The Ab Dolly bears a suspiciously close resemblance to other types of home exercise abdominal training equipment. These include Ab Slide, Torso Track, and Ab Wheel and Ab Roller. All of these abdominal training machines use a similar training method. Instead of lying supine and performing traditional crunches, these machines are performed on your knees and involve rolling the machine back and forth as well as side to side.

The creator of Ab Dolly

The Ab Dolly was invented by Brett Fischer, who is a licensed physical therapist, certified athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist. Fischer has worked as a physical therapist and coach for the New York Jets Football Club, PGA and Senior Golf Tour, and the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball.

The Ab Dolly Difference

Unlike exercises performed on similar types of abdominal training machines, the Ab Dolly has a variety of modifications. For example, novice users can perform the exercise on their forearms, instead of holding on to the handles. To work your obliques, you have two options. You can kneel on the pad and rotate your upper body from side to side, or you can kneel on the Ab Dolly itself and rotate your hips from side to side.

Benefits of working your abs from a prone position

This in and of itself isn’t really a bad idea, as most abdominal exercises involve an abdominal or forward bending position. Unfortunately, thanks to constant computer use, most of us spend far too much time in a forward bending position. As such, exercises that promote this can increase muscle overuse. When working from a prone position, the deeper core muscles must be used to prevent the back from arching. The fact that the Ab Dolly has a set of wheels makes it easier to use than some of the similar but less expensive products. That said, it’s not without its problems.

Problems with the Ab Dolly

As mentioned, working from the prone position uses your deep core muscles to support your lower back. But there is a big problem. Novice athletes and people who are significantly overweight may have difficulty activating these muscles. Therefore, this is not the ideal product for beginners. There is another problem. If you have knee problems, kneeling will be extremely uncomfortable.

As usual, the other problem with the Ab Dolly has to do with its cost. At $80 plus shipping and handling, it’s expensive. For $30, you can visit the auto section of a hardware store and purchase a “creeper,” which is a device used by auto mechanics. You can also buy a plant dolly for around $15. Best of all, you can buy a stability ball for less than $30, which is useful for a variety of exercises.

Since the Ab Dolly moves in multiple directions, if you decide to buy it, you’ll want to make sure you have enough room to use it. As always, if you’re out of shape, check with your doctor before beginning any type of exercise program.