Flex Belt

What is the Flex Belt?

The Flex Belt allegedly delivers strong, toned abs by stimulating muscle contractions.

Getting defined abdominal muscles remains at the top of many fitness wishlists. Achieving washboard abs is challenging, though the recipe entails clean eating, cardio, and targeted abdominal exercise.

While these practices are likely irreplaceable, the Flex Belt may offer a different method of helping you get a defined core.

According to their site, you can train your abs even when you're too busy or too tired to workout by simply wearing the Flex Belt for 30-minutes daily. Can this be true?

After all, this device is FDA cleared for strengthening, toning, and firming.

In this article, we’ll help you find out if this claim is too good to be true by reviewing how the Flex Belt works and if there’s any scientific support for its proposed benefits.

How Does the Flex Belt Work?

The Flex Belt works through Electric Muscle Stimulation, or EMS. The device stimulates your core muscles to contract and relax through 3 pre-positioned GelPads. These contractions are intended to mimic those that occur during exercise.

EMS is actually not a new phenomenon; it has been used to rehab nerve dysfunction and muscular injuries, as well as to improve athletic performance.

To use your Flex Belt, follow these directions:

1. Charge your Flex Belt - it takes about 3-hours to fully charge.
2. Connect the controller to the belt.
3. Place the GelPads on the belt.
4. Remove the covers from the black side of all three GelPads
5. Position the belt around your waist.
6. Press and hold the on/off button.
7. Select your program.
8. Increase the intensity throughout the session if possible.
9. The Flex Belt will automatically power down after the session is complete.

You can alter the stimulation by increasing the intensity or taking advantage of 10 different customized programs.

For more detailed instructions, check out this link.

Is There Any Research Backing Up the Flex Belt’s Proposed Benefits?

So does artificially stimulating muscle contractions actually work? In this section, we'll find out if there is any science to support the proposed benefits of the Flex Belt.

Fortunately, this device has been investigated as a stand-alone product. Let’s review the details of this study.

The researchers set out to study the Flex Belt’s ability to alter the strength, endurance, and body measurement of 24 healthy adults. Over the course of 8-weeks, these subjects used the Flex Belt for 20-40 minute sessions 5 days each week.

While the experimental group refrained from any additional exercise beyond EMS during this period, the 16 subjects in the control group refrained from all forms of exercise training.

Those who used the Flex Belt increased abdominal strength and endurance by 58% and 100%, respectively. The control group did not experience alterations in abdominal strength and increased endurance by 28%.

Also, the EMS group decreased waist circumference by 3.5cm, whereas the control group did not alter this measurement. Subjectively, all of those in the control group reported that their core felt more “toned” and “firmed”.

Lastly, there were no changes in body weight, BMI, or skinfold thickness in either group.

Without an ability to reduce the thickness of the skin overlying your abdomen, it is unlikely that this device alone has what it takes to build a washboard stomach.

However, as it has demonstrated an ability to strengthen the core, you may see better results when used in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Is Flex Belt Safe?

EMS is generally safe when used as directed. The Flex Belt has been studied as a stand-alone device, and use was well-tolerated over 2-months.

As the subjects in the study were required to attend a minimum of 2 supervised sessions, their risk for adverse effects may have been greatly reduced.

Nonetheless, EMS is not for everybody.

Those with sensitive skin may experience irritation where the GelPads are placed. EMS use during pregnancy or in those with pacemakers may be especially hazardous.

Also, the use of EMS can’t replace the many health benefits associated with adopting a healthy meal plan and regular exercise.

Consult your doctor before use to ensure the Flex Belt is safe to include in your daily regimen.

The Flex Belt Cost

You can purchase your Flex Belt directly from their site.

The Flex Belt Package is $199.99, ships free, and includes the following:

• The Flex Belt® and GelPads
• The Rechargeable Power Supply Unit
• An Instruction Manual
• Belt Extender to accommodate 47" to 52" waist
• The Rechargeable Power Supply can also be used with other Flex Products for different body parts

Keep in mind, the company recommends replacing the GelPadsevery 30 sessions. They run $14.99 per pad or $47.99 for a 4 pad set. Replacing these every 30 sessions can add up.

Other accessories like replacement controllers, chargers, and batteries are also available from their site.

You can save by purchasing through Amazon; the Flex Belt Package is $162.49.

Lastly, each purchase is backed by a 60-day guarantee. To process your return, call support at (855) 353-9432 or email info@theflexbelt.com.

Available Alternatives

Targetting core musculature with EMS is not a new concept. A simple internet search will reveal a wide variety of brands offering similar products.

The highest-rated belts on Amazon range from $20-100.

One example is UMATE ABS stimulator. They also recommend 30-minutes of use daily for best results, and at $36.90, it is available at a fraction of what you’ll pay for the Flex belt. While this system is rated 4.8-stars, keep in mind that this is on just 28 reviews.

Though EMS is generally safe to use, starting with traditional methods is probably more reasonable.

If you go straight for an EMS belt, you'll miss out on the many health benefits offered by adopting a healthy meal plan and getting regular exercise.

The Bottom Line

While there is support that The Flex Belt device can boost strength and endurance, the ability to reduce the thickness of skin overlying your abdomen is less likely.

Therefore, it will be challenging to obtain washboard abs with the use of the Flex Belt alone. However, using this device along with diet and exercise may enhance the results.

Reviews are fair. At Amazon, 1,500+ users rate this product 3.6-stars. Unsatisfied customers report a complete lack of results or needing 2-3x the recommended use to see any benefits. Again, a lack of a more comprehensive fitness plan will likely limit the results.

The Flex Belt is far from cheap and the need to replace GelPads drives the price up further. There are a number of more cost-effective options that offer similar benefits, so perhaps these are a better starting point.

Either way, consult your doctor before using as EMS can be dangerous for some individuals.