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Expert Q&A
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| By Catherine Cram, M.S. Postpartum Fitness Expert Exercise Physiologist | ||
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I've seen a new exercise device on TV called Fast Abs. It sends electro pulses into your abs, which makes them contract and therefore work out, or so it claims. Do you think this product could work? And is it safe?
This is another of a long list of "get fitness benefits without the effort" gimmicks. As with most of these devices, they end up gathering dust in a corner when the money could have been put to better use by purchasing a pair of high-quality fitness shoes. In theory these devices do cause the muscle to contract, but not effectively enough to get the kind of results featured in the ads. You can bet that those models do what is really required to get great abdominal strength -- actual exercises that target the ab muscles! As far as safety, I don't think I'd be comfortable strapping electrical equipment to my body, especially without qualified supervision (i.e. a physical therapist who specializes in working electrical stimulation therapy).
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