Two events converged to inspire today’s post about amazing, drool-worthy abs and how to get them.

The first event?  The upcoming release of Magic Mike, featuring Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Alex Pettyfer and Matt Bomer . . . shirtless:

Sweet fancy Moses. Someone get mama a fan.

The second event was the arrival of this little gem in my email inbox:

Oh, honey, no.

After thoroughly rinsing my eyes with battery acid to clear the second image from my retinas, I did a little research and determined that the Ab-hancer is not, in fact, a real As Seen On TV product, but rather a spoof.  Even though it is a fake, the idea of trying to look like you have great abs without actually working for great abs is nothing new.  I have even heard of using sunless tanning lotion to create “shadows” that give the illusion of six-pack abs on an otherwise toneless belly.  Unfortunately, not everyone is going to have abs like Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum–seriously, it is unfortunate.   While some people have the dedication and stamina to work hard to get those gleaming, chiseled, glorious abs (I’m sorry–did I get carried away?), not everyone has the time or the desire to put in that kind of effort.

Because I want every man to have the opportunity to look like Magic Mike–oh, believe me, I do–today’s Seen On TV Express blog post is going to bring you three different types of As Seen On TV ab sculpting products.  You select your level of intensity from zero to P90X and choose the infomercial product that best works for you.

Intensity Level:  ”Can someone bring me a doughnut and a beer?”

• Slim T
• IAS Instaslim Garments

Instaslim and Slim Ts are body shaping garments that can make  you look up to two sizes smaller without diet or exercise.  While the results are temporary, and you certainly can’t whip off your shirt, wave it around your head, and slide down a fireman pole into the waiting arms of hundreds of screaming women vying for the opportunity to tuck dollar bills in your waistband, Slim T or Instaslim can give you the confidence that comes from looking better in your clothes.

Intensity Level:  Not Quite Shocking

• Flex Belt
• Contour Abs
• Sport Elec Ab Belt

Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is FDA-cleared and shown to be effective in helping to strengthen and build muscles without a lot of concerted effort on your part.  Electronic ab belts work by contracting the abdominal muscles through electronic impulses, allowing your to flex and contract each muscle numerous times in a single session.  Some of these devices are discreet enough to wear under clothing so you can firm and tighten your abdominals as you go about your daily routine.

Intensity Level:  ”Work All Day.  Work It All Night.”

• Ab Rocket Twister
• Ab Glider
• Insanity
• P90X
• P90X2

If you want the moves like Jagger . . . or in this case, like Magic Mike and his glistening, sculpted cohorts . . . you are going to have to work it.  Intense fat burning moves and a clean diet are critical in creating a lean, chiseled core featuring rock hard abs.  Abdominal exercise equipment like the AbRocket and the Ab Glider can give you targeted moves for tightening the abs, but the aggressive, high-intensity training available from Beachbody’s Insanity, P90X, and P90X2 allow for total body fat burning and muscle sculpting that can transform your physique.

Whether you want to show up at your reunion with the confidence that comes from looking better in your clothes, or whether you want to show up with a physique that makes your class homecoming queen fall over in a dead faint, As Seen On TV products offer your perfect ab solution.

We’ve talked recently on the SeenOnTV Express blog about ways to look slimmer with no effort (Kymaro Body Shaper for women and Slim T for men) and ways to improve muscle tone with little effort (Flex Belt and Flex Mini).  Though there are many As Seen On TV exercise videos and equipment that are low-impact and moderate intensity, perhaps the hottest selling infomercial exercise videos are the extreme workout routines from Beachbody.

Among the best selling Beachbody videos are Insanity with Shaun T. and Tony Horton’s P90X.  Recently, Shaun T. released a new version of his popular Insanity workout entitled The Asylum, a thirty-day sports training workout.  Now, Tony Horton and Beachbody are expanding their offerings for die-hard P90X fans with the release of P90X2.

