"TikTok is my happy place. I love scrolling through videos of psychic readings, cucumber recipes, and the latest celeb feud I am way too invested in. Over the past couple of months, I cannot scroll without seeing someone raving about an abdominal board, also called “at-home Pilates reformer,” because it mimics the same function of a reformer machine. After about the 30th TikTok of a creator claiming this machine allowed them to cancel their Pilates subscription or gave them six-pack abs, I was too intrigued not to try for myself. It’s tough trying to strengthen your core when the price of a Pilates class costs as much as a down payment on a small house (a gym membership in this economy!?).
If this contraption can get me a great workout from the comfort of my own home for under $100, I’m all in. So, like any good wellness editor, I tested it out myself and did some research to get to the bottom of all the TikTok fuss so I could determine once and for all if it was worth your time and money (not all heroes wear capes—some wear Lululemon). Read on for all the details on the viral Umay Ab Board, its benefits, and my honest review.
What is the Umay Multi-Functional Ab Exercise Board?
Lightweight, compact, and easy-to-use, the Umay Ab Board’s versatile design supports a range of Pilates exercises typically done on the reformer (think: lunges, planks, pikes, arm extensions, mountain climbers) without the high price tag. With two anti-slip sliders (and handles that you can fold down) that you can use together or separately and accessories like hand grips, an attached timer, and built-in resistance, you can tailor and vary your Pilates workouts.
What are the benefits?
It works your whole body
Thanks to its versatility, you can work all the muscles in the body—core muscles, back, arms, glutes, and legs—using the Umay Pilates ab machine. Because you have to actively push the sliders whether you’re lunging or planking (otherwise, they quickly slide back into place), you engage multiple muscles at once to control them.
It’s low-impact
Because you are working from a horizontal plane rather than weight bearing (such as lunges with heavy dumbbells), you’re reducing the load on the body and the strain on joints. This form of movement is much better for preventing injury or recovering from an injury.
It’s compact
When you’re done working out, simply fold the thin board in half and stow it away under your bed or couch. Because you can carry it with one hand, changing up your scenery from your living room to a hotel room is effortless. Consider it your portable “gym,” whether at home or traveling.
Our Wellness Editor’s Review
I have always prioritized strength training because building muscle is critical for various functions, from hormonal health to metabolic health. I prefer strength training through slow low-impact movement like on a megaformer more than using traditional dumbbell exercises because it feels like it targets deeper muscles without being tough on my joints (I get consistent pain in my knees and lower back). So, let me just start by saying that reformer work is my preferred method of exercise, and I have probably spent thousands of dollars over the years to invest in studio classes. Enter: The Umay Ab Machine.
It was extremely easy to set up (took me less than 10 seconds—and that’s coming from a girl who can’t order from Ikea because I’m so bad at following instructions). It was fairly easy to get the hang of (especially if you are used to using a reformer or ab roller), and the handles were a little sticky at first but loosened up pretty quickly. I followed a few TikTok videos of various exercises and performed similar moves I love to do on the reformer (such as planks to pike, wheelbarrow, and catfish). Within mere minutes, my abs were already achingly sore. And I mean that level of deep sore where you work every little ab pocket.
Because of the range of motion, you really do easily work everything from your upper abs to the lowest abs and feel like you’re working the deepest layers of your core without straining your body too hard. I did probably a 10-minute workout total (with lots of breaks in between), and my abs were incredibly sore the next day (like it hurt to laugh or cough). What I love most about this machine is that other ab exercises hurt in other areas of my body: my neck hurts when I do crunches, my shoulders ache when I plank, or my hip flexors turn on when I do leg lifts. Because of the design of this machine, it felt like all the work was purely in my core, which meant I could keep exercising until I fully worked my core rather than giving up because my neck/arms/hip flexors hurt like with other ab exercises.
It truly is highly versatile. I will most likely use it mainly as an ab board for core exercises, but there are thousands of TikTok compilations of exercises to use the same board to work every part of your body, from your glutes to your biceps, especially with available add-ons like resistance bands. More perks of the at-home reformer: It comes with a timer on the board if you want to do a timed workout or plank for one minute (which is helpful since I’m used to relying on a Pilates instructor to count down painfully slowly). It is also incredibly easy to store; it’s lightweight, folds easily, and is fairly narrow, so you can fit it under your bed, behind a desk, on a shelf, or tucked in a closet.
The only cons are that the handles still feel a little sticky even after using it for a few weeks, so it’s not as smooth as a real reformer machine, but this did not negatively impact the workout you can get IMO. The other way it differed from a real reformer machine is that you cannot change the resistance. However, you can easily use resistance training in other ways, such as adding weighted ankle/wrist weights or resistance bands. I get such a good workout from the board alone that I have not missed added resistance whatsoever.
TL;DR: This $95 board gave me the best ab workout of my life in under 10 minutes, within the comfort of my own home—while I was watching Summer House reruns. While it won’t be my only form of exercise (walking, cardio, and using heavy weights are also important!), I will be using this board on a regular basis to fit in a workout at home or get in some extra movement during commercial breaks—and my abs will be all the better for it.
Josie Santi, Senior Wellness Editor & Podcast Host
Josie has been an editor and writer for The Everygirl since 2017 and became a certified Holistic Health Coach in 2020. Listen to Josie on The Everygirl Podcast, where she interviews guests and hosts episodes on a variety of educational, inspirational, and entertaining topics.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through studies, articles, and is always first in line to try them firsthand.