VITALmaxx 02678 Abdominal and Cardio Trainer "Fitmaxx5" | Abs Trainer | Home Trainer | Fitness Trainer

There are a few things worth knowing about this...1. It does work, although, as other reviewers have said, it only works if you use it - regularly!2. The part that moves - the "trolley" that your knees sit on, has polyethylene rollers. It's very important to balance your weight evenly, because if any roller does not properly sit on the bar that it has to roll on, then it may wear unevenly (you can see this by the white streaks left on the bar). Once this happens, the roller will develop a flat side and refuse to turn, getting worse as the polyethylene melts.Having made this criticism, why do I still give it 5 stars? Well - the team at In-Trading are very helpful and supportive, and supplied me with spares, even after a year had elapsed. Secondly, once you understand about the balance (check the rollers regularly to make sure that they are in contact with the bars and turning), it works well.A couple of tips. Although there is a booklet with warm-up and warm-down exercises, don't go at it like a bull at a gate. Start with a few "slides" on your first day and work up. If you don't, and you attempt to do a full five minutes, you're likely to get abdominal cramps as unused muscles feel the pinch - then you'll blame the kit and be put off using it.Secondly, I worked out that I was doing about 200 slides once I'd got up to five minutes. It's far easier to work with numbers than with time - easier to set yourself a meaningful target (after all, what's the point of putting in 5 minutes if you only move once?). It also means that you can break the exercises down into more digestible chunks - I usually do 20 to 30 in a first session, have a quick break, then do 30 to 40 and so on, until I reach my 200.Thirdly, don't be religious about achieving whatever target you set yourself - there will be days when you'll do other exercise that will compensate, or days when you'll feel like doing more - your body should let you know what feels right!Finally, for me - and this may not apply to you - I find that it does help with some (and I emphasise SOME) backache, probably because it helps stretch the spine. DON'T take this as meaning it will cure your backache, but you could give it a gentle try rather than be deterred on bad days.I left writing this review for over a year - mainly because I initially didn't use it very much (the roller problem) until a wedding loomed - it worked for that! - but also because many of the reviews I see here are written in the first week of ownership, which doesn't seem to be very useful when you're trying to work out whether to get something that will be used longer term.So - to repeat my first comment, it does work, but only if you use it regularly!

Excellent for fast toning and great cardio exercise. I haven't yet been able to do an entire 5 minutes in one go but by body, from the first week, has begun looking and feeling toned and stronger. I tend to do 3 reps of 20 every morning.

Quite easy to assemble, good price and can feel it working abdominal muscles after first time

This is an amazing peace of machinery, very easy to assemble and store away easily too. I kept the machine on the lowest hight for a week thinking I don't want to not be able to laugh because I laugh so took it easy... Then was thinking I want results now! Well well well... Let me tell you I felt the burn on my abs everyone has been talking about when I put it on the highest height but it is worth it "abs" solute this machine my lil flabby pouch is shrinking yes my abs are sore a tad but my arms and my glutes also looking good. I'm more than happy with my machine totally recommend to those trying to tone tuck and raise that butt lol or those looking to improve on this form.

There are white rollers that the knee rest sits on and these roll up and down the length of the base. These have worn down and I cannot find out how to get new ones. This means the whole thing is now fit for nothing than the council waste depot. If the supplier is reading this - how do we replace the runners???

really good bit of kit, well made and easy to put together, very nice movement and the settings will make it hard work for all levels of fitness.

Bought this for my husband. He is really happy with it . Was a little fidly to put together but excellency made great value .

I bought this to help keep up my cardio after breaking my leg and boy does it do that. I go to the gym a lot and train in Kickboxing so I'm pretty fit normally anyway but two minutes on this machine on the lowest incline is bloody hard work and great to get the heart pounding.Only giving it 4 stars because the handle where you rest your elbows soon becomes uncomfortable. Rather than a foam bar it should be cupped to help supports your arms properly. For the price though, you really can't go wrong!