P90X2 is more than just a new set of workouts to replace P90X; it is designed to build on the successful transformation of those who have completed P90X by increasing agility and athleticism.  P90X was created to transform bodies into the best shape of their lives, replacing fat with muscle through a technique of Muscle Confusion.  P90X2 continues with Muscle Confusion but also incorporates Post-Activation Potentiation (P.A.P.), a groundbreaking exercise technique based on two additional years of research and development by the fitness experts and sports scientists at Beachbody.

P.A.P. essentially combines heavy strength training with plyometric exercise to engage more muscles during and after a workout.  This explosive combination increases stamina, agility, core strength, and overall athleticism.  P90X2 is not designed as a replacement for the original P90X; it is not simply more of the same.  Rather, P90X2 takes fitness to the next level.

In this video, Tony Horton explains the difference between the original P90X and the all new P90X2:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubc1AQwSi1k

Because the P90X2 workouts are completely new and different from the previous series, new equipment may be necessary.  When you order the P90X2 workout kit, you have your choice of three packages, depending on what equipment needs you may have:

• P90X2 Base Kit:  12 workout DVDs, 1 How to Bring It Again DVD, P90X2 Workout Guide, P90X2 Nutrition Guide, P90X Workout Calendar
• P90X2 Deluxe Kit:  everything included in the Base Kit plus a foam roller, two 8-pound medicine balls, a premium stability ball, and two additional extreme workouts:  V-Sculpt and Chest + Shoulders + Tris
• P90X2 Ultimate Kit:  everything included in the Deluxe Kit plus Tony Horton’s PowerStands

The twelve P90X2 workouts use strength training, plyometrics, yoga, and core strength exercises and routines based on Muscle Confusion, but they incorporate P.A.P. to take your workout beyond the original transformation of P90X and into increased athletic ability, stamina, strength, and agility.  P90X2 workouts include:

• X2 Core
• Plyocide
• X2 Recovery + Mobility
• X2 Total Body
• X2 Yoga
• X2 Balance + Power
• Chest + Back + Balance
• X2 Shoulders + Arms
• Base + Back
• P.A.P. Upper
• P.A.P Lower
• X2 Ab Ripper

Staff members at SeenOnTV Express who have used the original P90X saw phenomenal results with the original program and look to build on their efforts with the all new P90X2.

Look out now.  SeenOnTV Express is going to be too hot to handle and too fast to catch . . .

One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight.  Combining post-holiday weight gain with the motivation to make a fresh start at the beginning of the year makes As Seen On TV exercise equipment a fantastic gift idea.   However, the best idea is to buy these items for yourself.  Buying any type of weight loss or exercise product for someone else is a risky endeavor–particularly if that someone else is your wife.  Here at SeenOnTV Express, we recommend only buying exercise equipment for your wife under the following circumstances:

1. She asked specifically for it.
2. When she opens it, you say things like, “I only got it because you wanted it.  I think you look amazing.  I’m still not sure why you want it.  I mean, you are GORGEOUS!!”
3. You also include a very sparkly, blingy gift that comes in a tiny box.
4. You never, ever, EVER ask her if she is using it or why she isn’t.
5. Add a little more effusive praise of her beauty here.

Last week, we talked about how to achieve a slimmer silhouette–or at least make your pants fit comfortably–after packing on holiday pounds.  This week, we’ll segue from disguise to transformation by looking at infomercial toning products that make stimulating the muscles effortless.  Electronic Muscle Stimulation, or EMS, is an FDA-cleared method of toning muscles that has long been used for physical therapy in medical settings.  Now, EMS is becoming a leader in muscle toning for fitness at home.  To use an EMS ab toning belt or other electronic muscle stimulator, you simply put on the device, turn on the device, and let the electronic current go to work  contracting and stimulating your muscles.

Among the top selling As Seen On TV ab belts and electronic muscle stimulators:

• The Flex Belt Ab Belt for toning the abdominal muscles
• The Flex Mini for tightening the hips, thighs, and buttocks
• The Sport Elec Ab Belt for tightening the abs

Using gentle electric impulses, these EMS toning devices stimulate the muscles to contract and release, much as they would during dozens, even hundreds, of exercises such as crunches and sit ups for the abs or squats and lunged for the butt, hips, and thighs.  In the case of the Flex Mini, the device can even be worn discretely under clothes for anytime toning without a workout.

