User Post: 9 infomercial exercise products - Do they work?

FatFighterTV


Want to have smokin' hot abs NOW? Lose one size in one week? Tone all your muscles with just one machine? You've heard claims like these on infomercials for fitness equipment. But are any of them worth buying? Consumer Reports (CR) tested 9 products between $40 to $2500 sold through infomercials online or on TV and measured the muscle activity and calories burned as panelists used them. Here's what they found:

Abdominal Exercisers:

  • The Ab Rocket ($100) says it will give you the body you've always wanted, but most exercises were slightly less effective than traditional abdominal exercises in CR's tests.

  • The Rock-N-Go Exerciser ($230) barely felt like a workout to those who tried it. And CR says it was less effective at working the abs than traditional exercises on a mat.

  • The Red Exerciser DX ($175) claims you'll lose four inches off your midsection in two weeks. Consumer Reports finds some exercises targeted obliques at least as much as comparable floor moves, but might not work abs as well, so those four inches are staying put unless there's some serious dieting.


Cardio:

  • The Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 ($2,500) - A good way to burn calories but CR says watch your step so you don't trip.

  • The CardioTwister ($200) brings variety to your aerobic workout but testing shows you would get more effective abdominal and leg workouts doing conventional exercises.

  • The Tony Little Rock 'n Roll Stepper ($80) is less effective than conventional leg exercises but can be a fun cardio workout for beginners who can stay balanced on it.


Upper Body Devices:

  • The Perfect Pushup ($40) and the Perfect Pullup ($100) are both good upper-body workouts if you want to add variety to your push-up and pull-up routines.


Total-Body Exercisers:

  • The Fluidity Bar ($240) - The advanced workout burned fewer calories than a no-equipment circuit-training routine of lunges, crunches, and modified push-ups on the knees. Panelists liked the workouts but found the heavy device hard to move.

So, what should you know before you buy from an infomercial? Find out right here.

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[Photo Credit: Consumer Reports]