The ab chair and ab lounge, two nearly identical pieces of exercise equipment, are both advertised as tools for firming and toning your midsection. The two pieces of equipment are meant to train the same muscles, move your body through the same range of motion, have many of the same features and even make the same advertising claims.
Appearance
The ab chair and ab lounge both look almost exactly alike; the only real difference between the two pieces of equipment is color. An advertisement for the ab chair deluxe, on Your Store Online, even goes so far as to state that the ab chair was designed to provide the same features and results as the ab lounge. Both machines resemble a chaise lounger with a rolled steel frame on sides, an adjustable foot pedal at the bottom of the chair seat and a grip bar, grip straps or both at the top of the chair.
Features
Both the ab chair and the ab lounge have adjustable resistance levels, fold up for storage and have comparable 180-day warranties. The only major difference between the two pieces of equipment is the weight limit; the ab chair deluxe can support a person that weighs up to 200 lbs., while the ab lounge supports up to 250 lbs.
Use
Both the ab lounge and the ab chair work the same way. Adjust the footrest so that your hips are directly above the chair or lounge's hinge. Sit down in the chair and grasp the grip straps or upper bar of the frame in both hands. Stretch back, letting your body hinge open at the hips, then squeeze your abs and hip flexors to bring your upper and lower body back together, as if they were the two covers of a book being closed.
Claims
While the advertising material for both products repeatedly states that they are each more effective than a standard crunch, neither manufacturer provides any evidence to back this claim.
Considerations
According to the ExRX.net Exercise & Muscle Directory, your primary ab muscle, the rectus abdominus, is responsible for only one movement: Spinal flexion. Both the ab chair and ab lounge facilitate a different movement: Hip flexion.
Cost
As of May 2010, price points for the ab chair and ab lounge are roughly equal, with base models retailing at about $90, while higher-end models of each exercise machine cost up to $150.
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