Remember, As Seen On TV exercise equipment is a gift best bought for oneself–get started using yours now to prevent holiday pounds and to kick off your New Year’s Resolution right.  If buying exercise equipment for a loved one, do so only if it is requested and only if you are prepared to spend the next five years telling her that you did NOT call her fat!

Last week I wrote a little about the unbearable heat–more 40 days of 100+ temperatures in our area this summer, with no end in sight.  We are actually having roads closed as they buckle in the combined heat and drought, damaging cars and causing accidents until the roads are repaired.  With the ridiculous heat combined with an unrelenting drought, damage to surfaces and structures becomes inevitable.  Although it may seem like it will never rain again, now is a perfect time to patch cracks and leaks around the house.  The evidence of how temperature extremes can warp even concrete, asphalt, and steel demonstrates how important it is to repair your cracks with a flexible material that can withstand movement.

Flex Seal is an As Seen On TV product designed to seal cracks and leaks with a flexible rubber seal.  A liquid rubber sealant, Flex Seal sprays onto virtually any surface, drying quickly to a firm yet flexible seal.  It conforms to the crack to eliminate leaks, and it can be painted any color.  An easy to use aerosol spray, Flex Seal can be used to patch cracks and stop leaks on roofs, gutters, pipes, skylights, and more.  If past weather patterns are any indication, it would be wise to take care of leak repairs now, before the drought is ended by rains of epic proportions.

As I was considering Flex Seal as an As Seen On TV home repair solution, I couldn’t help but notice just how important “flexibility” is in marketing infomercial products–especially when it comes to As Seen On TV exercise equipment.

Note the following:

• Flex Belt – An electronic ab belt that uses Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to flex and contract the abdominal muscles
• Flex Mini – An EMS shaper designed to tone the butt, hips, and thighs
• Solar Flex – An infrared heated yoga mat designed to improve flexibility
• UltraFlex – An easy to use fitness tool to sculpt lean muscle through flexible resistance
• Flex Shaper – Combines resistance and aerobic training for total body fitness
• Bowflex - From one of the leaders in home fitness, Bowflex gyms feature flexible Power Rod technology for an effective workout

So go ahead and flex your purchasing muscles by checking out one of the many “flexible” As Seen On TV products available through SeenOnTVExpress.com.

And fix those leaks before it’s too late.

Life Mimics Art, and As Seen On TV Exercise Products are No Exception

Strangely shaped walking shoes designed to shape and firm your derriere have recently become quite popular.  On one hand, I’m intrigued, because anything that will give me a workout without me having to, you know, work out sounds a-okay to me.  On the other hand, I think these shoes with the bulky, curved soles look flat ridiculous.  Whenever I see them, I can’t help but think of the old Seinfeld episode, “The Jimmy.”

In “The Jimmy,” George and Jerry befriend Jimmy who wears special shoes that are supposed to help him jump higher.  Somehow, Kramer ends up wearing the shoes, and yada, yada, yada . . . Mel Torme thinks he’s mentally challenged.

This is what Jimmy’s shoes look like:

As much as I think the new shape-up, toning shoes look ridiculous and make me think of Jimmy’s shoes, I found As Seen On TV exercise equipment from the 1980′s and 1990′s that out-jimmies Jimmy.

Enter the Exerlopers:

The spring-soled Exerlopers are designed to:

• Reduce shock to the joints associated with running
• Maximize your workout by adding varied motion to your running
• Increase your speed and your vertical leap with spring supported action
• Make you look like a complete fool

Exerlopers were developed in the mid-1980′s by Canadian inventor Gregory Lekhtman, and enjoyed celebrity fame in 1993 when Lekhtman’s girlfriend, then-Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, was seen wearing Exerlopers as she exercised.

