A Bender Ball Review:Product Claims vs. Principles and Research in Exercise ScienceThis Bender Ball review analyzes claims made by promoters of the product by examining each of main points made in the advertisements.
Claim 1: You Get Extension Back and Flexion ForwardClaim 1: With a standard crunch, you can only go forward, you can’t go back. With the Bender Ball, you’re getting extension back and flexion forward, which works your muscles more effectively.The facts support Claim 1: With the mini ball supporting the low back, the trunk is slightly elevated off the floor. This allows a longer range of motion beyond neutral in extension (into trunk hyperextension), which increases work through a longer range of flexion. For more information on ab work, see Core Strength Exercises Claim 2: Unique Method of Selective Stabilization™Claim 2: What's unique about the Bender Ball is that it will help you relax the muscles that you're trying to avoid training and help you activate the muscles that you're really trying to focus on, which is Leslee's unique method called Selective Stabilization™. This cranks up the intensity and targets muscles.The facts support Claim 2: The basic concept is well supported, but it is not at all unique to the Bender method. Virtually all muscles play a role in stabilizing some segment of the body to allow other muscles to perform a desired movement. It is a common practice to intentionally isolate targeted muscles to strengthen (or test) them by stabilizing (fixating) other muscles and segments. With the knees and hips are bent, the hip flexors are relaxed, both for standard crunches (also called curl ups) and for the mini ball flexion exercise shown in the ad. This works the main muscle, the rectus abdominis, while the obliques neutralize each other (so you don’t twist when you flex forward the trunk). Claim 3: A Workout That's Up To 408% More EffectiveIn summary, this bender ball review finds that claims are quite inconsistent with sound research. Mainly, (a) the claims embellish certain findings, (b) unfavorable findings are not mentioned, (c) exercise comparisons are not “apples to apples”, and (d) other factors could have affected the results.A Google search readily pulled up the article in the Journal of Applied Research, a “rapid review” periodical published by Therapeutic Solutions, LLC. This bender ball review examined the studies that were conducted by researchers from two private universities. See Mini Ball Research Article The researchers simply collected muscle activity data when various, unmatched exercises were performed by a small sample of men and women. They did not attempt to show a cause-effect relationship between the methods of exercise (crunch, large Swiss ball, 7-inch mini stability ball) and muscle activity. The researchers never made a claim about the effectiveness of the mini ball, but the ads did. In research, the term, “effective”, implies that an experiment was controlled so that any significant differences in muscle activity were due to the use of the use of the ball (in this case), and not to something else. The ad claims stretched the research findings from increased muscle activity to more effective than the standard crunch. In the study, the 408% figure was derived by comparing total abdominal muscle activity for two different exercises: (a) the standard floor crunch and (b) a mini ball exercise that involved more movements performed at a rapid "pulse" speed (considered the highest intensity)—hardly an equivalent comparison. Even without added speed, the rotational exercise, that also involves flexion, produced twice the work as the crunch. The researchers also found that: *Crunches and the Swiss ball exercises produced twice the muscle activation as the mini ball on several other exercises,
*The mini ball produced less muscle activity than the crunch for some exercises, and
The Bottom Line of the Bender Ball ReviewThe bender ball review reveals that claims tend to be sensationalized and not clearly supported by the research. It is safe to say that the Bender Ball can allow you to perform some abdominal exercises through a longer range of motion while providing low back support, as can other small balls and devices.Exercises with the Bender Ball may contribute to sculpting beautiful abs, but you may never see them if they are hidden by body fat. Any abdominal workouts are only one part of a total, balanced exercise and weight control program. See Weight Training Program Principle of Balance The Bender Ball review suggests that claims are consistent with those for fitness devices reviewed by Consumer Reports Fitness Devices: How they Test. Educate yourself and do your homework before you invest your money, time, and effort on any exercise device. For other fitness tips similar the the bender ball review, see Fitness Infomercials: Creating the Fast-Fit Fantasy for Quick Profits How to Use Fitness Equipment Ratings by Consumers Home Fitness Exercise Equipment Fitness Equipment for Women
Sources:
Consumer Reports. (2008, February). Fitness infomercial exercise devices: We put amazing claims to the test. Retrieved on January 23, 2009, from http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/fitness/staying-fit/infomercial-exercise-2-08/overview/infomercial-exercise-equipment-ov.htm Hamill, J. & Knutzen, K.M. Mechanical basis of human movement (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Huck, S.W. (2000). Reading statistics and research (3rd ed.). New York: Longman. Kendall, F.P. & McCreary, E.K. (1983). Muscle testing and function (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Williams. Petrofsky, J.S. et al. (2007). Core muscle activity during exercise on a mini stability ball compared with abdominal crunches on the floor and on a swiss ball. Journal of Applied Research, 7(3), 255-272.
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