I’m seriously thinking about creating a section on my website that would be dedicated entirely to worthless fitness equipment. There are tons of places where you can find great home workout equipment, but how many are there who will tell those new to the idea of physical fitness what to not waste their hard earned money on? Have you ever heard the old adage;

A fool and his money are soon parted.

If you have considered incorporating physical fitness into your lifestyle, this of course would be a wise decision on your part, you are not a fool. The problem is, there are a multitude of unscrupulous business people who see you as a gullible fool. They would not market worthless contraptions if they were not extracting money from the pockets of hard working people, now would they? I have no problem with businesses making good profits for worthy products and or services. My problem only lies with modern day “Snake Oil” salesmen who will take complete advantage of those who may not know any better.

Damn, just look at that add. For $109.90 US you can get everything you need to “start building real strength in a few minutes a day”. You are going to do this with their phone stand and the contraption that will be linked to your phone. They claim this is the “ideal way to get started”!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Simply put, you are going to squeeze the contraption between the palms of your hands for an isometric hold.

From the Activ5 website:

Using your max power as a baseline, the Activ5 training app will dynamically creates a “coaching curve” for each exercise.

Your goal is to apply just enough pressure, while holding the described pose, to keep the dot on the line. Apply more or less force to move the dot up and down.

Please, do not feel the need to buy a high dollar device for isometric holds. If you feel compelled to do isometric holds with an object, there should be plenty of items you could find around your home such as a deck of cards, a small ball etc…

Do not believe this lie!

From Activ5 website:

Get great results in a fraction of the time

All you need is 5 minutes, your Activ5 and your phone to see and feel a difference.

Want to look great?

Build confidence and get the look you’ve been dreaming of.

 Build lean, toned muscle by using your own body as the resistance
 Strengthen the weak muscles that cause poor posture
 Finish your workouts with Activ5 to promote maximum muscle growth

I do not want you to think isometric exercises are bad, to the contrary they can be helpful. What I am opposed to is an unscrupulous business selling you a worthless device to do them with for far too much money.

In case you do not know what isometric exercises are:

Isometric exercises are when you contract a particular muscle or group of muscles. During isometric exercises, the muscle doesn’t noticeably change length and the affected joint doesn’t move. You contract your muscles and then hold that contraction for a period of time. Isometric exercises can help to build and maintain strength, but not so effectively. If you are going to exercise at all, I always preach that you need to make the best use of your time.

Because isometric exercises are done in one position without movement, they’ll improve strength in only one particular position. It is necessary  to do a variety of isometric exercises through your limb’s whole range of motion to improve muscle strength across the range. In addition, since isometric exercises are done in a static position, they won’t help improve speed or athletic performance. They can be useful for enhancing stabilization, but not much else. You are not going to find yourself going from being overweight and out of shape to being fit and trim unless you are diligent about your nutritional habits first and foremost.  I believe that once you come to the realization that your money could have been better spent, you will find this contraption to be boring. Before you plunk down your dough on the Activ5, go to the wall and press against it for a few sets. You will find it’s kind of like standing in the corner during elementary school. You must enjoy something to maintain consistency at it, and it is only a few who could truly say they enjoy Isometric exercises.

If you are wanting to get into better physical condition through nutrition and exercise, then check out my article Beginning Diet and Fitness by clicking this link. You can also join our other subscribers to receive each and every new article straight to your email. Subscriptions are, and always will be, free and easy to all.