Exerlopers are still available today, and you can even adapt them for an at-home workout using Insta-Runner.  According to the Exerlopers website, Insta-Runner is a “unique collapsible running stand which provides a workout for the upper and lower body.”  The handlebars on the Insta-Runner swivel to provide upper body resistance while you run in place wearing your Exerlopers.

As Seen on TV Exercise Equipment for Multi-Taskers

The idea behind Exerlopers is sound exercise advice.  Why simply run when you can run AND jump at the same time?  Why do cardio alone when you can combine cardio and strength training in one workout?  People want maximum results in minimum time, and infomercial exercise videos and equipment that allow you to combine effective fitness routines are among the most popular As Seen On TV products available.

The Bowflex Treadclimber combines the motion of a stairclimber, a treadmill, and an elliptical trainer to amplify fat-burning cardio.  FlexShaper is designed to combine resistance training with aerobic exercise for simultaneous toning and fat burning.

Products using Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), like the FlexBelt ab belt or the FlexMini butt and thigh toner, let you discreetly work out your abs or lower body as you go about your daily business.

Of course, if modesty is not important when it comes to your As Seen On TV exercise routine (you’re not still wearing spandex pants, are you?) then Exerlopers are, er, leaps and bounds beyond discretion.

Electrifying Buns Courtesy of the Flex Mini

Although it is fun to take a look back at some of the more popular, amusing, or confusing infomercial products in As Seen On TV history, it is also important to take a look at what is hot now.  Today on Way Back Wednesday, we are going to introduce a new SeenOnTV Express blog feature:  What’s New Wednesday.  What’s New Wednesday will alternate with Way Back Wednesday posts, bringing the blog a mixture of old and new infomercial products.  Although this week kicks off our new What’s New Wednesday series, we could also easily have called today’s feature “Way Backside Wednesday” as we look at the hottest thing in butt-sculpting since Buns of Steel:  The Flex Mini.

The Flex Mini is the latest Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) toning device from the makers of the Flex Belt.  EMS has come a long way since its early days, as described in our post about Dr. Ho’s Muscle Massager.  EMS devices no longer look like something used for shock therapy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but they are instead safe, effective tools for sculpting and toning the muscles.

The Flex Mini Revolutionizes Butt Workouts

Before the Flex Mini, sculpting, toning, and shaping the gluteal muscles required heavy exercise of the large muscle groups of the lower body.  Squats, stiff legged deadlifts, and lunges were de rigueur for a tight rear view, until various lower body sculpting infomercial products such as the Thigh Glider and 3 Minute Legs offered an easier way.  With the Flex Mini, though, your butt gets an effective workout without the traditional workout.  In fact, you can get intense muscle stimulation while you go about your daily routine.

The Flex Mini is discreet and comfortable.

The Flex Mini is medical grade, yet can be worn comfortably under clothes.  In just thirty minutes with the Flex Mini, the muscles of your butt and the backs of your upper thighs will get targeted stimulation, simulating the contractions of traditional, weight-bearing lower body exercises.  In fact, in a clinical study, 100% of Flex Mini users said the product worked for sculpting and toning the rear.  Furthermore, the Flex Mini is FDA cleared as a Class II medical toning device, proving that EMS for consumer use has truly evolved.

Welcome to the first post of 2011!  We at Way Back Wednesday and Seen on TV Express wish you a very happy, prosperous, and fulfilling new year.

Of course, the new year brings with it a slew of resolutions, including the #1 New Year’s Resolution of all time–to lose weight and get in shape.  Gyms and fitness centers, much like my post-holiday jeans, are bursting at the seams.  Even though the crowds will thin much more quickly than the actual gym patrons themselves, adults of this generation are more fitness conscious than ever before, shaped by a childhood that emphasized activity and exercise.  Whereas America today is plagued by an epidemic of childhood obesity, the 1980′s encouraged fitness among children.  Just check out these gender-specific workout kits seen on TV in the era that first made leg warmers hot.

