a day (which everyone does anyway):
DeezGunz said:
There is no truth to any of it. And there are three other people on this thread who agree with me.
But that's obviously not enough for you. So, by all means, order this machine. Good luck with your leaner look. But don't wait around for positive responses about it on this board. You'll be waiting forever.
are you kidding me? you say that I said bending your arms several times a day will make your arms leaner, and then you directly quote me by saying " 1000 times" a day. Which is a little different then " several". And its not just bending, they are contractions, if you sit there and contract your muscle a 1000 times a day, and not just bend it, your arms will be leaner. There is a difference between just doing an exercise, and actually giving it a good contraction, but I guess you already know that, because you are all knowing gymtime, and obviously a mind reader because you seem to be so sure you are right and everyone else on the board will agree with you.
Being cut has very little to do with the actual resistance training. I ask these people in the gym, why do you do 5 sets of 21's, why don't you use a normal weight? "Cause it makes your biceps ripped!" fools. The biggest factor to being cut (and being cut everywhere), is having low bodyfat. PERIOD!! (I would know, I'm skinny).
No one is saying that the stupid machine doesn't work your abs, but to think you're gonna get a chiseled cut ripped midsection from doing that crap 3 minutes a day (which is what they make you believe) is misleading and bullshit.
*sysopt high fives gymtime*
No one is saying that the stupid machine doesn't work your abs, but to think you're gonna get a chiseled cut ripped midsection from doing that crap 3 minutes a day (which is what they make you believe) is misleading and bullshit.
*sysopt high fives gymtime*
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I have tried EMS
When my schedule changed at work and I saw that I could no lnger fit my workouts in the morning, but I'd have to do them at night when the gym is packed (which I detest), I thought I'd try Electronic Muscle Stimulation - EMS - just out of curiosity to see if it worked.
I stripped down to my underwear and laid down on a table. The attendant fit positive and negative charged pads all over me and strapped them down with elastic, then upped the current. Every pulse of electricity, which lasts about five or six seconnds, contracts your muscles for you. You can go as high as you can stand.
the pads are uncomfortable, the electricity makes it feel like little ants are crawling underneath them. They also smelled like wet mittens, sort of damp-sour. Ew.
After half an hour and twenty five bucks, My muscles sorta felt like I'd worked out but I didn't feel good about the experience. I didn't break a sweat, so I wasn't burning any fat, and I definitely didn't work as hard as I would have in the gym. It was expensive and I didn't have a sense of accomplishment.
Gymtime is right, the only thing that's gonna lean you out is cardio and a strict diet.
Speaking of diet. Isn't this thread in the wrong forum?
When my schedule changed at work and I saw that I could no lnger fit my workouts in the morning, but I'd have to do them at night when the gym is packed (which I detest), I thought I'd try Electronic Muscle Stimulation - EMS - just out of curiosity to see if it worked.
I stripped down to my underwear and laid down on a table. The attendant fit positive and negative charged pads all over me and strapped them down with elastic, then upped the current. Every pulse of electricity, which lasts about five or six seconnds, contracts your muscles for you. You can go as high as you can stand.
the pads are uncomfortable, the electricity makes it feel like little ants are crawling underneath them. They also smelled like wet mittens, sort of damp-sour. Ew.
After half an hour and twenty five bucks, My muscles sorta felt like I'd worked out but I didn't feel good about the experience. I didn't break a sweat, so I wasn't burning any fat, and I definitely didn't work as hard as I would have in the gym. It was expensive and I didn't have a sense of accomplishment.
Gymtime is right, the only thing that's gonna lean you out is cardio and a strict diet.
Speaking of diet. Isn't this thread in the wrong forum?
Thanks for the karma GT - I gave mine all out but you're on my list!
Gunz, I didn't mean any offense to you and I hope none was taken. I used the same logic as yourself and tried it out, and it was a waste of time and money... Both of which it's my intention to save you, if I can.
