How Effective are those Fancy Exercise Machines?

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

25 Sep 2008 09:37 PM

If you are trying to get into shape then those incessant commercials hawking fancy (see: expensive) exercise equipment are bound to catch your eye, draw you in and have you contemplating paying five easy installments of $99.99.

But wait! Before you get out your credit card consider the information in this blog, which provides details on one of the hottest exercise machines on the market. The Skorcher promises to deliver major results in half the time, but does it?

SKORCHER

The Skorcher is a fitness machine that is designed to specifically target the thighs and butt. The commercial claims that celebrities such as new mom Jennifer Lopez and "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe have used the machine to get into shape for acting jobs. Lopez reportedly used it to tone up after giving birth to her twins.

The machine looks like a cross between a Pilates barrel and a leg extension machine (you can see for yourself here) and ranges in price from $400 to $1,200 depending on the number of "extras" you add on to the basic model.

The company claims the basic model provides the best butt work out imaginable. The exact wording goes something like this:

"The Skorcher is the world's best butt exercise ... The butt machine that will make your maximus, medius, and minimus the sexiest ... Skorcher shapes better butts with our signature exercise, the hip thrust - the best exercise for attaining a nice, sexy butt."

The machine offers the opportunity to complete 33 different exercises including back extension, squats, lunges, hip thrusts, bench press, incline fly, preacher curls, sit ups and push ups.

So does the Skorcher deliver?

Fitness experts who put the Skorcher to the test say any exercise product, which claims to be the "world's best," should raise a red flag.

That said, according to the certified personal trainer, who tested the Skorcher, in general, the machine works (meaning it gives you the venue to complete solid exercises); however, many if not all of the exercises that you can do on the Skorcher can be done safely and effectively without the product.

Keep in mind, if you are the type of person who is motivated to push yourself more when you are working on a machine versus exercising on the floor or with everyday objects then investing in this type of product might be worth it.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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