Ab Lounge Sport Personal fitness

I've got the Ab Lounge and I must be getting in good shape because I look it. Here's the way I see it. When you use your muscles in a good workout you tear them down a bit. They then regenerate a bit in effect building up. If you do arm curls enough your biceps build into large hard rocks. So it must be with the AB lounge. It specifically works on the Abs.(That's your abdominals for those not in the know) So I workout on the AB Lounge and that breaks down some muscle as did the arm curls. OK, let me ask. Are my ABS supposed to get big like the biceps did? If so the AB lounge is working perfectly for me because my ABs are bigger than ever. Problem is, I don't have a six pack. I've got a keg!!

What Is It?

OK, let get to reality. This piece of sports equipment is designed for working out the ABs. It's shaped somewhat like a lounge chair and moves up and down at its center point. That's where your gut would be. It is said to specifically strengthen and tone the upper abs, lower abs and obliques in record time.

They suggest 30 minute workout 3 days a week. There are notes suggesting less or more time depending on the physical health of those using it. There are suggested routines, diet ideas and more included in a pamphlet that comes with the unit. It also has a DVD that gives some instruction.

Getting Set Up

My daughter had purchased the AB lounge. It came out of the box and in a rushed 35 minutes it was assembled. I put on the finishing touches with the one-tool-does-all piece of fabricated metal they provide. It worked fine as a multi-sized wrench and a #2 phillip's head driver.

When together the length stretches to 39 1/2" the width is 30" and the height when sitting up is 44 1/2". A diagram is clear in showing the pieces put together.

Assembly was easy because the directions were clear and simple to follow. The big key to success however, was the pole sections all being labeled. It made it easy when we just had to meet #5 up with #5. The visuals made this a relatively quick project once understanding how many pieces there were in the first place.

The owners manual opened with safety information. Mmm, it seems I am 42 pound heavier than the max weight this can take. I used it with one leg on the floor. That should make up for the excess weight.

A soft almost canvass like material makes the bed of the unit. When I lay back on it it feels solid and I don't have a fear of it tearing, ripping or anything else. The lounge doesn't have any rough edges.

Probs I See

This fitness piece takes up a lot of room. It doesn't fold up and store away under a bed, in a corner, or in a closet. Those dimensions I gave earlier give an idea as to the size of the exerciser. It's not huge but I would not call it a portable machine. Not that they do.

Using the AB Lounge

For the size of the machine and the limitations of what it does(no motors or such, man power only) I don't believe my daughter got the bang for her bucks. In any case it seems to work well. In my using the AB lounge I like to sit down on it nice and easy. I don't want to hear that RiiiiiiIIIIIIP!! sound as I place my over-limit bod on it. The machine states up to 250 pounds. It does feel comfortable and I don't have the feeling it will tear.

I do feel good on it because my full body was well supported in a reclined position. Now if all I had to do was lay back and get my figure back, I would get up in the middle of the night to work out. Unfortunately it takes work to work out.

The limits of the machine are the three basic workouts they offer with a couple of minor variations making it a total of seven movements.

The 3 set exercises consist of the basic jack knife. (like a regular sit up) the lateral jack knife (where the body is twisted left and then right)and the Advanced Jackknife.(Where the body goes beyond its usual limits in stretching back) They do promise that those three exercises will do better than regular crunches. After a very short routine I could feel my abs tighten and then get fatigued. It does work fast and does pinpoint the Abs.

A Bit More In the Box

The box with the parts also revealed a workout DVD. It's a good motivator even if it wasn't the best program I have ever seen.

The pamphlet offers warm up exercises, a battery of basic exercises and care and storage tips

A book, actually the back end of Owner's manual, has a Jump Start program that helps the novice get going. It includes a chart with date reps and sets to be filled our regularly.

Another chart lets you document eight different moves on the machine. and a cardio chart provides a conditioning base to start at adding minutes, how often and how hard including heart rates.

Diet is also addressed giving ideas for breakfast, morning snacks, lunch, after snack, dinner and evening snack. It seemed like a combo Weight Watcher/Zone diet.
Another chart gives a place to post changes in size of waist, abdomen, hips, thighs, and calves. Weight is listed too.

Last Thoughts

Right now this machine is in a place in the home where it will not be permanent. It's too big for such a place in our home that is now once again filled to the limit. I'm afraid the next stop will be a dark corner, basement or the attic. I'll keep using it daily if we can keep it where it is. The first day i immediately felt the effects of a very short workout. I see good things ahead.

The Ab Lounge has very smooth action and seems strong enough to hold me. Please don't tell anyone I'm 40 pounds overweight on it.

I will update as time goes on and hopefully inches go down.