Ab Belts Reviews - Do Ab Workout Belts Really Work?

People always want to get things the easy way. This is probably why Electric Ab Belts are so popular and sell so well: the promise of getting flat abs without doing a single crunch is so tempting that it's hard to resist even if it does seem a bit too good to be true.

Well, what is the truth? Do Ab workout belts really work?

What do Ab Belts Do Anyway?

Ab Belts work with Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS). They produce an electric pulse which runs through your muscle tissue and contracts it involuntarily. EMS is used by many physiotherapists to treat people after serious injuries who need to reeducate their muscles to function again.

But this isn't what Ab Belts are for. Ab Belts are marketed as devices which can help strengthen the stomach muscles without you exercising and getting you flat abs without effort. They're supposed to help you look fitter.

Are ab belts safe? Is it wise to work with an electric machine so close to your body?

Well, most of these machines don't get FDA approval due to their claims of inducing abdominal fat loss and because some of them may not be safe when set to a high intensity electric pulse. There are some ab belts that do have FDA clearance, such as the Slendertone Men's System Abs Toning Belt but this doesn't mean that they work, it just means that they're safe. Whatever you do, don't get any belt which isn't FDA cleared.

Do Ab Belts Really Work?

Whether Ab Exercise Belts work has been a subject of heated debate for a while now. There are a few trainers which do use them but the vast majority don't.

And there's no reason to use them because they can't get you flat abs. It's just not possible. In fact, in 2002, the FTC charged Three Top-selling Electronic Abdominal Exercise Belts with Making False Claims. These false claims included the following:

 This action by the FTC casued many Electric Ab Gizmos to be pulled off the market, but still, they keep coming back in different names and with slightly rephrased promises.

I believe that Ab Belts don't work. Many experts agree with me:

1. Dr. Venu Akuthota of the Center for Spine and Sports at the Rehabilitation Institute in Chicago says that in order for any of these machines to produce real muscle growth these machines will need to send such powerful pulses that you will not be able to stand the pain they inflicted on you.

Those ab belts which are marketed don't give strong enough pulses to produce any effect.

2. Tommy Boone, professor and chairman of the department of exercise physiology at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn, says that these machines are more gimmick than anything else.

3. An 8 week research study was done by the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, led by Dr. John Porcari in which they investigated the true effect of Ab Belts. They found no significant results: no changes in weight, body-fat percentage, strength or overall appearance.

The conclusion is simple. These machines don't work and they can't help you burn belly fat.

How to Really Burn Belly Fat

In order to really burn belly fat and get flat abs you need to first realize that it requires effort on your part. There is no magic bullet. To really get results you need to change your lifestyle to a healthier one. Basically, you need 3 things:

1. Do intensive fat burning cardio workouts.

2. Do full body weight training to really build muscle tissue and boost your metabolism.

3. Follow a lean and sensible eating plan.

Are Ab Belts a Scam?

I believe that many manufacturers are taking advantage of the all too human weakness of trying to get things done in the easiest way possible and they exploit that weakness to make money. I happen to believe that many Ab Belts are indeed scams.

My Recommendation

I recommend fighting your temptation and not getting any ab belts. The results you get will be minimal at best. You will certainly not lose belly fat and get flat abs by using them.

These abs workout belts often cost a lot of money and usually it's a waste of your hard earned cash. You may feel like your muscles are contracting but they're not really working.

I recommend learning how to do things the right way to get the best and fastest results and improving your body and your health at the same time.

Go through some of the articles on this site to learn how to really get flat abs without useless gimmicks.