| |
| |
|
Muscle Building Information |
|
|
|
Do Electric Ab Stimulators Really Work?
Electronic muscle stimulators are the latest craze, the hottest fad... but you want to know "do they really work!" Right? To answer that question, let's start with a little background information on what this equipment was originally designed for. Electric ab stimulators were (and still are) used in medical rehab situations. They are designed to keep muscles from atrophying (wasting away) in situations where a limb must be immobilized. For example, if you broke your leg, the doctor could place an electrode on the muscle and use electricity to make it contract. This would provide a minimum level of stimulation, thus keeping the muscle active. As far as building muscle, such as the ads on TV claim, this is not backed up by research. The level of electrical stimulation necessary to build up the abdominal muscles to what you see on TV would be extremely high, and thus very painful. Many companies that sell these belts also claim that the belts help burn fat. In reality, the small muscle contractions produced by these belts burn about as many calories as the effort required to take the belt out of the box and put the batteries in. If you read the fine print in these ads, you will also notice that the instructions for use also include a suggested exercise and nutrition plan. This, without a doubt, would be the true source of the results people get from this equipment. But what about people you may know who have tried the belts and say that they feel something when they use it? Let's put it this way... the belt does provide a small level of stimulation to the abdominal muscles. When a person's abs are totally lacking any form of stimulation, any amount of stimulation has the potential to produce results. It is simply a matter of something is better than nothing (in this case, not a whole lot better, though). A much better solution for working your abdominal muscles effectively is to do the unglamorous crunch exercise. It may not send electric shocks into your guts but it will get the job done. Crunches, even done properly and regularly, won't burn fat but they will definitely tighten up your abs. For detailed instructions on how to do the crunch most efficiently visit: http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Crunches.htm Do electric ab stimulators work? In a nutshell, no. These companies are simply preying upon society's desire for results without effort. Don't be fooled by the hype. About The Author Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Build-Muscle - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Default Rep Range I had an hour long conversation with Pavel Tsatsouline on Sunday and per usual his probing questions churned up some things that I had forgotten. One thing that he asked was, "Over the years, was there a single repetition range that you preferred?" What was 'normal' for me? Put another way, what single rep range did I use most often in my weight training and why? Without hesitation I said 5-rep sets. Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders The lower body contains some of your biggest muscles which are capable of bearing significant weights. The temptation for beginners to go for broke by performing heavy squats should be resisted. Muscle And Fitness -- The Third and Final Key To Successfully Achieving Your Fitness Goals Before delving into Muscle And Fitness - The Second Key, the final and most important key to success in your muscle and fitness routine, I'd like to remind you about what the previous article discussed.In a previous article, you were given a number of steps to follow. Gaining Muscle Mass This article will discuss how to gain weight naturally muscle building. Gaining weight naturally is about muscle building and using a mass building diet daily. Why You Do Not have Killer Abs or that 6 Pack Abdominal Muscle Ask any woman what is the most attractive part of a male body and most of the time, they will tell you it's the six pack abs, meaning that your abdominal muscle showing up with beautiful definition. Your abs is considered by many as a sexy muscle and is a symbol of a fit and healthy man. How to Lose the Most Fat and Build the Most Muscle in 30 Days A lot can happen in 30 days.The dream of everyone who trains is to lose maximum fat and build maximum muscle in the shortest period of time possible. Complete Pec Training Tips Put these pec techniques to use and develop that full, muscular chest today.For most people I see in the gym, the bench press has become more about building an ego than building a quality set of pecs. Muscle Gain Visualization Tips Visualization can play an important part in gaining weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Gaining weight can be difficult for many people who don't use their minds to help in the process. Exercise The Right Way - The Triceps Pushdown Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes. Weight Training Terminology For Beginners Weight training is one of the best ways to shape up and lose weight. The benefits of weight training are too numerous to mention here. Planting And Nurturing Your Contacts And Resources The success level of your bodybuilding endeavors is highly determined by the contacts and resources that you posses and have access to, as well as these that you can offer to the world of bodybuilding.Success is achieved through desire dedication, effort, simplicity, and consistency. Build Muscle and Boost Your Training Intensity Now Build Muscle with a unilateral weight training program. Whether you are feeling stale on your current routine or just looking for a way to improve your workouts and start making progress again, unilateral training is a perfect way to increase the results of your training time and help you build muscle. Clothes and Shoes and Stretching Now that we have a trainer, our next concern is to be equipped with the proper shoes and clothes, so our training experience can be maximized. If your trying to create a great body you need to start with clothes and shoes that will make you feel good as well as look good! {The reason behind that is if you look and feel good you will tend to be in a motivated state of mind, and in this state we build consistency, this is where results come from. Power Mass Training for Building Muscle Mass Many people believe you need to train with a variety of weights and reps in order to maximize your muscle building progress. I believe that you can find the appropriate rep number for your muscles and it is best to stick with that range most of the time. How Stretching Can Explode Your Muscle Growth When you think about gaining muscle, stretching is probably not the first thing that pops into your head. But did you know that stretching plays a critical role in building muscle?Every muscle in your body is enclosed in a bag of tough connective tissue known as fascia. Moving From Beginner To Intermediate Level Bodybuilding By now you've made significant progress in your bodybuilding career. For the past three to six months you've learnt how to perform the core lifting exercises in a technically correct manner. Glucosamine Review and Potential Benefits Something interesting happened as my triceps workouts continued in their intensity. After doing some triceps elbow extensions and numerous other elbow extension exercises, I began to feel effects of what is known as elbow tendonitis. How to Weight Train for Maximum Muscle Gain Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of "free weights" like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips. Get On the Ball: Core Stability Have you heard the term, focus on the core? No, we're not talking about the inside of a golf ball; we're talking about the inner muscles that make up the abdominal region, hips and lower back. Most people focus their attention on the muscles that are more visible and easy to train, such as biceps, pecs and back, however, the most important muscles that act as our foundation are often over looked. The Role Of Repetitions In Your Muscle Building Program Repetitions are the basic building blocks of any strength or muscle building program but it is something that many lifters take for granted. How often do you see people at the gym speed through their reps, breathe haphazardly or fail to complete each rep correctly from a technical perspective? There is much more to the simple rep than meets the eye.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
