Ab trimmer/roller (sit up frame thing)

jd87

Can anyone recommend a decent one of this sort of thing?

Example here: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9239360.htm

It seems a lot of the cheap ones are too light and move around, or the head support isn't comfortable enough. So has anyone bought a good one? If so where did you get it?

It doesn't need to have a computer/counter but it would be a bonus. It also doesn't need to come with a mat, but if it does then the mat needs to be good and not too thin.

Thanks.

jenniewb

I can't really answer your question with links but what I did want to say is...they really don't work!

Look, around your waist (and infact this applies to most other body parts) most people have a layer of fat, some more then others. When reducing your waist (if this is your aim) you want to reduce this and not (as 'ab trimmer' type machines, sit ups and etc do) build up the muscles.

Muscles lie beneath fat, you can build muscles by exercise (and effort!) but what your basicly going to do is build up these muscles. You can have the best ab muscles in the world, a perfect 4/6/8 pack, whatever your going for, but if the layer of fat you have is too dense to show the muscle, nothing will show and worse, if your building up these muscles your likely to make your waist look larger as a result.

Many people fall for the myth that you can turn muscle into fat. This is a myth, muscle and fat are two separate things, its abit like saying you can turn bone into muscle or even fat: separare body organs, one cannot switch to the other. You can build or reduce either but cannot turn one into the other. Its one of the reasons you can be fit and fat.

If your working on reducing your waist, basicly your working on reducing some part of your body and there is only one thing to bear in mind when trying to achieve this: to reduce you need to be consuming fewer calories then your using.

There are a few ways of doing this, firstly through a calorie counted diet (there are many to chose from and its about what works for you, but most tend to find it easier if they stick to a nutritious and balanced diet thus reducing cravings for whats missing from the diet and being able to stick to a different diet: long term you need to be able to stick to whatever choices you make, a diet is for life not just for a few months!)

Secondly through cardio exercise: stuff that makes you sweat. You use more calories when your moving so basicly its about moving more. Move faster or with more effort and your again using even more. Again, don't do anything you know you wont stick to but for many once you see it pay off you tend to want to stick to what changes you make, added to which once you get into it cardiovascular exercise can boost feel good hormones and make you feel better.

And lastly (there may be more but these are what I'd consider the main 3) build up some muscle. Yes it will add inches yes it will add pounds but over time your body will require more calories to maintain and use these muscles and as a result will mean that your calorie controlled diet has a greater and faster effect then otherwise. Muscles also add a different shape to your body so as the body fat reduces you have something different to show off! This does take some time though, results wont happen in days they will happen in months.

I don't mean to tell you what to do with your own money, thats your choice and I hope I haven't come across that way, but its just that its such a false title to give something like this "ab trimmer" when infact the only thing they will reduce is the credit in your bank account. For building up muscle they can help but not for reducing size and in addition if you are set on one of these don't forget to work your back and lower back muscles or you end up with an inbalance and then an injury.

The only reason I know all this is because I have been there! I used to do abs classes every day, was obsessed and doing hours a week but actually creating more of a belly then I ever had! I didn't jiggle so much as look like I was expecting due to the size I was- I had people guess at "about 6 months?" when I asked, I was offered seats on public transport without question and it really affected my self esteem. Maybe it was lucky for me that I had to switch gyms and the cheaper gym I went to did not offer abs classes I could get to so I eventually stopped and you know what? I lost inches!

Don't forget also, if your using one of these, posture counts for alot. If you don't recruit the correct muscles you can actually train yourself to have a belly that pouts rather then a belly that shows muscle tone. The muscles your looking to train are the transverse ab muscles but also lower back muscles are just as important or you will find it even harder to train the transverse abs. Most gym lessons do not correct this mistake as its such a delicate area (can you imagine a gym instructor saying to one of the ladies "stop pushing it out!!" only for her to have to say "I'm not!!") so don't expect anyone to correct you unless your in a pilataes class.