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At uni, I remember splashing a bit of my precious student loan money on a reduced Slendertone abs belt, hoping it would turn out to be a shortcut to a more toned torso. It was fun for a while, laughing at my housemates trying it and struggling to withstand even the fi rst few settings ( I probably didn’t fare much better).
Then the gel pads seemed to begin disintegrating, and it ended up in the bottom of a drawer — never to be used again.
Japanese brand SIXPAD’s range of EMS ( electronic muscle stimulation) products feels a more sophisticated aff air, for those who take their training seriously rather than those just looking for that ( impossible) quick fi x.
I tested SIXPAD’s Abs Belt 2 ( from £ 350), a sleek, lightweight belt that trains both abs and obliques. The updated model connects via Bluetooth to the SIXPAD app, enabling you to control the intensity level from your phone, as well as track your training, monitor remaining charge and see exactly which muscles are being worked in real- time.
After attaching eight gel pads to the device, I stuck it to my stomach and fastened the strap to keep it tight. There are 20 levels to choose from, so, feeling brave, I started at number 10, watching my stomach contract and relax as the EMS pulses sent my muscles into spasm.
The sensation was slightly uncomfortable at fi rst, but not unpleasant, and towards the end of the
23- minute workout, I had cranked it up a couple of levels. The next day, a slight ache was my reward.
After a few weeks of almost daily use ( the push notifi cations to your phone are handy in this respect), I felt a little stronger in my core, and could see a slight improvement in defi nition ( aided no doubt by not consuming Christmassized portions). Don’t expect SIXPAD to be a miracle worker, but if you’re eating and training well and just need an extra push, then it’s a shock in the right direction.
Review by Tim Heap