Saturday, May 1, 2010

Ab Circle Mini -- Any Reviews??

So the Ab Circle Mini has finally been released by Jennifer Nicole Lee and the Home Shopping Network. Now we just need some good reviews and observations from real users to find out if this new ab machine really works or if it's a rip-off! If you've used the "Mini" Circle or know someone who has please be sure to leave your own helpful feedback in the comments section below. If you can, please contrast and compare it to the original full-size Ab Circle Pro...

Thank you!

:)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

A Positive Ab Circle Pro Review

Here's a positive review of the Ab Circle Pro sent in a couple of days ago...

I love my Ab Circle Pro. I've owned about 30 different pieces of workout equipment and nothing has given me better results than this machine. No matter what anyone says, this is a good piece of exercise equipment and it absolutely WILL give you good results if you use it almost every day for a month or so! Here are a couple things potential buyers should know...

The Pros:

- The Ab Circle Pro will give you a great abdominal workout, way better than any other ab machine I've used.

- It is build of good quality materials. Yes, there are plastic parts, but so what?? Lots of good fitness products have plastic and rubber components!

- Once you get the hang of the swinging motion, it's a heck of a lot of fun to use!

- I was able to lose several pounds (about 10) and over 2 inches from my waist simply by using my Ab Circle every day and cutting down on my sugar and fat consumption.

The Cons:

- It takes some getting used to. At first you'll probably feel a little weird and goofy, since the motion is so unique. For me that feeling only lasted a few days.

- The machine puts a lot of strain on your shoulders and arms. This is good if you want to tone those muscles... not so good if you only want to focus on your abs and core muscles.

- The kneepads should definitely be softer than they are. You'll need to put some kind of padding in them in order to really get the most out of your workouts.

The Bottom Line: For what it is, the Ab Circle Pro is a very good product. Is it the answer to all your exercise, weight loss, or fitness needs? Probably not. But it IS a great at-home workout option that just about anyone can enjoy using. Don't just use it 2 or 3 times and give up on it. You gotta stick with it in order to get used to the hip swinging movement. But once you do you'll probably like it just as much as I did!

- Deanna D.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

User Testimonial

Here's a good user testimonial sent in by a reader:

Hi. I thought you might like this review/rant for your site. I like my Ab Circle Pro machine alot... but it definitely has its problems. The workout itself is great. In fact it's one of the only forms of home exercise that I actually enjoy doing and look forward to. Way better than jogging on the boring treadmill. But the problem is that it is a pretty fragile, under-built machine. After only a couple of weeks of use it started to wear out quickly, especially the rollers. It kind of blows my mind that what is almost definitely the most important part of the machine and gets the most stress is constructed from such low quality material. My friend is a machinist and engineer and I'm already asking him to construct some replacement rollers for my Ab Circle because I know these ones aren't gonna last much longer. For the 250 bucks I paid for this product I expected it to last longer than 3 months. More like 3 years, at least! The company who makes and markets this product should really think about what they're doing to their reputation and standing in the marketplace. They took the time and made the effort to design a really interesting workout machine that provides a genuinely effective home fitness option. But the low quality of the materials used to make the machine greatly reduce its effectiveness, obviously. If you buy something and it starts to break down within days not only are you not going to get too many benefits out of it, you're also going to feel ripped-off and scammed. In the 2 months of limited use I've gotten out of my Ab Circle Pro I can honestly say that I've lost weight (about 8 pounds to be precise) and have definitely gotten stronger abdominal muscles, not to mention shoulder muscles since it puts so much stress on the shoulder joint! But the problem with the rollers really makes me mad, which is why I'm sending you this review. If I'm able to get some better-constructed rollers and am able to continue using the machine I'll send in another review in a few months. Please let me know if you post this on the site, thanks.

- Jason P.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Ab Circle Pro Review -- Does This Abdominal Machine Really Work?

The Ab Circle Pro is currently the most popular abdominal exercise machine in the world... by far! You can see ads for it everywhere... on TV, on the web, and even in magazines and newspapers. All this marketing has drummed up a lot of interest in this unique "as seen on TV" workout gadget. But the question remains: does the Ab Circle Pro machine really work??

In other words, by using the Ab Circle pro on a regular basis, are you actually going to lose weight, tone muscle, get fit, and build great-looking abdominal muscles... preferably in a short amount of time? Is this "treadmill for the abs" really the fastest and easiest way to get "flat, washboard abs" and that "sexy V-shape" millions of men and women are looking for (as the product's marketers promise us)? Is it truly the best solution for getting rid of belly fat and love handles in a fast, efficient manner?

Even if the Ab Circle Pro does provide all -- or even some -- of the fitness and fat loss benefits it claims to, is it worth the price? And what is the real cost of buying this piece of fitness equipment anyway? Finally, how does the Ab Circle stack up against other popular ab machines, "core muscle" exercises, and at-home workout options? Is it really a good home fitness option for you and your family?

We'll try to answer these questions as well as possible here. Enjoy and be sure to leave your comments in the space below!


Question 1: Does the Ab Circle Pro Really Work?

The short and simple answer to this is: yes, it works. The more complicated answer is: it really depends! The Ab Circle does "work" in that it can definitely help just about anyone tone and strengthen their ab muscles, "core" muscles (including lower back), leg muscles, glutes (butt muscles), arm muscles, and shoulder muscles. According to many customer reviews and testimonials, the Ab Pro Circle can provide a vigorous workout that gives good muscle-toning results and even some fat-burning results... but only if you use it on a regular basis.... at least 3 or 4 times a week. Like most things, you can't simply jump on it every once in awhile for a few minutes and think you're going to get a flat stomach, sexy thighs, or an entire "fitness model" body in 15 days.

