Ab-Doer Twist Abdominal Trainer

I was skeptical purchasing this, thinking it might be another gimmick exercise machine. But, the price was right and reviews seemed to be favorable. I was extremely surprised how easy it was to assemble and how well constructed it was! I have been using it for about 3wks now and am very happy with the routines provided on the CD and the results. I started with beginner, which was just right, then after 2wks went to the next stage. The routines are only about 15-20 minutes, so you don't get too tired, but do get a good workout on the abs, as well as the shoulders. The back roller feels great. I am 53, so not into workouts that last hours!Some reviews on this product comment that there is not enough resistance, but I don't think it is about resistance as much as the repetitions, and technique you need to maintain, for tighter abs.If you are also skeptical, wait for it to go on sale, then go for it! It is well worth the money.

We have had the AB-Doer for more the 3 weeks now and can honestly say that we are completely satisfied with the ability of the product to perform as described and satisfied with the quality of the construction.The concept has been well thought out, and for those who want to exercise the torso front and back as well as get some iso for the arms and sholders this machine does the job - particularly for older people. Just continue to increase the speed of the repetitions and add as many as you want and you will come away tired, but invigorated. The method provided good PT (Physical Therapy) for those with "stiff" backs who want to increase their mobility. The cushion roller also provides a measure of safety and support for the spine.If you want crushing leg workouts the machine does't provide this, but get on a bike and go outside. Between the two exercise concepts you will be completly in perfect fitness.The unit takes up as little space as a desk chair and fits well in a small area. Good for apratments and condos.

The ab doer twist is a nice machine to have if you are working on your abs. We, as a family, find it easy to use while watching tv. It supports your back well. I bought this for my parents anniversary and just about everyone in the house (6 of us) use it. It's fun and simple to set up if you follow the instructions. Once assembled it does fold nicely but not flat. Good deal if you don't want to go to the gym during your busiest time of year.

Pros: appears to be built well, shipping was fast, assembly fairly easyCons: After working with this a week and doing approximately 30 minutes a night I have a few problems. 1. Really doesn't work your abs, only side lats. 2. Resistance setting really doesn't work, I have it cranked to max and my 4 year old can do it. No resistance, no workout, very simple.Summary: I would recommend for the very elderly or people with very bad back problems but for normal folk there are better products. Very expensive to just provide a "slight" workout to your side lats. I am unsure why they named this the twister because the seat really needs to stay stationary to get even the slightest workout. I am out of shape horribly after a 2 year absence from working out and I feel no soreness at all. I also don't want to spend more money to buy an additional resistance rod, why put a resistance adjustment knob if it doesn't do anything?

Would you trust an 'abs' trainer if it came from someone who calls himself John Abdo? Well... the John Abdo I saw in the training videos appears to be a nice person, not over-ripped and his exercise routines are probably the only ones where you end up sweating while sitting on a chair. But, let's talk about the Ab-doer and its worth.ASSEMBLY, BUILT QUALITY (4 out of 5)Assembly wasn't over difficult. There is one bolt/nut pair that needs tightening and, I believe 5 pins. I wish the instructions were more clear and the parts were labelled but I ended up with a fully assembled Ab-doer in a little less than 30 minutes. With better instructions/labeling it should have taken half that long.The end-product is a pretty good looking little apparatus if 'orange' doesn't clash with the surrounding. The Ab-doer is well built, all parts fit and it appears to be durable.WHAT YOU GET AND WHAT YOU ARE NICKEL AND DIMED FOR (2 out of 5)The Amazon product description appears to be a little out of date. You do NOT get 4 DVDs and 3 manuals. The DVDs were consolidated into one single disc that has the intro and the 3 workouts as separate chapters and the manual booklet has everything in one place: assembly instructions, diet plan, mini cookbook, illustrations for the various motions, warranty statement and so forth in English, French and Spanish.All nice and good but the problems is what you DON'T get. For what we are paying, I don't understand why the 'extreme' exercise routine on DVD, the Power Resistance Kit (a bunch of bungees), the resistance rods (yes, 3 metal rods) and the tri-roller (a set of THREE rollers to replace the one that comes standard) need to be purchased separately at significant additional costs.The one-year warranty promises to replace defective parts unless the unit broke because unsupervised children under 18 used it or it was abused, modified or used for commercial purposes. Nothing broke so far so I can't tell how good they are at honoring it.USING THE AB-DOER, WHAT TO EXPECT (4 out of 5)This is a product that's best used in front on the TV, at least for the first couple dozen sessions. And you won't be watching the news. Each session - and it can be 'beginner', 'intermediate' or 'advanced' is fully covered by Mr. Abdo and team, from warm up, the core workout and the post-workout stretching. The workouts are quite fun and all they require is a little movement coordination. Practice makes better and, while following the team on your TV screen, you can control the intensity of your workout. Absent the optional resistance rods, you can still control the seat's swivel resistance via a dedicated knob.The one problem with the apparatus is its weight. It needs to be heavy and stable because you are going to lean back and do vigorous twists. That makes it not easy to move around and, since you may want to have it someplace in front of a TV - in most cases the living room - you may have to move it frequently. The Ab-doer is NOT easy to move.I can't say how effective these exercises are because I've only used the Ab-doer for a couple of weeks. You will probably burn more calories on a treadmill but you do get a much better abs workout with the 'doer' and you get it while sitting on a chair. Not bad.MY RATINGI am going to rate this a 3-star which means "It's okay". It's not a 5-star mainly because of the 'extras' that you learn you may need only after you buy what turns out to be the 'basic' configuration. Some buyers, and I'm one, may consider this version of the Ab-doer to be 'incomplete'. Other than that, even with the basic machine the workouts are fun for as long as you have sufficient space in front of your TV and you don't mind moving a heavy chair-like object around.I bought mine for about half the list price at a lightning deal and, for what I paid, this was a good buy.-->> Brush your teeth, it's the law! <<