"Situps" for couch potatoes
Written: Apr 01 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap in Australia
Cons: Doesn't do what it claims to do.
The Bottom Line: Cheap "fitness" toy
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| smooth39's Full Review: Abtronic Electronic Fitness System |
I bought this thing at a $2 shop for USD$4.50, since I had seen it advertised for many times that price on television, and to buy the two CR2032 batteries included with the unit would have cost almost that much. So, I was getting the "abtronic" for free! (well just about).
The device works on the principle that the body uses electic impulses to contract muscles, so it follows that if you apply an external impulse to your muscle, then you will contract your muscle. This comes with the supposed benefit that you are doing "work" without exercise. They claimed (while this thing was on TV) that you could do the equivalent of 600 situps in a matter of a few minutes, and you would receive a washboard stomach in the bargain.
Well, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the far-fetchedness of these claims. Work is defined as force multiplied by distance. You are twitching your muscles only a fraction of the distance per twitch (which they claim to be equivalent to a situp. You are also exerting almost no force, therefore doing almost no work - this means no washboard either. The "burn" that you will feel afterward (for days afterward if you leave it on too long) is a completely different symptom to that of a good workout. Sure, your muscles have been stimulated, and they feel like they have done work, but they haven't done what they feel like they have done.
They use these things on people who are bed-bound, because this helps circulation and gives some minor tone to an otherwise immobile body. You will not get a muscular workout from this item.
That having been said, I believe it is better than doing nothing. Watch TV, use the computer while it's on, and you will receive some sort of benefit, but not a situp workout. It can burn you if you don't use enough gel, but if you buy a cheap waterbased lubricant you won't think twice about putting enough on.
The product was so cheap here because they claimed it would do something it couldn't, not that it doesn't work at all. I say if you can get it for $5 then wriggle while you watch!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
smooth39
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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