A Personal Trainer Tells You How Revolutionary the Ab Revolutionizer is.
Written: Jan 21 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great for putting you in good form for reverse crunches; portable
Cons: Not a necessary item once you learn the form.
The Bottom Line: For $60 and a guarantee you might like this if you put off doing ab work or want to do reverse crunches in good form.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Ab Revolutionizer |
When I saw the Ab Revolutionizer on television for $60 I really had to buy it. I know that a 6 pack is something I will never have. I also know that 90% of the way our abdominal area looks is due to what we eat rather than how many crunches we do. In spite of knowing all this and in spite of saying more than once that props are not essential to do ab work, at 53 and a personal trainer, I still felt that I wanted to give this a try.
What is the Ab Revolutionizer?
First let me say that there are many different ways you can order this machine. One place I found will give you the Ab Bar, which I do not like. Other sites give you Energizing Supplements. You may pay more for these; you may not. When I ordered mine I got the unit which comes with a headrest, video, instructional booklet and nutritional guide. I am not going to get into the supplementary material. If you want more information other than a review of the Ab Revolutionizer, let me know.
The Ab Revolutionizer is a simple little piece of equipment. It measures 24 inches by 24 inches by 6 inches and weighs 22 pounds. It claims to work the lower and upper abdominals together as well as the obliques which are the muscles are on your sides.
It claims to takes other muscles (back, shoulders) out of the exercise allowing me to isolate and concentrate on the abs. I do not have a problem with the claims about how the Revolutionizer works. I agree with all that has been said so far. We are told that we will see visible results in 3 sessions and I am guaranteed to drop two dress sizes in 10 sessions. Seeing visible results in 3 sessions of 3-5 minutes each is really a stretch. I actually do not know how they say that but I will guess as to how. If you are overweight, especially significantly, and just follow their nutritional guide, you will lose weight. In fact two dress sizes are 14 pounds. When you start on Weight Watchers it is not uncommon to drop 7 pounds the first week so their claim, and I will say it again, I feel has more to do with nutrition than the Ab Revolutionizer. But what about seeing visible results in 3 sessions? Well assuming you work hard for one week you can lost 5 plus pounds. If you lose 5 pounds and are not morbidly obese you may in fact see a difference. Will your abdominal muscles be tighter in 15 minutes? Without hesitation I will say they will not be visibly tighter. However again, if this is new for you, you will feel that you have worked your abdominal area. That feeling may translate to you that there is a difference and if you have lost weight there will be a visible difference.
I was taken by the endorsement of Dr. Rabinoff who claims to never endorse products. He claims that the Ab Revolutionizer will give me perfert form and support without straining my back, neck or shoulders. I do agree with that statement which is the reason I like the Ab Revolutionizer.
You can do forward crunches on the Revolutionizer but I bought it for its ability to enhance reverse crunches at home and with clients. I have access to all sorts of abdominal machines and props at my gym and elsewhere but for a small amount of money, I figured this might be fun and I would spend more time on my abdominal area.
A reverse crunch is a tricky move. I will try to explain it because a lot of people have never done one. Reverse crunches are very effective for the lower area of the abdomin which is the area where many women, especially those like me who have had children, want to flattern. A piece of equipment called the Roman Chair, which allows me to do leg raises, is thought by many to be the best abdominal piece of equipment around. My gym has several versions of the Roman Chair. Leg raises on the Roman Chair make me do reverse crunches just not lying down. If I am lying down I would raise my legs. I put my hands or some support under my back just to protect it and move my buttocks up just slightly and back just slightly. Back meaning that my legs will be heading to my head. This is such a small move that most people do it wrong because they try to move too much. Ten good reverse crunches make my abs burn.
Ok so The Ab Revolutions Technology lifts my pelvis and legs with an anatomically precise motion. In effect the motion that I can do because of practice, you can do without practicing.
Why am I writing this review? I am an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Personal Trainer and have the knowledge both professionally and personally to do so. I am going to take you through my Ab Revolutionizer.
My machine has a black pad which is slightly cushioned. I do not sit on it fully so how comfortable this pelvic lift pad is in not all that relevant. I lie down and put my butt at the lower end of it closest to me. I then lift up my legs and rest my ankles on the ankle pad. This is a nicely cushioned foam pad. This is an important area to be comfortable and it is. This piece is what is supporting my ankles, calves and legs as the machine pushes up my pelvis.
Another reason I like this pad is that it gives me resistance through the crunch or reverse crunch. When I do a reverse crunch without the Ab Revolutionizer, my legs are hanging loosely. I tighten them up but this support does that for me. My thighs will now be hitting the thigh bar which is almost identical to the ankle pad. The only difference that matters is the ankle pad has two separate pads (which really is not necessary but that is how this is made) and the thigh bar/pad is one piece. I am now pretty much locked into this position.
I have a head pad which is a small cushion type head rest. This is not used during the exercise but it is nice to put my head on it rather than the floor. It gives my neck support while I am resting.
There are two arms that are called lifter arms. These are what the Ab Revolutionizer uses to push me up. As I am on this piece of equipment I allow the Ab Revolutionizer to lift up my pelvic area with the pelvic lift pad (the black pad I am on).
The Ab Revolutionizer has a weight holder. This is a small part in the front of the equipment where you can put plates or weights that are in a round form if you own them. I have said many times that I have mixed feelings about using weights. I do use them however. I would just recommend as I do to my clients that you not use weights too much. I believe they can thicken your waist area if done too often or with too much weight.
You can be creative with this machine. You can use it for traditional sit ups which I personally do not like by sitting totally on the black pad rather than lying down; you can twist your body getting more of your oblique muscles involved although the Ab Revolutionizer does little work here so essentially it becomes unnecessary. Really the only exercise I like it for are reverse crunches and those are the only exercises that one might need help on because as I said they can be tricky to do correctly.
An additional feature to this equipment are what are called assist grips. All that means is that on each side of the thigh bar there is an area that has no foam on it. These grips are used to help pull you up if you need the help. So for example if I am doing reverse crunches and I am getting tired I can pull on the sides and get in a few more. This is actually nice. I know I do more crunches on the Revolutionizer than I do on my own because of the assist grips.
I did have to put it together but it was simple. It really just requires a couple of pins and maybe 15 minutes and it is done. It is a very simple piece of equipment. Perhaps too simple even for the low price of $60. I think it is constructed well and appears durable. I do not think it would hold up to a lot of use in a professional gym. This is truly a piece for the home.
There is a 30 day money back guarantee and a one year limited warranty.
My final thoughts:
How to rate it? I will rate it as if you were my client. I will tell you that if you are having trouble getting the hang of reverse crunches, this is a decent, small, portable, lightweight, inexpensive piece of equipment that will help you with your form. If you tell me “I just do not feel anything “ when we do reverse crunches I will bring this over to your house to help you learn the form. It does have a purpose. Was it necessary for me? No. Is it a necessary piece of equipment for the seasoned person who works out? No. You should be able to do all sorts of crunches and probably do not even need the extra assistance the assist grips give you.
It is a cute idea and has a place in some homes. I am rating this above average because it is unique and recommending it. You can always return it within 30 days. Please check with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have health problems, are a man over 40 or a woman over 50. Finally do not expect the Ab Revolutionizer alone to melt pounds away. I have lost 10 pounds in the last month by going back to eating healthfully (close to vegan with my Supergreens drink) and increasing the time spent in the gym both lifting weights and doing cardio vascular work. You can do the same if motivated.
Feel free to leave me a question, comment or e-mail me privately.
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Recommended:
Yes
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