The Hype:
The Ab Circle Pro claims that using it will burn fat whilst trimming and toning your abs, buns, hips and thighs, with results guaranteed. You get the machine itself, a nutritional guide and instructional DVD lasting three minutes; there are optional extras, including a calorie-counter. The Ab Circle Pro boasts different levels of resistance to cater for all fitness levels, and it sells itself as a treadmill for your abs, combining the fat-burning benefits of cardio work with specific toning of the stomach and waist areas.
The Ab Circle Pro costs around $200 and there is a shipping and handling charge of $34.95 (Steep!). The company also offer a $14.95 30 day trial offer and a guarantee that you can send it back if you don’t get results.
So what are users really saying about the Ab Circle Pro? Read on and find out!
Pros:
People saw visible results within a month, with waistlines shrinking and buns and thighs feeling more toned. Shoulders and arms were also worked, due to the positioning on the machine, and several users also commented that their backs felt stronger.
The Ab Circle Pro was easy to set up and store, and didn’t take up a lot of room.
Cons:
Customer service left a lot to be desired for many clients, and sending it back and getting a refund took some effort!
A number of users stated that the pads made their knees sore, but admitted that wearing kneepads solved this problem.
There were grumbles about the build quality of the machine, with the paint starting to come off with constant heavy use. The rollers also squeaked, but an application of oil helped.
To Buy or Not to Buy?
The general consensus seems to be that the Ab Circle Pro is a useful addition to any weight loss programme when combined with a reduced calorie diet and other types of exercise. It will add a bit of variety to your workouts, but used on its own is not enough and it looks like the machine will not stand up to constant heavy use! It has to be said that the ad does recommend you do other kinds of exercise as well and use the Ab Circle Pro for 3 minutes a day.
Or if you’re prepated to put in a little more work to get the results you’re looking for take a look at The Truth About Abs just solid information with no bull.
| Good Workout |   |
| Easy To Use | |
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| Overall Rating | |
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
My Verdict: Acceptable when used with a varied fitness programme and will add interest and specific toning of the abdominal area when used correctly. I don’t personally have an Ab Circle Pro but I’m thinking of getting one, cos I get really bored doing the same workout all the time!
stay away from this company, i orderd it by phone but when i read the comments about it bothering the knees and back i did not want it, since i have knee and back problems. i e-mail them yesterday telling them i did not want this order and to cancel, i never heard back from them. to day i called and the lady told me that the machine should be shipped out in three or four days, i then told her i wanted to cancel the order.she said it was too late so i asked to talk to someone else, this man also told me that it was too late, because the machine had already been shipped out. so he lied.when he told me this i asked for the tracking number, he said he did not have it yet, well like me you know they will not ship with out giving you a tracking number. he told me to send it back, but that is going to cost me 50.00. what is so funny my credit card was not charged until i went to cancel the order then they put it through and not for the trial price, they charged me the full amount. but they are not going to get by with this i will do what ever it takes to get my money back, people should not be cheated like this company has cheated me.
Thanks for the info! If it gives you any satisfaction I was going to order but after reading your review I am definately not going to now! Good luck!
Thanks for this review..i was contemplating ordering this but think i will pass now..i can do side bends with 10 pnd. weights at no cost…
I purchased my Ab-Circle pro at K-mart I was so excited because I didn’t have to wait for it to come by mail. Well, I put it together fairly easy> Started to use it and after about 2 days 10-15 mins each day, the paint started to peel off and the wheels ended up with divets in them which made the machine glide very rough. I took it back to Kmart and replaced it for another machine.
Again after about 1week of use the same thing happend to the wheels!! I called the company, and they said I could get replacement wheels sent to me. But, honestly I feel like for the price I paid $223.64. I should not have to be replacing wheels after a week. I feel it is a poorly built machine and not worth the money. Maybe when they start selling it for $50 I’ll buy it again, Until then I will look for another way to work my abs. Buyer BEWARE!!
This is NOT worth the money! Build quality is very poor. I feel like it will not last another 3 months. After less than a month of use, 3 to 6 mins a day, one knee bowl has cracked and the screw digs into your knee. Also, because of the design, your shoulders get exausted well before your abs feel the workout and the knee bowls are hardly enough to hold you in place when in the advanced setting. I am 25 and in pretty good shape and I find it very uncomfortable. Someone heavier, or not used to working out, would find this extremely hard. I do not recommend this to anyone unless the price drops to free.
i really really wanted this machine but after reading the reviews I’m thinking not i wouldn’t get it through the mail anyways i think s&h is a rip off i wish there was a place to try these darn things out before you purchased them the health rider had a demo @ the mall when it 1st came out they need to have a store for trials on all the exercise machines so people know what their buying. If they work and do what they say they should they shouldn’t be worried about what people would think, and i feel people would be more apt to purchase a machine if they could try it out 1st. i know i would. thank you for your opinions it probably saved me $200.00
Very nicely said.I came upon your blog from Bing and thought it was great!. Have you been writing this blog for a while?Not long ago I recently set up a blog on my own and its been a very fun process. I’ve met some new people since then but it is frustrating sometimes! Once more, many thanks for your article!
