I don’t see Yukon brand products often but once in awhile I find them especially in smaller gyms. We stayed with friends for the weekend a few weeks ago and went to their gym. I am reviewing the Yukon AB Crunch Machine.
About the Yukon AB Crunch machine
If for some reason you know nothing about exercising but are looking for a gift AB is short for abdominal muscles. A crunch is a type of exercise that can be done in many different ways and is a terrific way to tighten your abs. Cardio vascular work, however, is the best way to get the fat off around your abdominal muscles.
I have used a variety of crunch machines. This one is a bit unusual. It is more like a Hammer Strength machine in that you can, if you want, add plates to it. Plates are the circular weights that are used to add weight typically to barbells but also to some types of fitness equipment.
There are several features of this machine that I like. It is very easy to use. You don’t have to worry about attaching equipment or doing it right. Basically if you sit on it and move forward you are doing it correctly!
The Yukon AB Crunch Machine has several padded parts to it. These are very, very comfortable. You’ll find the seat nicely padded – actually quite thick. However the seat is not large so someone obese will not be comfortable sitting on the Yukon AB machine. You’ll find a padded back that hits your upper back. It is not a complete back, i.e. it isn’t a full seat. The padded back hits just the right spot though to make it comfortable when coming forward. In addition there is a similar pad that hits your butt and will go to your lower back give or take depending on your height. I was impressed with all these pads. This wasn’t a brand new gym but this piece of equipment was in top notch shape. There were no tears in the padding.
The padding is made of foam and covered with moisture resistant marine grade vinyl. We used to own a boat so I can believe that this is the same material that was in the boat based on the condition of the pads.
Another positive to the Yukon AB Crunch machine is that when using a machine it is much harder to cheat than when doing crunches without a machine. You can isolate your abdominal muscles without a machine but the Yukon helps you isolate them because as you come forward you really have no choice but to tighten your abs. As you tighten them, they become stronger.
I found the Yukon Ab machine to work well. Nothing squeaked or stuck. It moved easily for me and though I have to control the machine it felt so well made it was easier for me to control than other ab machines I’ve used.\
Jo, Your Personal Trainer, will tell you how to use this machine:
The first thing you will do is sit on the machine. There will be handles by your head. Reach for the handles. You will work this best if your arms are not stretched out but at an angle. If you have to reach too high, the seat is too low. The seat is easily adjustable. Gym equipment in general is made for men. At 5 feet 4 inches tall I always put any seat I am on at the lowest or highest level depending on the piece of equipment. For those of you who know machines my setting is usually 5. I moved the seat up as high as it went and I was able to reach the upper bars without them outstretched. It was very comfortable. My feet did not need to touch the floor. The upper handles are nicely padded – no need to wear gloves with this machine.
You will put your feet behind the pads that are at the base of the machine. These too are very padded. Your ankles should be behind them. If any other part of your leg is hitting the pads, adjust your seat. This foot hold doesn’t move. At my current gym we have a crunch machine. The top and bottom move in a double crunch. It is a tough machine. This one is much easier to use for the beginner. You can use it without weights. I’ll get into that in a moment.
Once you are comfortable on the Yukon Ab Crunch with your hands holding the upper handles move the top of your body forward. You don’t have to move all the way down. Crunches can be small moves. The most important part of a crunch is that your abdominal muscles are kept tight. You can do 1000 crunches a day and get no positive affect if you are doing them incorrectly. You are better off doing 25 really great crunches. That’s all there is to this machine.
The machine sits on a stable base. In spite of it being a fairly small machine, it is sturdy. Yukon frames are made of 2” by 2 heavy gauge rolled steel tubing.
What I didn’t realize until I wrote this review is that the Olympic adaptor is an accessory. If bought online at www.yukon.com it is currently included in the $219.00 price. An Olympic adaptor is a piece that attaches to the upper frame allowing you to put plates on the machine making the crunch more difficult. This is a nice option and if I were buying this I would buy it while this option was included. The plates are not included however.
One negative to the Yukon Ab Crunch is that I found I needed to use quite a few plates. I often use crunch machines with a stack. In other words the weights are built in. I place a pin into the amount of weight I want to use. With an ab machine most people can handle more weight than they would think. It isn’t unusual for me to do a machine crunch with 50+ pounds. This wasn’t an issue in the gym but if I had it at home I would have to have more than one plate and that can get expensive. On the other hand, using weights for abdominal work is not recommended on a regular basis. It is fine to do weighted crunches once or twice a week but some think that if done too often they can thicken your waist. So I would recommend especially if you are just starting out that you start with a light weight in any case and not even use the weight all the time.
The Yukon AB Crunch measures 34” in length x 29” in width x 51” in height. It weighs only 85 pounds making it an ideal machine for home or a small gym.
It has a weight capacity of 200 pounds. That is a low number precisely because this is a small machine and as I said has a fairly small seat.
Yukon stands behind their products. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you can obtain a “return materials control number” within 30 days of delivery, and we will refund you 100% on the purchase price less shipping costs in the order they are received.
“Yukon Fitness Equipment warrants its products against defects in materials and workmanship outlined herein. Welded structure, pulleys, and bushings are guaranteed for the life of the registered owner. After receiving a “return materials control number,” the customer is responsible for shipping the defective equipment to Yukon via prepaid freight for replacement or repair. Upholstery, grips, and cables are also warranted for life. This warranty covers only failures due to defects in materials and workmanship that occur during normal use. It does not cover damage that occurs in shipment or failures due to misuse, abuse, neglect, misapplication, alteration or improper assembly of the product. This warranty does not cover the use or failure of equipment in commercial or institutional applications.”
Jo’s final thoughts:
Yukon’s Ab Crunch Machine is a great little machine. I am rating it 4 stars rather than 5 because I consider it a non-essential piece of equipment. It is not one I would buy for my home gym unless I had lots of money and wanted every type of equipment made. I would then choose the Yukon perhaps. The fact is there is no research that supports the notion that using a machine for crunches is any more effective than doing crunches on the floor, on a stability ball or a bench. If you want to do weighted crunches and you are home, all you have to do is take the plate and put it on your chest. Please don’t make it too heavy. Remember it is the quality rather than the quantity or even the weight. As I said above I can do a terrible crunch with a 25 pound weight on me or a terrific crunch with a 5-pound weight on me. I’ll get more out of the latter.
I am recommending the Yukon AB Crunch Machine because it is really comfortable, well made, and is easy to use. Remember crunches can be small movements. I often like to do 12 full range of motion crunches (from a sitting straight position to a full bent position) and then hold the bent position for 12 and then pulse in small motions for 12. I’ll do several sets of these. You will feel them whether you are using the Yukon or just your own body.
I hope this has helped. Feel free to leave me a comment or question is I have left out anything that you want to know or if you have any questions about exercising. Be careful and have fun.
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