The Worst Exercise Equipment Ever | Men's Health News

Many people try to lose weight by using the least energy possible. They?re often the same people who adhere to a diet centered around eating cookies. (It?s true?and we tried it. Learn The Truth about the Cookie Diet.)

But from Rube Goldberg contraptions to weights that shake, people are looking for that easy way to get fit and look great.? Case in point: These hilarious, horrifying, and downright absurd fitness products from around the globe.

1. Horse Riding Fitness Ace Power

Save a horse, ride an Ace Power!

If this is South Korea?s idea of a high-tech export, maybe you want to think again before buying that Hyundai.?According to the product description on YouTube, Horse Riding Fitness Ace Power is ?for those who like to ride horse in front of TV and in home comfort of their own space.? (So much for South Korea being saner than its wacky neighbor to the north.)

We know you?re all thinking, ?That?s me!? Talk about a wide demographic! We know every time we?re on the couch watching TV, we think, ?If only I had a horse to ride right about now.?

The claim: ?It help device to fitness you up! Reach the health goal! Live longer for now! Be your Ace Power!!? We have a sneaking feeling the manufacturers? English is not appreciably better than their strength-training knowledge.

The truth: ?Squatting and rotating through the hips is a fantastic way to develop mobility, strength, power, muscle, and lifelong longevity,? says fitness coach Nathan Trenteseaux, owner of Underground Fitness Revolution in Alachua, Florida.? ?Squatting and proper hip rotation are crucial to prevent injury and promote proper athletic development required in all sports.?

As for the Ace Power? ?The mechanics of this machine are just silly,? says Robert dos Remedios, C.S.C.S., author of Men?s Health Power Training. ?This takes no muscular effort?just gravity.?

?Training on such a device could cause repetitive stress injuries among other issues,? Trenteseaux adds. (By ?other issues? he means ?scarring your children for life? if they see you riding this thing.) His advice? ?The next time you want to get in the saddle, ride a horse. Horseback riding does require good hip mobility and strength endurance.? (Your gym might not have an Ace Power?we hope?but it?s still full of useless equipment. Stay?away from these 6 Exercise Machines You Should Do Without.)

2. Free-Flexor

You know when a product comes out that makes you say, ?Why didn?t I think of that?!? This is not one of them.

America has come down with a bad case of shake-it-baby syndrome. The idea: If you shake something repeatedly, you?ll miraculously shred fat and become toned. With the advent of the Free-Flexor, it?s like the Shake Weight gave birth to a new member . . . of the family.

The claim: ?The Free Flexor is the first product to harness the power of Circular Strength Technology. The circular motion of the weights forces every angle of your muscles to engage for a complete upper-body workout!? ?

Really? The infomercial claims it will ?make your muscles cry?? It?ll also make your face cry.

The truth: ?The overall concept of working the muscles from different angles and directions is a great idea,? Trenteseaux says. ?However, it still requires one of the most basic and necessary strength training concepts: progressive overload, or, put simply, working your muscles hard enough to trigger adaptation. Unfortunately, the Free Flexor doesn?t deliver.?

His advice? ?There are more effective tools to accomplish a complete total-body workout that hits the muscles from different angles and with varied and even variable resistance,? Trenteseaux says. ?They include sandbags, sand bells, kettlebells, the TRX Suspension Trainer, and even many body-weight exercises.? (Try one of the hottest new fitness trends with the?Men?s Health Ultimate Sandbag Workout.)

3. Face Trainer

Workout equipment inspired by Hanibal Lecter has to be legit, right? To think: All these years and none of us have been working out our lazy faces!

The company behind this genius product is called ?No! No!? We assume the name was inspired by the shrieks echoing through the room during the product?s testing.?Disclaimer: Straitjacket sold separately.

The claim: ?Technology?FaceTraining is an endurance-based, high-repetition form of resistance training for all 44 bilaterally symmetrical muscles of the face and neck. The FaceTrainer fits firmly against the skin to provide resistance and helps muscles build and tone . . . As muscles build and become stronger, they fill out under the skin, giving it a smoother, healthier appearance and a natural-looking lift.?

Who needs a Face Trainer when your face can get a workout from laughing hysterically at this video? Our eyelids just bench-pressed themselves with astonishment.

The truth: ?There are ways to strengthen the muscles in your face via squinting, chewing, smiling, frowning, et cetera,? says dos Remedios. ?I would imagine this product comes with a list of exercise to perform while wearing this contraption, but the reality is that this mask isn?t going to make these exercises more effective.?

4. Hawaii Chair

Motto: ?If you can sit, you can get fit?

Get ready for this one. You may want to sit down for it. Gone are the days of actually getting off your ass to burn calories! The Hawaii Chair allows you to work at your desk while you burn. Hooray! Just what Americans need more . . . sitting! (Read our special report Is Our Office Chair Killing You? to know the truth about the sitting epidemic.)

The claim: ?The Hawaii Chair is an automatic exercise machine; you don?t have to exercise, the Hawaii Chair?will do it all for you! The Hawaii Chair?s exercises strongly affect your waist, buttocks, and thighs to thaw and loosen redundant fat.?

The truth:? ?A rotating chair does the exact opposite of what our core is designed to do: stabilize the spine,? Trenteseaux says. ?This rotating action may actually cause further damage to the spine and back and does nothing to enhance better posture while sitting.?

A better move? The tall kneeling anti-rotation press. You?ll build a strong core by stabilizing your body as you work your arms. Watch the video below to learn how to do the tall kneeling anti-rotation press with perfect form.

5. The Euro Plate from Vibraslim

The last time we ordered a ?Euro plate? it came with pita, hummus, and tzatziki. And, consequently, it didn?t make us ripped. This ?Euro plate,? however, purports to sculpt your physique through vibration.

The claim: ?Work, tone and build your muscles in your own home in just 10 to 15 minutes a day. Vibration training also builds bone mass and fights osteoporosis, helping you stay younger and healthier! Medical research has proven vibration exercise fitness to be up to 4 times as effective for weight-loss than traditional workouts and it keeps the weight off.?

The truth: ?Although there is some research to back up the benefits to vibration training, it?s more effective for injury rehabilitation rather than fat loss or muscle gain,? says Trenteseaux. ?In addition, a home-based vibration plate will not have the intensity of a true (and very expensive) vibration trainer used in various medical facilities with their patients.?

The reality is that in order to work, tone and build muscle (and lose fat), you need a proper nutrition and resistance-training program that will truly work your muscles, boost your metabolism, and burn fat, Trenteseaux says. His recommendation: Metabolic training, a combination of resistance and cardiovascular training specifically designed to boost your body?s metabolism so you burn fat 24/7. (Join the metabolic training revolution! Speed Shred from Men?s Health DeltaFIT is an 8-DVD series of heart-pounding, sweat-inducing metabolic workouts that?ll get you lean, ripped, and shredded.)

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Source: http://news.menshealth.com/funny-exercise-equipment/2012/08/03/

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