Thanks for all the comments. I was about to get one of these machines. I am glad I checked the reviews first. Sounds like it is cheaply made for $200. Thanks for the posts which helped me with my decision not to purchase this Ab Circle Pro
I think the fact of the matter is, people are expecting some sturdy titanium steel product. Well, that’s just NOT what you’re going to get. It may be poorly constructed but as long as you take it slow and don’t stress the machine, It won’t fall apart. If the knee pads wear down, place some wash-cloths on them. If the wheels aren’t working correctly, try oiling them a bit. People act like “OH LORD, SOMETHING OFF AN INFOMERCIAL DOESN’T WORK!” Well, hello, that happens all the time. But overall, after reading review after review after review, this product CAN work for you allow it to.
to Maribel – I think the part of the instructions that say “VERY IMPORTANT!!!! After each use, clean rails with soap and water” might have helped the scratching on your machine.
Just a thought.
Thank you for the reviews!!!! I was going to buy this item too, I am glad I checked here first. Im not going to pay that kind of money for this but ebay is a cheaper route.
Ok….so with all that being said on complaints about the durability and integrity of how the machine is built……..I would like to hear from all of you that have used the machine if you have actually seen any results. That is ultimately what I am looking for in a machine, is one that WORKS!
The advertised 3 minutes a day is right on key. I can feel the burn and seems to be working Im sure in long term goals though I will have to use it much longer. Im very satisfied with this product, and its very easy to use.
It is a cheap peice of junk I have broken 2 rollers in under 40 minutes of use. After you go up the roller sticks on the way down leaving a groove. Soon the groove is the only thing you have and the unit hardly moves. Instead of using that cheap plastic they should have spent 30 cents more on a hard rubber surface for the rollers. $200 is a joke for this flimsy piece of junk.
i love my ab circle! i think it is worth $200… all u have to do is follow the instructions and clean it with soap and water. i am a bigger woman and the machine is very easy to use for me. I use it 3 times a day for about 2-3 minutes each time and it really does work! i feel slimmer and with using ab circle and following a low calorie diet this really does work!
I just ordered the Ab Circle Pro and I’m excited to get it. I ordered it from Walgreens rather than the site advertised on TV. I hate going that route because they always have something extra to charge your credit card for, like $30 vitamins every month that no one uses anyway. After reading the reviews, I hope I am happy with mine. I’m not really over weight, but would like to tone my mid section and butt. After having two kids, those areas are very hard to get back to pre-pregnancy state. I also need something to stop the cellulite that’s starting to invade my legs! It does say that this machine is able to hold someone 250lbs max. Do you think that may be the problem for the ruined wheels? Please…I don’t mean to disrespect anyone. Just wondering if it’s something I need to watch out for.
well… i bought it at wal mart for 150. i worked great for me, and i didnt care about the paint. i didnt care that it looked good if it worked. a little oil fixed the sqeaks and i had a little back woods replacement to fix the wheel. this thing has worked great for me. ive lost over 50 pounds, but i have used the crap out of it. and although it has homemade mods, and no longer resembles an ab circle pro, it is the best thing i have ever used.
This product is not worth the hassle. After 2 payments being deducted from my account I received a bill in the mail for the remaining balance. Now I am being told that I can not continue making payments that the total amount is due in full. I was satisfied with the product but not the way payments were handled. If you choose not to pay the $200 in full at the beginning, prepare yourself to receive a bill with in 2 months for payment in full
I am still in limbo. i just had three children and I am in desperate need of a sturdy ab machine, but the reviews are terrible. I like the idea of trying to purchase it on ebay. Any suggestions?
I ve had my machine for almost a year now.. Love it.. It could be made wIth higher quality materials, but it gets the job done.. I do use knee pads for comfort.. But using this machine along with my elliptical,yoga,and swims, it keeps me from NEVER having to lay on the floor for sit ups
Just started using the Ab Circle Pro today….it feels like it will definately work out my abs, back, and arms. I will try to post back in a week or two to see if I’ve seen any results.
I bought this two weeks ago and I love it. I have to admit the first few days I thought wow this is fun but sure hurts the knees and I actually flew off of it a couple of times.I thought I must be doing something wrong, I was…I wasn’t sitting back enough, I was leaning more towards the front and now that i’ve figured it out Wow what a difference. It doesn’t hurt the knees no more flying off but can i ever feel the difference… You HAVE to clean after every use even if it’s 3-5 mins. on it. Very important… I would recommend this to anyone…my kids and husband love it to…I’m on it maybe 10 times a day whenever i walk by i do a little bit
I bought my ab circle pro on ebay. And I love it . It does excatly what it is intented to do. I feel alot better . I have had 3 kids and had my tubes tied whiched caused weight gain and some one thought of a good weight loss product to fit almost every part of the body!! with in the first week i lost 9 pounds. and toned my body.I love this Product.
