As a Personal Trainer I often come across infomercials offering equipment for exercising at home and I compare them and then write reviews on each regarding value for money, ease of each to use and set up, and how much good they will do a client.
Very popular on the Internet and informercial channels at present are two pieces of equipment called the Ab Circle Pro and the Firm Wave. The former involves kneeling on pads and moving your hips and can strengthen and tone your abdominal area, and the latter offers full body toning incorporated into a cardio workout.
Using the Ab Circle Pro you move the kneepads from side to side while leaning on the padded handlebars; your abdominal area and waist muscles are toned and you get a cardiovascular heart and lung workout at the same time.
The all fours position is not particularly comfortable, but has advantages in that you have to partially support your own body weight on your arms, which strengthens the bone density in your lower and upper arm and works the muscles in your arms, chest and shoulders isometrically.
Ideally your back should be almost flat, with just a small hollow in your lower back - it should not sag and your tailbone should neither be sticking up or tucked under. This position keeps you abdominals muscles flat while you work them, which makes it a lot better for toning the abs correctly and much better than doing hundreds of sit-ups.
The problem with doing sit-ups on the floor is that they are often done incorrectly and make the abs bulge in the wrong direction! There have been several reports of the kneepads being uncomfortable to use on the Ab Circle Pro, but I would suggest that wearing some hockey or football kneepads when you use the machine should solve that problem.
With the Ab Circle Pro you also get a low-calorie diet guide and a short DVD. Like most other home exercise devices, the Ab Circle Pro will indeed help you lose weight and build lean, sculpted muscle if you use it on a regular basis, overhaul your eating habits, and combine it with other types of regular exercise as well.
The other piece of equipment that we are comparing is the Firm Wave, which costs around $120 and is shaped like a curved step, with one side stable for new exercisers and those who may be a little unsteady, and the other side that rocks for increased calorie burn and a good core workout. The Wave also comes with a selection of workout DVDs.
For more Ab Circle Pro Reviews and information on the latest and most effective pieces of at home exercise equipment please visit my blog.
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