Inventor: Mingwei Zhang
Mingwei Zhang finished his prototype for the ab belt workout on February 20, 2007, just four days before the Everyday Edisons casting call in San Diego, Calif., on February 24, 2007. Mingwei designed the ab belt to be worn around the stomach and provide resistance and vibration as one inhales and exhales. This in effect develops the abdominal muscles while teaching a controlled breathing technique. He was worried about making a suitable model in time, but fortunately, he wasn’t new to the invention. Mingwei practiced Qigong, an ancient Chinese system of postures, exercises, breathing techniques and meditations, which was the foundation of the ab belt.
Mingwei grew up in China and took second place in an invention tournament organized by the Chinese government for a lamp he had designed and engineered. He worked as a successful acupuncturist in China, treating medical professors, government officials and others. When he wasn’t studying medicine, he was inventing. He came up with a shock gun, hoping that taxi drivers in China could use them as self defense. Although the product’s development never panned out in China, he is happy that there is a similar product in the U.S. today. |
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