Men, Abs and Machines – What’s the Truth?

Stunning men abs are everywhere. You can see sculpted bods on TV, in magazines, and on billboards. We all know that a six pack is sexy. But how do you get one?

Those sculpted bods with ripped abs are usually paid models selling some gadget, gizmo, gimmick, or machine promising to give you rock solid sexy abs.

Do those machines work? Do you know the truth?

Before you buy an abdominal training machine or join a gym, there are 3 things you should know:

  1. Abdominal training machines can aid in strengthening and toning, but they will not give you overall strength or melt fat, when used alone.
  2. Although machines and equipment may help, men abs can get toned and strong without them, at home.
  3. Due to genetics, some men will get rock hard abs quicker and easier than others.

Machines

The number of abdominal training machines available is mind-boggling. Many can be found at the gym, and others are available for home use. Do they work?

That depends. Some provide real benefits, most are the same as just doing abdominal targeting exercises, and a few actually do nothing.

The machines you can find in the gym usually have the benefit of progressive resistance, allowing you to increase your workout as you increase in strength, but you can achieve the same benefits at home by doing weighted exercises.

The primary benefits to purchasing an at-home machine for men abs are:

  1. Motivation
  2. Form

If having a machine will motivate you to follow through with your fitness plan, then purchasing one is a good investment. If it won’t, then it may not be.

Form is an important consideration. If you do not have good form, you are not exercising properly. This not only defeats the purpose of working out, but puts you at risk for injury. An exercise machine cannot give you good form. However, once you know you are exercising properly, the machine can reinforce your good form until it becomes second nature to you.

Before purchasing a machine, ask your friends for recommendations and check popular review sites on the Web.

Working Abs at Home

Unlike with many exercises, there is little danger in working your abs to exhaustion. Start out slow, and step up your routine until you can’t do anymore.

6 great ab training exercises are:

  • lying leg raises – lower abs
  • reverse crunches – lower abs
  • hanging knee raises – lower abs
  • ab crunches – upper abs
  • cross-knee crunches – upper abs
  • pulldown crunches – upper abs

Genetics

Don’t get discouraged because the guy next to you at the gym works out half as much and has abs of steel, while you’re still sporting love handles. Most people who start a fitness routine for the first time give up within a month.

Why?

Because they aren’t taking genetics into account. Did your father have a potbelly? Don’t be surprised if you do too.

Don’t worry, though. You’re not doomed. But you may have to work harder and longer than others; men abs aren’t always the same.

Keep training, and remember that proper diet and cardio fitness is key to any fitness routine, and soon your hard work will be paying off and you’ll be glad that you didn’t quit.