The Wall Street Journal Gives Exercise Equipment A Workout

The Wall Street Journal in its Cranky Consumer column tests five low-priced and heavily promoted pieces of home exercise equipment. They asked the question, "Does the reality measure up to the promise?"

The Journal brought in certified trainer Willy Green to help test these five pieces of exercise equipment equipment.

1. The Bean Deluxe- This is an inflatable bean shaped piece of equipment that the manufacturer says will give you an ab workout without back pain. Willy didn't like this one. He found it too easy and ineffective to give you a truly good ab workout.
2. The Perfect Push Up- This is the push up device with the rotating handles. It was developed by a Navy Seal. Willy liked it and said that it lived up to its claims. The Wall Street Journal reporters found that you had to be able to do push ups in order to take full advantage of the device. Well..DUH!
3. The Total Gym- Next the folks down at the Journal tried out the Total Gym. I thought this test was unfair. Apparently they found a bottom of the line Total Gym at Wal-Mart and tested it. They found it to be flimsy but said it did provide decent resistance. I thought they should have tested a more mid-priced Total Gym.
   
4. The Urban Rebounder- This met with their seal of approval. They found it to be "high energy" and "enjoyable". The Urban Rebounder includes 3 DVDs to get you into aerobic activity.
   
5. The JumpSnap Package- This is basically a "jumpless jump rope". I think that means you get two handles without a rope. A spoke man for the company said the device is for, "people who trip". The folks at the Journal liked it because it is "gloriously goofy". I think I'll save my $59.95, thank you!

This was an interesting look at some of the exercise devices you see promoted on late night television and across the internet. There are some funny devices out there like the jumpless jump rope! But to each his or her own when it come to finding a way to workout.