I'm a pretty skinny tall dude who's been looking to get in shape the past few months. Shamefully, I've never had enough stable income to afford a gym membership as they're rather expensive where I live, and I don't see that changing soon. Therefore, my best option was to peep the sitch on what sort of new workout equipment the late-night infomercials were hawking. Long story short, the AbCarver Pro was what I ended up choosing. It was in my price range and seemed legit, so what do I think so far?
Well, it's basically an optimized ab wheel. Why should you buy this over one of the many cheaper alternatives? I think there are a few reasons why it's worth shelling out a little extra for. The biggest feature it boasts is the spring inside which provides extra resistance on the push, and helps you come back, allowing you to keep good, consistent rhythm during the workout. This spring is fairly durable. I noticed some other reviews mention that it broke, but I feel that this could only be the result of improper assembly or shipping because it's made of sturdy metal. Secondly you have the handles, which are optimized to position your arms in a way that will activate your triceps. Despite the name, this wheel is also viable for working your arms out, allowing you to multitask while adding comfort to the grip. Lastly, there is the width and shape of the wheel itself. It's quite wide and features a safe tread so you can use it on any surface without ruining your floor. While some could argue that the extra width might make it too easy, one must bear in mind that with more narrow wheels, you are using your hands and wrists more than your arms or abs to keep it balanced, and that won't help you much. More narrow wheels can also loosen over time, whereas I think this was built to last. Oh, and do everything you can to buy it on Amazon and NOT the official website! They will charge you extra and the billing info you enter has to be exact down to capitalization, and they won't tell you that your order didn't go through until days later.
Anyways, it also comes with some high-density foam kneepads which help quite a bit and can also be used as a "marker" for your starting position. The box has some basic instructions in it but mostly just tells you to visit their site to see different routines you can do. I wouldn't have minded a DVD or something, but whatever. You can use a wall or something (I used a box) to gauge how far you need to go for each rep and back yourself up from there if you want to extend it. One annoying thing is that you have to sometimes "reset" the spring, but you only need to lift it up to do that. The kneepads also seem to slide a little (on my wood floor, anyway). You can also mix it up by carving left and right, like the commercial states.
As for my personal results, I've only been using it for roughly half a month and I definitely feel my arms and abs activating with each session, using it 2-3 times a day for just a few minutes. It's fairly simple to achieve proper form and will help you obtain a strong core. Make no mistake, it's a tough workout, but hey, that's how you get results. One thing I should note is that this is the only workout I've ever done that has helped the bad back I have had since I was a child (I know, 23 with a bad back, it sucks). I have had much less difficulty bending over and that sort of thing.
In closing, I would definitely recommend this if you are specifically looking to work out your abs and arms since it doesn't do much else. It should go without saying but make sure to maintain a balanced diet if you want those abs to show through. Eat those veggies, kids! There are a lot of diet plans online that should be within your price range, but that's a different story entirely. If your local gym or fitness center happens to have one, try it out there and see what you think before purchasing, if you're on the fence about it.
| Brand | Perfect Fitness |
|---|---|
| Color | red |
| Material | Plastic |
| Item Weight | 2.1 Kilograms |
| Style | Modern |
| Maximum Weight Recommendation | 136 Kilograms |
| Product Dimensions | 9"L x 7.88"W x 9"H |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 9.29 x 9 x 8 inches |
| Package Weight | 2.34 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 9 x 7.88 x 9 inches |
| Brand Name | Perfect Fitness |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer warrenty |
| Model Name | Perfect Fitness 31042 Perfect Ab Carver Pro |
| Suggested Users | Sports and Outdoors |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Perfect Pushup, LLC |
| Part Number | 31042 |
| Included Components | Ergonomic Hand Grips, Carbon Steel Springs, Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro |
| Size | muscle stimulator muscle stimulator muscle stimula |