Gunz, I didn't mean any offense to you and I hope none was taken. I used the same logic as yourself and tried it out, and it was a waste of time and money... Both of which it's my intention to save you, if I can.
who said I have the answer in my head already? Everyone accept honeynut is just using baboon logic. Honeynut actually used the machine and gave me an honest opinion about it, which I appreciate, if anyone actually read my originally post they would be able to tell that I was asking if these machines were affective, not claiming that they were because I never used one. Then when you people started jumping on my back; I gave my reasons why I thought it looked like it may work, and you tried to argue with me without any real knowledge that I was wrong. When I never said anything that I claimed to be right, i just merely asked a question. Your answer honeynut was informative and I appreciate it, because now I have a true testimonial to base the product on, and I will not be purchasing the electronic ab machines anytime soon. Thank you again.
I'm just going to point out that it doesn't do anything.
Abs are gotten 2 ways fat reductions and building them up (primarily the first)
1. It doesn't burn fat. contacting you ab muscles in such a way is like opening and closing your hands throughout the day and expecting that to replace cardio.
2. It doesn't build them up, while it does contract the muscles it does not do it w/ enough force. It would be like building a large chest benching 25IB dumbbells. I have gimicky device that is used for console games the pads attach to you forarms and shock you depending upon the games actions (works based off the vibration mechanisms built into games), I've played a damn lot of fighting games getting my forearms shocked the living hell out of at the maximum setting and needless to say they havn't grown. The tire I feel is more like the tiredness you legs feel after walking you didn't build any muscle but your tired, and forearms/abs/arms ect.. are just too small of a musclegroup to illicit much responce to there actions via metabolism. (one of the reasons you rarely see hand cycles for cardio, legs are the most effective means, arms can flail about for quite some time and burn a ridiculously low amount of calories)
So I ask, if it doesn't burn fat and it doesn't burn muscle. What can I expect from the machine. Relaxation of tense muscles is the only thing I can think of which of course won't ellicit the advertised effect.
We arn't jelous of the device for contracting you abs (ineffectively at that), working abs isn't hard its very easy. Diet and cardio is the bitch.
What gets us is that people buy into this stuff because they don't know better. Of course it makes sense to you, your information on the subject is limited and mostly provided by whom the marketer of the product. We don't want to see you waste your money on a useless product, it only encourages more useless products to try and take its place which we have to filter through to find whats good (A major pain when it comes to supplements that why new ones are introduced so often not because of breaktrhoughs but because under new names some people will inevitably buy into it, until its exposed. Its much harder to judge a chemical than an excersize device) luckily excersize devices unlike chemicals do not require nearly the same level of knowledge to undstand the workings and we can pick out the scams by eye rather than expensive trial and error.
If you were to purchase a car, and you saw that the engine was smokine like crazy out of the hood, and the guy said look at the crazy power of the engine the smoke shows how hard its working.
You obviously wouldn't buy the lemon of a car.
Now someone who doesn't know cars arn't supposed to smoke like that, perhaps all they have seen are longpull cars on TV where they burn special gas and fire and smoke flys from the engine in great show (and location of exaust). He would think the car is simply the same way and the immense amount of smoke is an indicator of the engines power.
The electronic pulse thing has been around a long time, it hasn't hit the market like it has now because no long term effects on our nervous systems have been conducted untill recently so that it was not passed as being safe (which studies have indicated that there is no harm in repeated shockings). No one pushed for the studies to come out because there wasn't much use for it. Many gamers don't like being shocked as they play, there certainly isn't any muscular value of twitching the muscles (would be funny if there wqas people w/ the nervous twitch in there faces would be huge muscles there)
One of my friends brother has a nervous problem in his neck the result is that he shakes his head around constantly. He hasn't grown any muscles and hes fat so no luck for weightloss despite the fact that he shakes for almost everywaking hour of the day.
