Should You Use an Ab Chair?

Amidst all the talk about '6 pack' abs and frequent advertisements for home exercise equipment, ab chairs are a popular topic. What is an ab chair anyway and what will it contribute to your routine?

Ab chairs are simply seats that assist in making movements to work the muscles in your abdomen. Technologically, the models vary from very simple, such as ‘The Bean’ (a popular model that aids with form) to more complex abdominal trainers (like the ‘Ab Rocket’) with various springs and rollers.

What are the pros and cons to using one of these chairs to help with your exercises? As with any gym equipment, just buying it may encourage you to exercise. When it comes to doing something about those abs, every little bit helps! Since the ab seats generally come with an exercise plan, you will have directions for the specific muscles you need to target. Be aware, however, that the often-heard sales pitch guaranteeing ‘xxx abs in three minutes a day” is not very realistic. First of all, the largest ab muscles are not even the ones most easily seen, and the infamous ‘6-pack’ results from the most superficial of the abdominal muscles.

Furthermore, fitness experts advise that the seats hinder the benefit of some exercises, such as when it assists the user out of the difficult portion of a crunch.  Unfortunately full-range abdominal exercises may irritate the lumbar region just like full-range sit ups, and ab chairs encourage full-range movements.  Not only can this factor cause back pain, but it can discourage the use of the chair, as well.  Another disadvantage is that ab chairs can cost much more than alternatives like the Swiss Ab ball. 

What it boils down to is this.  If you are eager to improve your abdominal muscles and you need motivation, an ab chair might be a good choice.  Nevertheless, most experts suggest choosing one of the simpler designs so that you do more of the work yourself. If you are really motivated to do the work, you might benefit from doing a combination of traditional exercises at home and using the chairs with a trainer at the gym.  Using their equipment and assistance will encourage a safe workout, great results, and more bang for your buck!