Abraham Lincoln said that you can fool some of the people all of the time. Some exercise equipment manufacturers adhere to this philosophy. They employ clever marketers, who appeal to consumer’s insecurities with promises of “lost inches” and “instant weight loss.” The Federal Trade Commission, the American Council on Exercise and other fitness and consumer advocate organizations are not amused. They’ve issued reports and studies that challenge the claims of these useless, potentially dangerous machines.
Electronic Ab Belts
The Federal Trade Commission began Project ABSurd in 2002. The program exposed home exercise machines whose advertisers made false claims to consumers. The FTC targeted Ab Tronic, AB Energizer, and Fast Abs. Manufacturers of these electronic ab belts claimed that their products reduced the belly size and caused weight loss, without crunches, aerobic exercise or dieting. Dr. John Porcari, a professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, explains that these belts stimulate abdominal contraction without creating the neural and chemical reactions required for developing muscle tone.
Leg Extension Machine
Many people, especially women, have a hamstring and quadriceps muscle imbalance. Choosing the wrong equipment potentially exacerbates the problem. The leg extension machine isolates the quadriceps, or frontal thigh muscles. It’s an open chain exercise, which means that the foot is in a free position as opposed to a fixed one. In an article featured on the Testosterone Muscle website, trainer Eric Cressey of Excel Sport and Fitness in Waltham, Massachusetts, explains that open chain exercises create shearing forces in the knee, which weaken the supporting joints and ligaments and make the knee susceptible to injury. He sites research featured in the “American Journal of Sports Medicine,” which explain the lack of carryover between leg extensions and functional athletic movements, and a study published in the the “Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” that indicated strain on the anterior cruciate ligament while performing the leg extension exercise.
Home Treadmills
Since January, 2010, Wisconsin’s Better Business Bureau has processed 43 complaints about Horizon Treadmills. Problems include irreplaceable broken frames, treadmill motors breaking after less than a year of use and treadmills unexpectedly gaining speed. While this complaint targets Horizon, it is a typical problem in the home treadmill market. Those costing less than $1,000 often have irreparable mechanical problems.
Hawaii Chair
It’s hard to take the Hawaii Chair seriously. It’s scary to think that some people do. The Hawaii chair looks like a regular office chair, but when you press the button, the seat makes circular “hula dance” movements, which supposedly tone your hips, thighs and core muscles. Using it in your office will probably get you fired.
About this Author
Lisa Marie Mercer has been a professional writer for nearly 10 years. She has authored “Open Your Heart with Winter Fitness,” “Breckenridge: A Guide to the Sights and Slopes of Summit County” and “101 Fitness Tips for Women.” She’s worked as a fitness professional, tour guide and ski resort employee. Her work has appeared in “Aspen Magazine,” “HerSports,” “The Professional Skier,” “Pregnancy Magazine” and “Wired.”
