Product test

Wired up for a six-pack week #5 and #6

18.10.2018

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

A six-pack in six weeks with a little help from a «Compex SP 8.0 WOD Edition». That was my declared goal back in mid-August. It’s not like I’ve got anything else to do. The six weeks are up and I’m left with the following insight: My six-pack happens in the kitchen.

Crunches and sit-ups ad nauseam? Interval training to the utmost limit? Or are plug-in abs the best option? So what’s the secret behind a fabulously flat stomach and a serious six-pack? After six weeks, my conclusion is: your diet. But I’ll come back to that later.

«Test that Compex for me, will you?»

How do you test a product that is often used in rehabilitation, has countless functions as is quite complex? To give you an idea, the Compex SP 8.0 WOD Edition offers the following workout programmes:

Capillarisation • Pain management TENS • Epicondilitis • Lumbago • Muscle atrophy • Lymphatic drainage • 6-pack training

EMS + TENS device

CHF896.–

Compex Sp 8.0

These are just seven of what seems like about 289 functions the Compex SP 8.0 WOD Edition has to offer. By the time I’ve tested them all, I’ll be ready for retirement. That’s why I went for just one function and took a closer look at it. A six-pack in six weeks in my case. So I tested the Compex a total of 20 times over the course of six weeks. From 16 August to 16 October. And this is what it looked like:

And here are the results:

But I was kind of hoping for this:

Which brings me to the subject of nutrition.

Low-carb, no-carb, carb my arse

I received the following comment on my last post:

"Unfortunately, neither strength training nor this device have an influence on a visible six-pack. I recommend an anabolic diet (carbs<30g/day) about 1800kcal combined with 2l of green tea per day, then you'll get your six-pack in 6 weeks, easy.

Less than 30 grams of carbs a day? Wow, that’s very little. About the equivalent of a slice of bread. Well, I guess low-carb and no-carb is totally in line with the current trend. But going cold turkey like that? No thanks. And there’s no way I’m guzzling two litres of green tea a day. Don’t get me wrong, I like green tea. But I can’t stomach two litres a day. Sorry. I decide to turn to one of the many fitness providers out there and go for Runtastic. They also talk about carbs and six-packs.

I’ve also started to track my eating habits with the Balance App. Naturally, I went for the «Low-Carb» diet plan. With a daily intake of almost 1900 kilocalories, the app suggests the following micronutrient distribution: 30% carbohydrates, 25% protein and 45% fat. That’s a grand total of 140 grams of carbs a day. I can live with that. And when I’m physically active, those values go up according to the workout. So I get to eat more on those days. The result after one week: Body weight minus 1 kg, body fat minus 0.3%. OK, this seems to be working. I’m sticking to this.

My conclusion

Six weeks of Compex exposure, 20 sessions at 27 minutes each equals nine hours of electricity to the stomach. Add my standard workout routine consisting of strength and endurance and you get... no six-pack. To be honest, I would have been very surprised if it had worked. During my challenge, I was often approached regarding six-packs and nutrition. This soon made me realise what an important role your diet plays. Or to put it another way: My six-pack is mainly created in the kitchen.

Nonetheless, I’m still convinced that the Compex SP 8.0 WOD Edition is effective in other areas. Definitely in regeneration and rehabilitation but also when applied during workouts. I’ll be interviewing my physiotherapist on this subject. When does it make sense to use Compex and when is it literally a waist of energy? Find out what he says soon.

Your path to a six-pack

How do you work those abs to get a six-pack?

Crunches and sit-ups
24%
Low-carb/No-carb
17%
Beer
62%
Anything but beer
9%

The competition has ended.

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Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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Wired up for a six-pack week #5 and #6

«Test that Compex for me, will you?»

Low-carb, no-carb, carb my arse

My conclusion

Your path to a six-pack

Articles on this topic so far

Wired up for a six-pack week #3 and #4

Wired up for a six-pack # Week 2

Wired up for a six-pack # Week 1

Can electrical muscle stimulation make me look like G.I. Joe?

2 comments

Your path to a six-pack

Wired up for a six-pack week #3 and #4

Wired up for a six-pack # Week 2

Wired up for a six-pack # Week 1

Can electrical muscle stimulation make me look like G.I. Joe?

2 comments

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