Ab rocker- ab crunch assist equipment

Exercise Equipment That Can Improve Mobility

Any Exercise equipment that can assist your exercise and give you improved strength and mobility is very valuable. Usually tools like this are left behind once you are strong enough to do things better. Sometimes you may just want something that is easy to do while you are doing other things… like watch TV, for instance.

It is so important to preserve and improve mobility

Whether your obstacle is laziness, procrastination, pain, fear of falling, fear of faltering in front of others… It is OVERCOMING this obstacle and preserving your mobility and getting it back that is IMPORTANT. Rehab is important and the TIMING is also important. We don’t want to allow our condition to deteriorate. I have had injuries where without rehab and physical therapy, I don’t know if I could have properly recovered. I respect physical therapy HUGELY!

Ab rocker or ab assist exercise equipment – one I have used

I have one of these exercise assist frames. It has an attached mat as shown in the picture. There are both pros and cons to this equipment. I left this pretty quickly. It can aid you in doing sit-ups. However, it can reduce the number of muscles that are being used in the work and it can help you to “cheat” on the exercise. If you become strong enough to do these without it… do that. It can have a good purpose in helping you to do this exercise and can aid you in starting. You really should “graduate” from it if you are capable.

How to get the most out of you Ab rocker exercise

Sit ups/Crunches
Hold your muscles tight and make sure you are using them to do the lifting motion as you do your assisted sit ups. You do not want to push yourself up with your arms, merely holding the frame lightly and allowing your head to be supported. Use slow movements as you perform the exercise.

Side crunches
For performing these, you turn your bent legs to one side. When you perform the assisted sit up, you are using the muscles on the side of your waist. Make sure that you are keeping them tight and working as you slowly perform the moves. Do both sides.

Knee lifts
This equipment can also assist in this exercise. Keep your back on the floor and hold the frame as you raise your knees up to the bar. Make sure that you are holding your muscles tight and move slowly.

Full body crunches
With this exercise, you are lifting your knees as you are lifting your upper body. The bar is the limit for your motion during this exercise.

Bicycle kicks
You kick you legs in circles in the air like you would if you were peddling a bicycle while your back is on the floor and you hold the frame.

Ab Doer or other chair core exercisers – one I have used

Yes… the name sounds silly. This is a well constructed cushioned chair with a back that has a roller and flexible design. The chair is made so that you can sit and push the roller back in pretty much any direction and exercise your core muscles. They fold up for easy storage.

With this chair, you basically stay in a seated position in the chair and push the back of the chair around, working against the resistance of that upper part of the chair. There are SO MANY people who can do exercise like this… it can be helpful in a myriad of issues…

Advantages – improve mobility and strength

Exercise chairs are often a great idea. As a matter of fact, I feel that these exercisers have a lot of value, especially for those who are injured, weakened, or disabled. This can be a real benefit to anyone that wants to exercise in a seated position. Maybe you would just like to make better use of your time sitting and watching TV…

With the chairs that have arm pieces that you can hold, you can hold these and push downward for crunch type ab exercises in all directions. You can also push against the back of the chair in many directions for exercising other muscles as well. There are many models for these now.

Other exercise chairs

Pilates chair

Pilates chairs can help with strength, balance, and mobility. These chairs incorporate springs in their design. You can set the spring resistance for your workout. Pushing against the spring tensioned foot panel can be more challenging of your core muscles in a sitting position. You can stabilize your position and do foot movement that exercises your ankles.

You can also utilize this foot panel while standing in front and laying position on the floor for other exercises. There are also exercise that can be done in a laying position on top of the seat and using this foot panel. This is a versatile exercise chair that can be set for many workout strengths and be used by any fitness level athlete. It is totally different than an Ab Doer type exercise chair

Exercise chairs with resistance bands attached

There are many types of exercise chairs that employ attached resistance bands. I would not value a chair with resistance bands attached necessarily. Whatever method you use for resistance bands, make sure they are attached WELL… prevent an injury from them snapping into you.

Of course standard chairs can be a place to start exercising. You can easily find exercises for this online.

Here are still more exercise equipment options…

Resistance bands

Resistance bands can help you to add resistance to any motion that you are able to do… These can help you to build strength. There are many rehab exercises possible that use resistance bands. They can be attached to a support frame to make them safer to use… it is no fun getting snapped by a resistance band. Resistance bands are usually easier for rehab exercise, but dumbbells may be another option for you.

A choice that may be better is the pulley system and moving platform design of the Total Gym. You can do most any exercise you want on this machine and it gives all the options you want as your strength and mobility improve.

Another choice here is one of the Total Gym competitors. Most of these have the ability to attach bungee straps to the moving platform, which is a Pilates equipment design not found in the Total Gym.

Many mobility issues including weak or easily sprained ankles, weak knees, balance improvement

Balance trainers (like the Bosu Ball)

This is a great tool for rehab of ankle, knee, balance problems. It can give you a safe and stable way to challenge your balance during exercise. This will improve the right muscles in the right way to improve mobility.

The inflated dome shape of this equipment can provide you with the opportunity to step on a pliable surface and challenge many muscles used in balance. You can also do exercises on the flat platform side with the inflated dome below… akin to a surfing kind of exercise platform.

Balance Ball

There are many types of exercises and workouts possible on the balance ball. This is a big favorite exercise tool for me. It is EXTREMELY affordable, easy store, easy inflate, and you can set it to whatever fullness tension you prefer.

The balance ball is more challenging to control than the balance trainer. I would much prefer the balance trainer design for those with ankle mobility issues to improve. This would, in my view, be the next stage exercise tool after the Balance trainer work for an issue like ankle stability and strength.

Parallel bars

These allow you to have support while standing and walking. There are rehab exercise you can do with these. If you get your mobility improved, there are many calisthenic/body weight exercises that you can do well with this equipment. You could also combine the parallel bars with the balance trainer equipment to feel more safe in your exercise.

Total Gym

There are many options with this type of equipment… You can use the pulley system for exercises. Do exercises that the moving platform aids. There are complex moves that combine these too. The number of possible exercises with this equipment are so numerous.

Here is an article with many of these exercise devices and more…