We don't mean to be rude against you its just most can't understand how you can even begin to think it would work. Would you understand the guy buying the smokeing lemon car?
Abs are gotten 2 ways fat reductions and building them up (primarily the first)
1. It doesn't burn fat. contacting you ab muscles in such a way is like opening and closing your hands throughout the day and expecting that to replace cardio.
2. It doesn't build them up, while it does contract the muscles it does not do it w/ enough force. It would be like building a large chest benching 25IB dumbbells. I have gimicky device that is used for console games the pads attach to you forarms and shock you depending upon the games actions (works based off the vibration mechanisms built into games), I've played a damn lot of fighting games getting my forearms shocked the living hell out of at the maximum setting and needless to say they havn't grown. The tire I feel is more like the tiredness you legs feel after walking you didn't build any muscle but your tired, and forearms/abs/arms ect.. are just too small of a musclegroup to illicit much responce to there actions via metabolism. (one of the reasons you rarely see hand cycles for cardio, legs are the most effective means, arms can flail about for quite some time and burn a ridiculously low amount of calories)
So I ask, if it doesn't burn fat and it doesn't burn muscle. What can I expect from the machine. Relaxation of tense muscles is the only thing I can think of which of course won't ellicit the advertised effect.
We arn't jelous of the device for contracting you abs (ineffectively at that), working abs isn't hard its very easy. Diet and cardio is the bitch.
What gets us is that people buy into this stuff because they don't know better. Of course it makes sense to you, your information on the subject is limited and mostly provided by whom the marketer of the product. We don't want to see you waste your money on a useless product, it only encourages more useless products to try and take its place which we have to filter through to find whats good (A major pain when it comes to supplements that why new ones are introduced so often not because of breaktrhoughs but because under new names some people will inevitably buy into it, until its exposed. Its much harder to judge a chemical than an excersize device) luckily excersize devices unlike chemicals do not require nearly the same level of knowledge to undstand the workings and we can pick out the scams by eye rather than expensive trial and error.
If you were to purchase a car, and you saw that the engine was smokine like crazy out of the hood, and the guy said look at the crazy power of the engine the smoke shows how hard its working.
You obviously wouldn't buy the lemon of a car.
Now someone who doesn't know cars arn't supposed to smoke like that, perhaps all they have seen are longpull cars on TV where they burn special gas and fire and smoke flys from the engine in great show (and location of exaust). He would think the car is simply the same way and the immense amount of smoke is an indicator of the engines power.
The electronic pulse thing has been around a long time, it hasn't hit the market like it has now because no long term effects on our nervous systems have been conducted untill recently so that it was not passed as being safe (which studies have indicated that there is no harm in repeated shockings). No one pushed for the studies to come out because there wasn't much use for it. Many gamers don't like being shocked as they play, there certainly isn't any muscular value of twitching the muscles (would be funny if there wqas people w/ the nervous twitch in there faces would be huge muscles there)
One of my friends brother has a nervous problem in his neck the result is that he shakes his head around constantly. He hasn't grown any muscles and hes fat so no luck for weightloss despite the fact that he shakes for almost everywaking hour of the day.
We don't mean to be rude against you its just most can't understand how you can even begin to think it would work. Would you understand the guy buying the smokeing lemon car?
Walk a mile before you pass judgement!
In response to some of the pseudo professional out there......."Don't judge someone else's fitness attempts till you've walked a mile in their shoes!", if you get my point. I don't think any rational person logically expects to become a "Charles Atlas", or a model for "Bowflex" simply by using EMS. EMS is not a cure-all for those too lazy to do any type of exercise. However, it can help to tone muscles, and increase strength. The people that realize the most noticeable results are those with the poorest muscle tone. If for no other reason, EMS can act as a catalyst for some people to become more involved in a more demanding exercise regimen if in fact they begin to see results from the use of EMS. It can give them hope where they originally saw none.
