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Ab Lounge Ultra
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Average customer review:
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Product Description
Ab Lounge Ultra the NEW gold standard! Now available with Focus Strap and Iso-Grip Padded handles and Premium Ergonomic Mesh Seat.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #33767 in Sports & Outdoors
- Brand: Ab Lounge
- Model: 16100-4
- Released on: 2007-03-12
- Dimensions: 44.50" h x 30.00" w x 39.50" l, 33.00 pounds
Features
- Abdominal workout chair for focusing ab workout on stomach muscles
- Unique ergonomic design helps support head, neck, and back
- Focus Strap and Iso-Grip handles allow multiple hand positions
- Rolled steel frame supports up to 250 pounds; includes workout DVD
- Premium mesh seat material; foldable footprint; 90-day warranty
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Focus your abdominal workouts on all the right areas with the Ab Lounge Ultra, a comfortable, effective ab machine for people of all fitness levels. The Ab Lounge Ultra offers a unique ergonomic design that helps support your head, neck, and back, so you won't put undue pressure on the wrong areas while performing your abdominal exercises. The Focus Strap and Iso-Grip padded handles, meanwhile, support multiple hand positions depending on which exercise you're performing. And thanks to the rolled steel frame, the unit easily supports up to 250 pounds. Other details include a premium mesh seat material, a foldable footprint for easy storage, handy foot pedals, and a workout DVD. The Ab Lounge Ultra is backed by a 90-day limited warranty.
Customer Reviews
Beautiful Piece of Engineering
This product is well designed and constructed. I love it. The design allows one to arch his/her back (like doing a "bridge" stretch) while crunching to further isolate the muscle group and provide a more effective work out. And working the obliques is easy as turning slightly to one side, giving a surprisingly effective workout. And it folds up into a compact configuration for easy storage. The dark gray mesh looks much better than the blue fabric used on the standard model.
LOOKING TO LOSE THAT BELLY FAT?: Sorry, that's not what this machine is for. It will strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles UNDERNEATH any fat residing over the area. Walking, in my opinion, is the easiest way to lose belly fat. I've seen people lose an incredible amount of weight in one year just by walking 30-60 minutes a day and taking it easy on the food binging.
WARNING: Careful with lubricants! Two months after I got this, it started to squeak a little. I sprayed all the mechanical joints with WD40 and OOPS, the frame pivot joints use LOCKNUTS (secured internally by a polymer sleeve). Now, one of them won't stay locked any more and will work itself loose if not locked down some other way. I couldn't find a suitable replacement part at the local Home Depot so I jury-rigged it and it stays put now.
After a year of use, averaging about 400 (double-)crunches/week, it shows no signs of wear (I weigh ~175 lbs) and still functions flawlessly. Outstanding!
Lazy hubby is finally tricked into doing sit-ups
My husband can't stand any physical activity. He spends most of his time glued to his computer - no wonder he often complains of back pain (he is only 29). He needed at least to do some sit-ups, since the strenthened abs would take some of the burden off his back. But I could never convince him to crunch (though I didn't try very hard, since I knew how boring the sit-ups are, plus they often result in a tired neck and may even rub some skin off your back).
He was skeptical when I told him I'd ordered "a special chair for watching TV that will allow you to occasionally stretch beyond horizontal position". But as soon as he did his first stretch in this "chair", he liked it. Now he easily agrees to do several sit-ups in it a day (and sometimes even does it without a reminder). This is a lot compared to his previous level of physical activity, and I hope he will develop a habit of doing more - yesterday I talked him into doing 40!
The "chair" is virtually quiet, so it doesn't interfere with TV. My husband appreciates that the "chair" allows him to safely arch his back in the opposite direction from what he usually gets by sitting at the desk. He doesn't like though that he cannot just sit back and relax in this "lounge chair" since his weight (170 pounds) eventually pushes the back of the chair down (my weight - 107 - does let me sit back in this chair). But I'm glad "the chair" constantly "reminds" him to exercise.
There are a few things that some may find disappointing:
1) In the back of my knees Ab Lounge doesn't feel very comfortable (when I fully extend my legs), so it seems like that bar actually requires some padding;
2) I think their disks and booklets are a waste (except for assembly and folding instructions). Their exercise instructions are just common sense, no tricks, and their dietary recommendations are mostly wrong.
3) Be aware that maximum user weight is 250 lbs.
Overall this "lounge chair" is nicely designed and very inviting... to work out.
I just love my Ab Lounge!
Okay, I caved and bought one of these, thinking I would be regretting my purchase in no time. Well, how wrong I was. It comes almost fully assembled and I was able to unpack everything and attach the cables, foot pedals, and hand grips in about 10 minutes. I like the mesh material of the seat, as opposed to the earlier versions that were made with a nylon type matierial. The Ab Lounge comes with a nice workout DVD and an instruction book with photos and clear step-by-step instructions for 8 various abdominal exercises depending on your fitness level. I have been using it about 3-4 times a week, about 15 minutes each time, and I actually enjoy doing my abdominal workouts now. It's also pretty comfortable to stretch my back out on this too. And the best thing of all, it folds up very compact (to about 5 inches thick) so I can store it under my bed! Overall, it's just awesome and I am very pleased with my purchase!
**Editing my review to add that the recall was referring to injuries that occurred when opening and closing the chair, not while exercising on it. I read about the recall when I was deciding whether or not to purchase the Ab Lounge. The company has since added some safety features to the new units that have been sold since late 2004 to make it easier and safer to fold up the chair and unfold it. If you have an earlier version, there is a repair kit available to make it compliant. You can read about the recall at the cpsc.gov website, by entering Ab Lounge in the search box.
