Ab Rocket and Ab Lounger commercials both promise to help you tone and strengthen your abs. The popularity of ab exercise equipment like these machines might be due in part to the popular myth of spot reduction. Many people believe that if you have fat in a particular area of your body, working that area exclusively will burn the fat off. Although it's true that getting your large muscle groups working rhythmically will help burn fat, the fat comes off your entire body -- not only around the muscles you're working.
Promises
Ab Rocket commercials showcase extraordinary user results as if they were ordinary and due only to using the Ab Rocket equipment. A small, easy-to-miss note at the bottom of the screen warns you that the exercisers shown achieved their results by using the Ab Rocket along with a reduced-calorie diet and regular cardio exercise. Reducing your calorie intake and increasing your activity levels is the only proven, long-term method of weight loss -- with or without the Ab Rocket.
The Ab Lounger promotions focus more on showcasing the machine's capabilities. But they still use exercise "buzz phrases" like promising to tone both your upper and lower abs. According to a 2001 study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, the upper and lower abs usually trigger together, not independently.
Range of Motion
Both the Ab Rocket and Ab Lounger work you through a similar range of motion, piking at the hips. Your abs are only responsible for moving your body during the minimal spine flexion both machines offer. Your abs also work to stabilize your lower back against the pull from your hip flexors, which are responsible for the primary movement. Many people already have tight hip flexors from sitting for long periods of time. Further overdeveloping these muscles can contribute to lower back tightness, discomfort and poor posture.
Uses
But wait, there's more, as infomercial hosts love to say. According to promoter Tony Little, the Ab Lounger also doubles as a chair or lounger -- albeit an unusual looking one. You can also use the Ab Lounger to stretch your hips and abs. The Ab Rocket is promoted as a massager of sorts, since the rollers on the backrest slide up and down your back as you crunch. It also positions and supports you for some Pilates exercises, and you can purchase an extra attachment to turn the Ab Rocket into a base for elastic resistance bands. This is supposed to create a full gym for working your entire body, but the truth is that you can work your muscles just as well with only the resistance bands -- no Ab Rocket needed.
Prices
As of October 2010, the Ab Rocket retails for about $100. The Ab Lounger is available in several models that retail for as little as $75 and as much as $160, depending on the retailer.
Considerations
Neither the Ab Rocket nor the Ab Lounger is strictly necessary. Traditional floor crunches work your abs effectively and, contrary to the images shown in the Ab Rocket commercials, properly done floor crunches don't hurt your neck or back. The Ab Rocket in particular can actually reduce the benefit you get from crunches, because it gives you an assist in the upward motion. Making the exercise easier means fewer calories burned, less weight lost and less muscular development. But if either piece of equipment inspires you to work out regularly, committing to a well-rounded program that includes healthy diet and regular aerobic exercise, it's well worth the price.
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