I began using EMS with some of the infomercial models advertised on TV, due primarily to work schedule constraints limiting available time for more conventional workout regimens. Even though I did start to see a change, none were of the quality that produced the results advertised, nor were they of the quality deserving of the prices charged. The old adage, "You get what you pay for" is more than a little appropriate in this case. Well, I finally purchase a more professional model from the Vitalityweb site, and I have been very gratified with the results. I don't expect to gain "six pack abs", nor bulging muscles, simply by using this unit, however when the underlying muscles gain improved tone and strength it's only common sense to expect to see an improvement in the outward appearance. It's comparable to the difference you might expect to see when you fill a bag with jello, and then fill that same bag with rocks, there has to be a much different appearance (A rather simple analogy, but it makes my point.). No, EMS treatment by itself will not burn fat, but it will tighten muscles, and improve outward appearance. Just because one responder here had a less than desirable experience trying EMS he (logically deduces?) that it is useless. That was a very "indepth" study he performed, on a technology that has helped a number of people. I would suggest he learn a little more about the process before he condemns it. Once a person who is utilizing EMS starts to see noticeable results he/she is more prone to continue exercising, becoming involved with weights, aerobics, etc., in an attempt to help maintain, or improve, that "new "body.
There are also any number of people that, due to physical limitations, work schedules, etc., are unable to enroll in exercise classes, or commit to lengthy workout regimens. To tell them that without that type of commitment there is no hope, nor any option, is both unfair, and untrue.
I think to a great extent, those who complain the loudest, find it necessary to do so because they have dedicated considerable time and effort, and have endured the associated pain/discomfort, to achieve their physical improvements. They therefore resent anyone able to experience some of the same results without the same commitment. I guess if you follow that logic then no one but the "elite" body builder/weightlifter deserves to enjoy improved muscle tone and fitness. One "obviously" is more deserving than the other? Well folks that life, live with it.
Don't dismiss EMS as an alternative exercise modality, or as a means of augmenting/supplementing a workout regimen.
A healthy life style, including exercise, and proper diet, help to build the foundation for fitness. Don't exclude options for, or ridicule someone else's attempts to, improve their physical condition by concluding that they must simply be lazy. What is right for one isn't necessarily the right thing for everyone.
In response to some of the pseudo professional out there......."Don't judge someone else's fitness attempts till you've walked a mile in their shoes!", if you get my point. I don't think any rational person logically expects to become a "Charles Atlas", or a model for "Bowflex" simply by using EMS. EMS is not a cure-all for those too lazy to do any type of exercise. However, it can help to tone muscles, and increase strength. The people that realize the most noticeable results are those with the poorest muscle tone. If for no other reason, EMS can act as a catalyst for some people to become more involved in a more demanding exercise regimen if in fact they begin to see results from the use of EMS. It can give them hope where they originally saw none.
I began using EMS with some of the infomercial models advertised on TV, due primarily to work schedule constraints limiting available time for more conventional workout regimens. Even though I did start to see a change, none were of the quality that produced the results advertised, nor were they of the quality deserving of the prices charged. The old adage, "You get what you pay for" is more than a little appropriate in this case. Well, I finally purchase a more professional model from the Vitalityweb site, and I have been very gratified with the results. I don't expect to gain "six pack abs", nor bulging muscles, simply by using this unit, however when the underlying muscles gain improved tone and strength it's only common sense to expect to see an improvement in the outward appearance. It's comparable to the difference you might expect to see when you fill a bag with jello, and then fill that same bag with rocks, there has to be a much different appearance (A rather simple analogy, but it makes my point.). No, EMS treatment by itself will not burn fat, but it will tighten muscles, and improve outward appearance. Just because one responder here had a less than desirable experience trying EMS he (logically deduces?) that it is useless. That was a very "indepth" study he performed, on a technology that has helped a number of people. I would suggest he learn a little more about the process before he condemns it. Once a person who is utilizing EMS starts to see noticeable results he/she is more prone to continue exercising, becoming involved with weights, aerobics, etc., in an attempt to help maintain, or improve, that "new "body.
