Who else is unimpressed with the 12 min ab room?

eriemer

First 4 of the machines in my PF 12 minute ab room are the same machine to stretch your back (which I do know is important for working abs) but doesn't feel like I'm doing squat. Another 4-5 of those machines are either on the workout floor or streching room. So that only really leaves one or two machines worth using and those just happen to be the two I can hardly do 2 reps on. So no way I'm doing them for an entire minute. I've given it a go twice since joining and decided it's just not for me. I can do just as good, if not a better ab routine on my own, given the machines provided in the stretching and regular workout space.

blowsfire

i feel like those machines hurt my back. i dont do the whole routine i jump around to what suits me. for abs i do burpees, ugh

Tliming93

I loveee the ab station!

MKloste

What?!? We don't have an ab room at the PF I go to. All we have is the tanning bed room lol, 30 min circuit training room (which I have never used either), and the loft area for stretching and exercise mat/balls.
There are about 3 different ab machines at the PF I go to but they are mixed in which the leg machines. I wish they had more ab machines, I feel like I get a better ab workout by going upstairs and doing my own ab workouts on the floor mats and exercise balls.

anniewvfan

I've been too intimidated to try the ab room/circuit.

AnnaShakesItUp

We have it.... I'm just too intimidated to go into it yet I just started a few weeks ago and I'm scared of the machines.... until I met with the trainer I only stuck with the treadmill and bike.... He made me get on the elliptical and the arc trainer.... those things still scare the crap outta me.

Wpbarr

I start all of my workouts on the 12 minute abs. I could barely do 5 reps of any exercise. Since June, I can easily do 20+ reps at each station and I worked my way down the weight stack, one every 2 weeks. Just get started ..

vnconn

I use it several times a week! The stretch machines are my favorite (I hate doing abs!) but it's gotta be done. I feel like it has helped me a lot.

TGGolfer

NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL! The 30 min circuit training area is the bomb though!

palmirana

I love the ab room, though I wish they'd make the machine available outside of the ab room as well, because my favorite ab machines are precisely the ones in the ab room (and that's why I like that room).

Having said that, I do not use the ab coaster (for now), because it is very hard not to "swing" in it (I see people swinging back and forth all the time). Also when I stretch I don't follow the timer I just follow the whole stretch routine ignoring the timer. Hardly anyone uses them anway.

ejfike

I don't like the stretching machines because they don't stretch the muscle groups you're using. It makes no sense to me.

As far as not being able to do more than 2 reps ... that's why you have to keep trying! It's not going to magically become easy for you, kwim? Also, make sure there aren't extra weights on the machines. There was one ab machine in our ab circuit that I was having trouble with, only to realize that someone had added extra weight to the bottom. Once I took that off, I could do more.

Fhoover

anniewvfan wrote: »

I've been too intimidated to try the ab room/circuit.

Me too lol

gkingbr

I look forward to trying it out.

betsym3

I haven't been to Planet Fitness in a while, but I like doing the treadmill & elliptical for my cardio. Then I met with one of the trainers and do a workout with the machines for various body parts. Glad to see someone else on here! Welcome gkingbr!

gkingbr

Thank you @betsym3
I Like the 30 min circuit.
I am going to meet with a trainer next week.

BabyLovesToRun

I've used it one time .... never again in the almost 3 years I've been there. I found that most of the machines hurt my back, and yes, I had them set up correctly. I get a much better ab workout using cables, weights, and just the floor ... so that's what I use

lawgirl0520

I like the ab circuit. Yes, you can get almost all (if not all) the machines somewhere on the floor, but the circuit is designed to be the best way to get it all. I did try doing it several times in a row, despite the instructions saying not to, and I hurt for days. Like, the muscle shred kind of pain, not the good worked-out type pain.

lawgirl0520

Maybe I should have waited to comment until after I returned after over a year...they took the ab circuit out and now its PF 360