The Best Abs Equipment Is Cheap And “Old School”

We’ve all seen those seemingly endless infomercials, plugging the latest bit of expensive exercise equipment, but the best abs equipment has been around for a long time. Certain people might have positive experiences with some of these machines, but they aren’t going to get the same kind of results that they would get from the standard abs equipment. So what do I consider the best abs equipment? There are three that I think are the best, and I’ll tell you why in this article.

#1 The Classic Chin-Up Bar

The chin up bar easily ranks at the top of the list. Nothing works the abs as hard as hanging leg raises. Have you ever noticed a gymnast’s abs? Nothing forces your abs to contract more strongly than a hanging leg raise. This is a very difficult move, which is why a lot of people do not do them. Most people do not have strong enough cores to do more than one or two lifts. Whether you do hanging leg raises with your legs bent or with legs straight, it will eventually create a carved mid section. I have always been sold on this exercise, but after reading the newly released “Convict Conditioning” I believe in this exercise more than ever. Paul Wade, the author of “Convict Conditioning”, points out that some of the best abs are found on those who are serving time in a penitentiary, and they rely heavily on the hanging leg raise.

#2 The Ab Wheel

Poke around in any sporting good store and you can find an older ab wheel model for less than $15. The ab wheel is also great for developing your entire torso and not just the middle section. This also strengthens the ability of your abs to protect your spine. Your abs will be incredibly defined if you use an ab wheel to perform ab roll-outs and a chin up bar to perform hanging leg raises.

#3. A Cushioned Floor Mat

I gave serious thought to putting this at the top of the list. But, if you work out on carpet, you might not actually need an exercise mat. A good padded exercise mat, however, will make any floor exercises less harsh. You won’t be in as much pain doing exercises like lying leg raises if you do them on a mat. Same with planks. I make sure that I end every ab workout with one or two sets of planks. Doing these without a floor mat is brutal.

These Three Pieces of Equipment Trump Any of the Fancy Infomercial Gadgets

Honestly, just having a chin up bar goes a long way. You can go online and find several inexpensive solutions to installing this at home. In addition to your hanging leg raises, you can also use the bar to pull some chin-ups and shape your upper body as well. So, if you are looking for the best abs equipment, go low-tech.