Thursday, April 17, 2008

Review: Leg Master: Thigh Maker or Wallet Breaker?



OK, have you seen this infomercial and been so jazzed by the thought of tight, toned legs in just 13 minutes a day that you’ve reached for a credit card (any card) and grabbed the phone? Yeah, me too! Well, I went with an online purchase, but same difference.

I FINALLY got the thing (I waited a few weeks and was almost going to cancel my order when it magically showed up on my doorstep). After getting my guy to assemble it and hoist it up the stairs to my mini-gym, I was anxious to give it a try.

Here’s the deal…
This thing will rock your thighs into submission. I am pretty fit, but I could barely knock out 13 minutes on this thing the first time around. I was holding the hand-rail for dear life while my thighs quivered and begged for mercy. In a word, it was tough. But tough is good, right? It means it’s working.

It’s been about a month of using this about 2-3 times per week and I do feel some firmness and tone in my inner/outer thighs. Is this due to the Legmaster or the Accent treatments or just my increased treadmill runs? I don’t know, but I do feel a real firmness in my inner thighs that I haven’t had in awhile (those of you who live the jiggly-thigh-life know how hard it is to get those inner thighs toned!)

The caveat (there is always a caveat, isn’t there?) The exercises themselves are pretty dull. After a few minutes on this (even with variations) you’ll be bored. They include a workout, which is pretty decent (only 13 minutes) and challenging. It does, however, require you to get off the Legmaster a few times to do lunges, squats, even ab work and push ups. Of course, if you were doing these all along, would you really need the Legmaster?

At first I was a little disappointed to get a workout with a leg machine that required the old-fashioned lunges and squats in addition to using the machine, but I persisted and I’m happy I did. I really do feel the Legmaster helps, but you could probably get just as good results if you’re very commited to lunges and squats on your own. I’m not.

A last note, the workout dvd mistress is very toned and has a body to aspire to, but the “Fabulous!” that she calls out nearly every other second is a bit much. It’s a bit fake and when you’re legs are shaking and sweat is pouring, you feel anything but.
UPDATE: Several months later: I ditched the cd workout included with the machine and now hop on it during my workouts. I am SO much stronger now that I can literally do it without holding on (something I thought I'd never do when I first got it). My inner thighs are stronger and more toned but still a far cry from the infomercial promises or photos. All in all, this does work if you work it (and really, what doesn't?)

No comments: