At the tippy top of the mountain of Abs Gadgets that crowd the market is the Recumbent Ab Bench. But while many of the devices you see on early-morning TV are little more than glorified door stops, you can get a defined and pronounced mid-section with a recumbent bench.
The recumbent bench shines above plain crunches, leg raises and other core work exercises in two important regards: First, it's more comfortable, meaning you're more likely to use it regularly; and second, it offers a much more convenient and elegant way to add resistance, or weight.
Crunches, leg tosses and leg raises are effective at targeting your upper and lower abdominals; but workout veterans know they can place an undue amount of strain and discomfort on the lower back and neck, even when performed correctly. The recumbent bench cradles your back and neck, placing the lion's share of the effort on your abs.
What to Look for
The most versatile and effective recumbent ab machines feature both upper and lower ab movements and a "lockout" mechanism that allows you to perform one or the other. Most people have stronger and better-developed upper stomach muscles to begin with, so it's important to be able to isolate your lower abs with such a lockout feature.
Make sure you will fit comfortably when seated in the machine. If you are extremely tall or extremely short, you might not derive any progressive resistance benefits at all, because the movement is too awkward.
The ability to add resistance is also key, because it allows you to finish your abdominal workouts faster. For instance, instead of banging out 100 repetitions in a single set, with little resistance, you could add a bit of weight and (be able to) do only 25 reps before exhaustion set in. Working hard gets results, but working smart nets you results PLUS more of your valuable time.
Common Pitfalls
Don't expect the machine to take you from Homer Simpson to Men's Health cover model in 2 weeks. And the same goes for women. In any abdominal and core-improvement plan, you'll have to couple disciplined and progressively more challenging exercise with a sensible diet.
You may develop abs of steel, but they will not be seen if hidden by a thick layer of belly fat. To that end, you should consider the abs machine an important part of your overall fat-loss exercise program. Be sure to combine it with some type of fat-burning cardio, perhaps on alternate days.
Member Comments