6 Minute Abs (Or any other Instant Fat Loss Thing)? I think not… And neither does Science

We’ve all seen the infomercials on TV about “breakthrough” Ab machines or Ab workouts, claiming to take inches off your waist and give you the six pack you’ve always dreamed of. Honestly, who hasn’t gotten a little excited at the prospect of earning a Greek-esk physique in just minutes a day?! Well… These product marketeers have gotten at least one of two claims right. If you do X minutes of abs each and every day, you undoubtedly will get an amazing 6 pack. Sadly, you will never be able to find it under your pre-existing layer of fat, or fluff as we like to call it…assuming of course that the ‘fluff’ was there to begin with.

Here’s a great article in relation to this topic by J. Foster:
About this time of year, infomercials for Ab machines, fat melting pills and clever new Ab workouts seem to hit the airwaves in abundance. They are – quite simply – the most annoying, deceitful, and downright misleading ads there are.

Here’s why:
The characters in these infomercials are most likely hired from an agency that specializes in fitness models. They probably never laid eyes on the machine until the day of the shoot.
These people have timed their training and diet in order to be in peak physical condition for that day.

The ad is all about giving the impression that somehow the physical condition of these actors came from spending 3 minutes a day on these ridiculous machines.
Not true. Here’s a reality check.
What the ab machine will NOT do:

• Give you a fake tan.
• Reduce your body fat percentage to single digits.
• Make you look pretty.
• Give you white teeth.
• Build massive biceps and pecs.
• Build muscular thighs and calves.
• Build shredded deltoids.
• Increase overall strength.
• Give you a slender waist.
• Give you large perky breasts.

To gain the above things, you will need a combination of; months to years of diligent cardiovascular and strength training, a powerful commitment to maintain a fairly strict diet (often with different goal phases of ‘bulking’ and fat loss), and possibly some cosmetic surgery and other cosmetic work.

What the Ab machine may do:

• Increase abdominal strength.
• Build some abdominal muscles (which will probably remain concealed beneath your subcutaneous belly fat).
• Potentially cause injury due to poor ergonomic design.
• Gather dust in your garage or become a life-threatening obstacle in your bedroom.

The choice is yours as to whether you buy such a machine – but at least be realistic about its potential.

We at Fitness Gear and Training simply want you to be aware. We know that spot training a single muscle group will not make the fat go away in any specific area. It’s scientifically impossible! There is not an ab machine, magic pill, or any 10 minute workout  in the world that will give you a workout good enough to get six pack abs and the rest of the package. It takes hard work, commitment, accountability, motivation and a balance between cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. Even when we sell a treadmill here, we assure our customers that it’s NOT the secret to losing fat. It will certainly play a role, but they must incorporate an appropriate resistance training program.
If you want to learn more about fitness and get expert knowledge and training, don’t hesitate to stop by our studios and retail showroom in downtown Bellingham.

P.S. Stay tuned because next week we will be unveiling a radical new product that we believe will no less than revolutionize the fitness industry! We’re excited, actually ecstatic, to ‘let the bird out of the cage,’ so stay tuned…and no, its not a magic pill, new machine, a fancy new exercise.