If you've watched late-night TV, you'll have been promised that by buying a certain exercise machine, you'll have that longed-for six pack in just a few weeks. These machines focus on the abdominal muscles, or the abs, and, while improving your abs will give you a start towards that six pack, you also need to watch what you eat and have regular aerobic workouts too.
A Good Buy?
In 2001, the American Council on Exercise commissioned a study on abs exercisers. The researchers found that most of these machines do little more than you can achieve on your own with that great free exercise resource -- the floor. You don't really need to lay out money on machines when cycling exercises and crunches will do much of the work for free. The study recommends a variety of exercises to work all the ab muscles.
Torso Track
According to the ACE study, the Torso Track is the best performing abs exerciser, scoring higher than the Ab Roller and the Ab Rocker. It was praised for working both the obliques and rectus abdominus muscles. The study found it slightly more effective than a traditional crunch exercise. Kneel in front of Torso Track and slide back and forth.
Ab Coaster
Consumer Reports rated the Ab Coaster as an effective abs exerciser, which also improved the oblique muscles. However, testers didn't find the machine easy to operate: It involves kneeling on a platform and sliding along rails forwards, backwards or side to side.
Considerations
It's a mixed picture when it comes to choosing an abs machine and, in fact, you should be aware they could even cause you problems, most commonly pain in the lower back. Torso Track could cause strains to the lower back and Consumer Reports found that almost everyone who tested Ab Coaster had some pain in this area.
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