There are also any number of people that, due to physical limitations, work schedules, etc., are unable to enroll in exercise classes, or commit to lengthy workout regimens. To tell them that without that type of commitment there is no hope, nor any option, is both unfair, and untrue.
I think to a great extent, those who complain the loudest, find it necessary to do so because they have dedicated considerable time and effort, and have endured the associated pain/discomfort, to achieve their physical improvements. They therefore resent anyone able to experience some of the same results without the same commitment. I guess if you follow that logic then no one but the "elite" body builder/weightlifter deserves to enjoy improved muscle tone and fitness. One "obviously" is more deserving than the other? Well folks that life, live with it.
Don't dismiss EMS as an alternative exercise modality, or as a means of augmenting/supplementing a workout regimen.
A healthy life style, including exercise, and proper diet, help to build the foundation for fitness. Don't exclude options for, or ridicule someone else's attempts to, improve their physical condition by concluding that they must simply be lazy. What is right for one isn't necessarily the right thing for everyone.
Muscles get bigger and stronger by causing damage to them. In order to cause damage, you have to work hard. These ab machines do not use a strong enough current to cause sufficient damage to the muscle. If they were to use enough current, your body wouldn't be able to stand it. These electro stimulation machines used by doctors and physio's are for rehab purposes to rehab either severly atrophied muscles or muscles that an injured person couldn't work because of where it is(spinal erectors). For that they work, because the intended goal is to build up stength from nothing, while bodybuilding is increased strength beyond the ability of an electronic stimulis machine.
Misinformation reigns supreme.
Obviously DanG you have a physiology degree, and I'm sure you have done extensive research into electronic muscle stimulation. Well, you went to the wrong university, and your research is flawed.
Tell you what, you come on over, and I'll hook you up to the EMS 2000R, and I'll show you what a real contraction is all about. No, you won't do that with one of the TV infomercial variety models, although they can "get your attention" at times. The point was that they (the infomercial models) are simply consumable products, manufactured primarily to prey on people wanting to make a difference in their appearance/physical condition, but who don't have the time, or ability (for whatever reason) to commit to expensive gym memberships, or extensive workout schedules.
Well, there are units out there that can provide some of the results desired. Not the "six packs, or the Swartzenegger type bulging muscles, but they can condition, strengthen, tone, and define muscles........ even if it is under a layer of fat.
Do you feel threatened by the thought that someone else may benefit from the use of this technology. I don't understand your condemnation of something you so obviously don't understand, or at least have not spent anytime studying/using.
Sometimes the advice you find on here is worth about what you pay for it. I suggest anyone interested do a little research outside the commercial sites on the internet, and maybe use one of the units designed for fitness, not for TV.
Obviously DanG you have a physiology degree, and I'm sure you have done extensive research into electronic muscle stimulation. Well, you went to the wrong university, and your research is flawed.
Tell you what, you come on over, and I'll hook you up to the EMS 2000R, and I'll show you what a real contraction is all about. No, you won't do that with one of the TV infomercial variety models, although they can "get your attention" at times. The point was that they (the infomercial models) are simply consumable products, manufactured primarily to prey on people wanting to make a difference in their appearance/physical condition, but who don't have the time, or ability (for whatever reason) to commit to expensive gym memberships, or extensive workout schedules.
Well, there are units out there that can provide some of the results desired. Not the "six packs, or the Swartzenegger type bulging muscles, but they can condition, strengthen, tone, and define muscles........ even if it is under a layer of fat.
Do you feel threatened by the thought that someone else may benefit from the use of this technology. I don't understand your condemnation of something you so obviously don't understand, or at least have not spent anytime studying/using.
Sometimes the advice you find on here is worth about what you pay for it. I suggest anyone interested do a little research outside the commercial sites on the internet, and maybe use one of the units designed for fitness, not for TV.
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