Basically, if you're willing to put in some significant effort over an extended period of time (think months, not weeks), the Ab Circle Pro can help you get a fit, lean, sexy, and healthy body. The exercise motion principles behind the product are sound and, in fact, are much better than 95% of the "ab toning" products out there. The movements performed in an Ab Circle workout involve no dangerous "rounding" of the spine. This is a BIG advantage, especially considering the fact that a recent study showed that repeatedly rounding and stressing the spine (as is typical in sit-up or "crunch"-type movements) on a regular basis almost always leads to serious back problems in the future.

That being said, there's very little chance that the Ab Circle Pro -- all by itself -- is going to allow you to achieve all of your weight loss and fitness goals. Even though it's marketed as a "treadmill" for the abdominal muscles, this product's strength is not as a cardiovascular exercise machine. Almost any form of exercise can give you some cardio benefits. But that doesn't mean you're going to burn fat and lose pounds in the fastest, most-efficient way possible. No matter how much time you spend on an ab machine -- any ab machine -- you're not going to "spot reduce" and get rid of your belly fat without taking other vital steps (e.g. following a healthy diet plan and doing other forms of effective exercise).


Question 2: How Much Does the Ab Circle Pro Really Cost?

The true cost of the Ab Circle Pro is a matter of contention. The simple answer is that the product can be bought for about $200 dollars. The more complicated answer is that many, if not most, customers will end up paying more. Closer to $250 in many cases. That being said, we have seen used Ab Circles for sale on site like eBay and Craigslist. Often times they go for $200 or even less in some cases. And, just a heads up: if you choose to do the $14.95 30-day "trial" you're actually going to pay about 50 bucks initially, due to a $34.50 shipping and handling charge!


Question 3: Is the Ab Circle Pro Worth the Cost?

This is a question whose answer really depends on your personal situation. If $200-$250 isn't that too big of a hit for you, financially-speaking, then it's probably worth it to give the Ab Circle a try. After all, you're going to pay at least that much -- and probably a LOT more -- for any decent-quality home exercise machine. As stated above, this product can definitely help you burn calories and build a stronger, sexier midsection if you use it on a regular basis and if you follow a healthy fat loss diet (one is included with your purchase). On the other hand, if you don't have 200 bucks lying around waiting for you to spend, there are some good alternatives to the Ab Circle Pro. Even a simple exercise ball and/or a pull-up bar with arm or wrist straps can provide you with a fantastic workout that is significantly less expensive than the Ab Circle. There are literally dozens if not hundreds of ways to work the upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and pretty much the entire "core" area efficiently. The Ab Circle Pro is just one decent option who's main benefit/advantage is probably that it provides a unique and maybe even "fun" way to exercise, burn fat, and tone those important tummy muscles!


Question 4: What About the Negative Reviews?

If you spend any amount of time researching the many Ab Circle Pro customer reviews that can be found online, you'll notice that there are quite a few "negative" reviews out there. Lots of people who have bought this infomercial product aren't too happy with their purchase. Quite a few simply don't like how the machine works... or how it made them feel after using it. While reading many of the negative reviews and comments, you get the impression that the reviewers were expecting an easy -- or even an "effortless" -- home workout. After watching pretty much any of the overly-hypey Ab Circle commercials or Home Shopping Network promos, it's easy to see why some expect a lot of "results" for only a little bit of "effort". But you can't fault the marketers alone. Anyone who honestly believes they're going to get six-pack abs with minimal effort simply by using any "ab gadget" is more than a little delusional.

The other major type of negative Ab Circle Pro review revolves around its quality of construction. It appears that there are definitely some poorly-made examples out there. We've seen quite a few bad reviews that mentioned cracked plastic, broken knee pads, flaking paint, flimsy calorie-counters, and rough-riding "rollers." Of course, when you sell hundreds of thousands of any product (especially a made-in-China) product, a certain percentage are going to be duds. Fortunately, all Ab Circle Pro's come with a 60-day money-back guarantee... so, if you do get one, don't wait too long to start using it and checking for any "build problems" as soon as possible!


Question 5: Should You Buy an Ab Circle Pro? ("The Bottom Line")

So the question remains: should you purchase your own Ab Circle Pro? The simple answer is: probably yes... but only if you can afford it ($200+) and only if you're actually going to use it on a regular basis. If you can't afford to spend $200-$250 right now, or if you already know (possibly from past from experiences!) that you're not going to use it enough to get good results, you should probably pass on this one. Of course, you can also just simply do the $14.95 30-day trial (which actually costs about $50) and spend a month to see for yourself if the Ab Circle Pro really works for you personally.

No matter what, best of luck with your fitness and weight loss goals. If you do end up purchasing an Ab Circle, please be sure to leave your own reviews and testimonials below... thanks!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Jennifer Nicole Lee at the Mr. Olympia Expo (Pics)

Here are some great photos of "Miss Ab Circle Pro" Jennifer Nicole Lee at the 2009 Mr. Olympia Expo in Las Vegas. They were taken by a fan, Jeff Conrad, and sent to us. Thanks Jeff!











Jennifer is certainly a beautiful fitness model and an inspiration for all of us!