Stomach exercise gear is a tricky topic. If you don’t feel like you’re getting enough of a core workout from simple crunches and leg raises, you may be thinking about some kind of ab exercise equipment. But which of the many options will do the best job? Exercise Ball, or Swiss Ball If there is one piece of stomach exercise equipment to buy first, I’d suggest a basic Swiss ball. I’m sure you’ve seen these at the gym or in ads. I use Swiss Balls when I train clients, although not as much as some trainers. They’re actually not appropriate for many situations in which the actual goal is strength development and muscle growth. However, they do make the core muscles work in unique ways, and exercise balls can recruit more muscles during a workout. They may also help you figure out which side of your body is less strong, as the strength discrepancies become clear. An exercise ball will run between $15 and $50 (You can find an exercise ball pump for about $10). Make sure that you get a ball that’s tougher and more durable than the less expensive ones usually are. Which size ball you need depends on your height: 45cm= 4’7”-5’1 Rowing Machine The rowing machine is a great cardio workout that also hits the core. If you decide on a rowing machine look for a model with a flywheel that generates the resistance. These units are almost as quite authentic feeling. The WaterRower machines actually incorporate water into their design to simulate rowing. Look for a unit that creates resistance throughout the entire stoke. Expect to pay $600 for a good quality rowing machine. The Squat It might surprise you, but depending on your strength training background, the traditional barbell squat will build nearly all of your muscles, including your core muscles. It takes strong abs to balance that barbell throughout the entire range of motion. To perform the squat you’ll need a barbell, weight plates and some kind of squat rack. This may not be practical if you live in a small space, but the squat is definitely worth mentioning. In addition to secondarily working your stomach muscles, the squat will generally increase your metabolism overall. And this is the key to actually seeing the ab muscles you’ve been working on; without fat loss overall, the most developed abs will exist behind a layer of abdominal fat. You can also perform squats with a dumbbell in each hand, although I have a suspicion that it won’t work your abs quite as hard as the Barbell version will. Flat abs may take time depending on where you’re at right now, but it’s completely achievable. The most important point to remember is… You cannot control where fat burns first. This is a very hard point for most people to remember. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s all those ab gadget commercials. Fat is one continuous layer around your body. There isn’t “abdominal fat” in the same sense as there are “abdominal muscles”. It’s the same fat all over your body. It may burn from behind your arms and your neck before the fat loss spreads to your stomach area. It’s still a good idea to use some kind of stomach exercise equipment to strengthen the core muscles. That way, once the fat is gone, you’ll have something amazing to show off. Return from stomach exercise equipment to Scottsdale Fitness Home |
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