Abdominal Exercise Equipment That Is Abs-olutely Fabulous

In the world of abdominal exercise equipment, not all are created equal. Some folks would argue that nothing beats good old fashioned sit-ups; you know the kind you did in gym class or the military. But, with all the advancements in technology, exercise equipment has gone through transformations.

There are now body balls that aid in crunches and sit ups, abdominal exercise wheels, abdominal crunch machines, and for the truly lazy (include me in) there are stools you can sit on and rotate to work your abs.

The Burst Resistant Body Ball purports that it allows for a workout that is thirty-percent better than floor sit ups. It also allows you to work other parts of the body such as legs and glutes. The Body Ball allows you to sit in an active state that continuously works the abs and back muscles. This allows for a "chiseled" or "sculpted" look to the abs.

Free wheel yourself to better abs with the Ab Wheel. This is for those who really enjoy getting down on the floor to workout. You hold onto the grip handles while the Ab Wheel slides along the floor for ease of movement. This is a very simplistic workout aid. It also works the internal and external obliques as well as firming up the area of the belly that becomes jello-like without activity. Only use this machine if you're assured that you have decent balance.

Abdominal crunch machines are for those that like to feel they're working out at the gym. They have a Nautilus feel to them by providing a bench to sit upon. The crunch machines usually either have a bar with handles grips that pull you in and up and down motion. Some have a weighted harness that uses a pulley action to give you a great abs workout.

The king daddy of abs machines, and my personal favorite, is the Fitness Quest Red XL Exerciser. This provides a rotating stool for you to sit your posterior on, and while gripping the side handles, you rotate to better abs. What a blessing for those of us who hate crunches and sit ups! I'm all about a machine that will let me sit and watch my favorite television show, while developing great abs.