Study Says Most Abs of Steel Machines Are Bogus

The ads work.But the abs don’t. Americans spend more than $100 million on strange mechanical devices whose pitchmen promise six-pack abs, but according to this story in the New York Times, a study by researchers at Kansas State University determined that the machinery does little that couldn’t be done without it. The study, which used electrodes to measure the stimulation of the abdominal muscles of 23 men and women working with various devices, found that, on
average, the products elicited no greater muscle activity than
traditional crunches. One problem, the Times points out, is that most abdominal exercises have little
effect on fat deposits that sit above them, and there is no way to "spot-reduce" stomach fat. Anahad O’Connor, who wrote the piece, suggests combining dieting and cardiovascular exercise – to streamline overall body fat – with the
usual abdominal workouts. Geezer suggests serious consideration of cutting bait on the abs, and just going with the six-pack. Read more.