For the girls was Get in Shape Girl, with five different exercise kits to choose from:

Now, I remember that the Way Back Little Sister had the ribbon gymnastics kit, and she runs actual half-marathons and stuff–for fun–so I’m sure this early introduction to fitness had an impact on her future dedication to staying in shape.

(Note:  I tried a half-marathon once.  It was most assuredly NOT fun.)

For the boys, there is no better way to bulk up than with the help of WWF (pre-WWE) superstar Hulk Hogan:

I must admit, I’m a bit confused as to why Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania Workout Set was promoted by Mr. Wonderful, Paul Orndorff, rather than the Hulkster himself, but that is a mystery that may never be solved.

What do these workout kits have in common?  Wall posters, cassette tapes, and–most importantly–sweatbands and wristbands!  You simply cannot get a good workout without elasticized terry cloth strapped around your head and arms.  It’s a fact.

Moving on from Kid Fitness – The Flex Belt, Gym Flex, Total Gym and others provide options for Adults

These days, Hulk Hogan has moved from the gym to the kitchen with his Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill, but those of us who grew up on kiddie workouts can maintain our fitness lifestyles with today’s workout equipment for adults.  That old step from your Jane Fonda step aerobics video has been reinvented as the GymFlex, which converts from a step to a bench to an incline and contains straps, attachments, bars, and handles for a total body strength training workout.  The Total Gym also allows you to strengthen and tone your entire body at home, giving you an effective workout while allowing you to avoid the hoards of New Years Resolutioners that will hog all the treadmills and exercise machines at the local gym.  Finally, the FDA-cleared Flex Belt allows you to maximize your results by toning your abs even when you aren’t actively working out.

Of course, if your workout style is more Mr. Belvedere than Mr. Wonderful, there’s always the Perfect Fit Button and Pajama Jeans to get you through until next year’s New Year’s Resolutions come knocking.

In the Way Back Wednesday Halloween post, I described the electrifying properties of Rejuvenique, and how it uses electronic impulses to stimulate the muscles of the face.  While the appearance of the Rejuvenique facial mask is somewhat disconcerting, its use of electronic impulses for muscle stimulation is a form of beauty and exercise technology that has been around for years and is a continuing method of firming, toning, and relaxing muscles.

A decade ago, electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) was used by the famous Dr. Ho in his namesake Dr. Ho’s Muscle Massager.  This device looks suspiciously like an EMS machine I once endured during a bout of physical therapy (I think I may need to call my HMO about this).  However, most viewers of the Dr. Ho infomercial–at least most male viewers–won’t notice a thing about how the Muscle Massager looks.  See, much like fellow infomercial host Tom Vu, Dr. Ho relied heavily on scantily clad women in need of electronic stimulation.  In fact, male viewers may have been so busy noticing the models that they may not have even realized that one bikini beauty exclaims, after sampling the Muscle Massager, that she no longer needs men:

Now, the use of electronic muscle stimulation can be hazardous to certain groups.  As Dr. Ho states in his disclaimer, these devices are “not to be used by pregnant women, people with pacemakers, or epileptics.”

Or by idiots:

Electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) is a valid technology, however.  Remember, I mentioned earlier that EMS was used in physical therapy, and regardless of my joke about checking with my HMO to see if Dr. Ho is on my preferred provider list, the EMS is one of the reasons I’m not hobbling around like a geriatric at the age of . . . um . . . never mind.

Some modern electronic muscle stimulators that can be seen on TV include several that are used for strengthening and tightening the muscles of the abs.  Absonic, Abtronic, and the Contour Ab Belt have been among the more popular electronic ab stimulators seen on television infomercials.

The latest development in electronic stomach toning medical technology is the Flex Belt.  The FlexBelt ab belt has been clinically tested and proven to stimulate the abdominal muscles up to 150 times per thirty minute session.  Most importantly, the Flex Belt is the only EMS device to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Class II Medical Device to be sold directly to the consumer.  Take that, HMO.