Perfect Ab Carver Pro

[QueBert]

I headed to Sports Authority today to get the Lifeline USA Ab Wheel, and I saw this. I had ran across it somewhere else awhile back but didn't pay it any mind. I went home to Google it and can't find too much about it. About half of the small number of reviews I came across said this thing really makes the small of their back hurt.

I used an Ab Wheel once and it was brutal, this looks interesting and is different enough where I'm not sure which one to get. Anyone used this?

https://abcarverpro.com/

 

[Kyle]

Hmm, haven't seen that before...I've used an ab wheel once and hated it - or i guess hated myself at how bad I failed with it.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Same concept as the wheel, or the Ab Roller (plastic deck on 4 plastic casters). The ab wheel just takes some time to get used to - the first week your abs will be sore for days, and then after that it gets easier. Add in higher reps, roll to the side for obliques.

If their lower back hurts, then that's a separate issue with their own body.

Planks are a great ab/stability workout, and requires no addtl equipment. Raised planks, alternating leg lifts, etc. I use the wheel since it's available at the gym, but not sure I'd buy one specifically for home use to work the abs.

 

[tedrodai]

That looks like a way to con more money out of folks who want to buy a fancy looking ab wheel. Only 2 easy payments of $19.95. It does the same thing as any ab wheel.

And yeah, a regular ab wheel will make your back hurt too if you try to go beyond your current limits. You need to make sure to hold a hollow body...no letting the back arch.

 

[purbeast0]

if your lower back hurts while using the ab wheel you probably just need to strengthen your back. i used to do an exercise just like this at the gym where i'd put a 45lb plate on each side of a barbell then roll out just like the ab wheel. i liked it better though because i would put my arms shoulder width which was just more comfortable for me. i remember my back being quite sore and tense as hell the first few times i did it, but over time it strengthened up a bit.

 

[tedrodai]

if your lower back hurts while using the ab wheel you probably just need to strengthen your back.

Yes and no. If your lower back hurts while using the ab wheel, it's because you're not using proper form. I.E., you're arching your lower back and risking injury. The reason you're using poor form is probably as you said...you need to strengthen the lower back so it can support your body in that position. But it might also be because you don't know proper form.

You want to tilt your pelvis back a bit to straighten the lower back, and focus on keeping it that way.

http://www.beastskills.com/ab-wheel-rollout/

 

[QueBert]

Ok I had a 20% coupon for Sports Authority, and their regular price was the same as the internet. I bought this do-hickey and have only used it once. So this is my initial impressions or whatever. 1st off I'm NOT flexable, my co-worker tried it and was able to roll out to where his arms were straight and stomach was touching the floor.

I used this device for about 90 seconds 1 night, I did about 20 rolls, the instructions say to use it about 12" facing a wall so you don't roll out too far. I did 2 sets of 10. I woke up didn't feel anything, but at work a few hours later I started to feel a bit of a burn and just a slight tightness. I suspect if I rolled out another few sets or further I would have been regretting it lol.

Unit feels very solid, it's got some weight to it and the springs inside do provide some resistance. Using it's noticeably different than an normal ab wheel. I don't know if it was worth the $35 (after tax) I spent on it. But I know for that short of a workout to have felt it the next morning's a good sign. I'm trying again tonight but for longer with a bit more extension.

 

[QueBert]

I decided to really try this out yesterday to see what kind of soreness you get from a device like this. I didn't keep track, but I did like 7 or 8 sets of 10. Spacing them over over maybe an hour. I was really trying to stretch out on some of them. Something the instructions that came with it warned against until you were comfortable using it. I expected to wake up this morning with my mid section being on fire. HOLY SHIT! NOTE: I'm not flexible at all, if I bend over I can only touch my knees lol.

Maybe it's not weird and just that my lack of knowledge about these things had me wrongly assuming my abs and surrounding areas would feel the worst off. But my abs were fine, they honestly feel the same as always. But my thighs, jebus on a stick, more tight than sore, but I couldn't even squat or bend over. When I had to get something off the floor it was a super involved long process. It's now almost midnight and I can still feel the tightness.

Now I'm not sure my rolling form was proper, so I'm wondering is this normal? I'm sure it makes a difference, but I didn't do the ones where you start standing up and bent over. I used the knee pads that came with them and rolled out a bit further each time, and in the later sets I'd hold for a few seconds at the end become coming back up.

Why were my thighs killing me today but my abs nothing at all? And if this is from bad form, would keeping up with the bad form be helpful to building up leg strength? I have thick legs but no muscle.