Ok, first off I have seen this on TV for quite a while and it has always caught my attention. Well one day I woke up and started to get ready for work, turned on the TV and the ONLY channel that would come on was the Home Shopping Network…no lie! I have never even watch that before in all the years it has been on…so what was on that day but the chance to get an Ab Pro Circle for four payments of 49.99. Ok I thought, I have seen that on TV for so long now and have really thought about buying one and the shipping was free, and I think they also has a trial period, but don’t hold me to that. So I call them up, being a first timer they had no information on me, so i gave the CSR my info, by the way she was very sweet, did not pressure me into buying anything extra at all…she did offer but when I said no she listened to me. She explained exactly the payment plan, how the first withdraw will be a little larger, due to tax, which it was….told me when the delivery date would be, it arrived before which I was so pleased about. It took my boyfriend around 10 minutes to put it together, although he is pretty darn good at that kind of stuff. I got on it without watching the DVD, which was fine but I do recommend watching it first…you really do need to hold your body properly when doing this, for safety reasons and to get a better workout!! It’s only been 3 days but I’m telling you, if done properly you feel the muscles that are getting the workout. Granted, I weigh around 115-120, it’s not a machine for a person who is really overweight, there is a weight limit on the machine, and I’m not sure if that is addressed on TV, if not it should be. I feel this machine is well suited for someone who wants to shed up to 20lbs. or less, tighten muscles as well as define abs. I am a 52 year old Grandma who really LOVES the Ab Cirle Pro, also one who I might add has arthritis, nerve problems and a really terrible back and neck! If I love it and feel what it is doing, I think most people will too as long as the machine is used properly and you stick to it. Most people this day and age just want a quick fix and want to look like the beautiful workout model who is the spokesperson. People need to wake up, if you are overweight it probably took you years to get that way, losing weight and getting fit can be fun and easy to do…if YOU want it too!
Well i just got my ab circle pro today(from kmart) and i put it together.It was so easy to set up.Well i read recent reviews and i knew i needed knee pads and i may need to spray the rollers in case it squeaks.Well the workout was great.It was clumsy and awkward since i have never used it.I worked out on it for 30 minutes.It burned 327 calories.Well the monitor did not come with it(which was a disappointment) so i took the monitor from my stepper and used it on my ab circle pro and it worked.It will take a while to get used to it but i think it will be worth the money.Your heart rate does go up and you do get a workout but the claims of losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks i do not believe it.I have my own home gym.I have a treadmill,bike,and stepper and hand weights so i wanted something different to add to it.I have allready lost 30 pounds so far.I need to lose 10 more.
I’m working on getting six pack abs right now and it’s pretty challenging. Does anyone here have some tips as far as a good six pack abs diet? I’ve heard that oatmeal, egg whites of course, salmon, blueberries and broccoli are all important to include in your diet…are there any other foods I should include to build muscle and get ripped abs?
Most people have this wrong perception that in order to get 6 pack abs, they will just need to strengthen their abdominal muscles. Well, I would say that they are only 50% right. The fact is, in order to exhibit the 6 pack abs, you will have to first strip away that irritating abdominal fats that is covering your abdominal muscles. Only after you have stripped away that irritating abdominal fats then can u start the process of strengthening your abdominal muscles,and losing the abdominal fats is what the abs machines have failed to achieve.
I absolutely LOVE the Ab Circle Pro! I use it about 3 days a week, on the Advanced setting, using the 16min DVD workout. I use it as a supplement to my clean-eating, cardio & weight training regimen and it has been great. My abs are difficult for me to train because of back issues & I just hate being on the floor for sit-ups, so I figured I would give this a try. I am so happy I bought it – my abs are getting the attention I need & it is fun.
The machine does require some TLC (the disc in the center has a sticker that says keep it clean). I use a light brushing of oil on the wheels & the track to keep them moving smoothly – that has been very helpful.
After using this machine for 6 weeks the track started to wear then after another 4 weeks the track broke.
A total waste of money
You are all wrong!!!! I bought ab circle pro on e-bay.I’ve been working out on this machine 3 weeks,four times per week-30 minutes and I’ve already lost 8 pounds.I do not feel any back pain either.I think ab circle pro is great!!!
I bought the Ab Circle Pro few months ago. When i got the machine it was defective. I called customer service and I asked them to replace it. They said they cannot find my order and I asked to talk to the manager and again she didn’t wanted to replace it. I called couple of times and I got to talk to this guy who said don’t return it cause if you will you will not get your money nor another machine back….so I ended up keeping it. My husband fixed it and I stated using it but to be honest I didn’t lost any weight. I’m going to the gym now and I regret I paid more than $200.00 for it.
Had my Ab Circle Pro for just over a week before the rollers broke so havent had the chance to see any real results yet
But just bought some “red upgraded replacement rollers” from ebay in Australia and so far they seem fantastic! Only had them 4 days but no marks or anything yet and does seem alot smoother and faster then the originals. Apparently this helps to improve the exercise and burn fat quicker, lets hope so!!! Anyone else tried these yet?
I Got my Ab pro for my birthday May 5th and i just love it. It was easy to set up and right away i could feel the burn in my abs. This machine is fun and easy. Yes my kneees hurt at first but nothing i could’nt handel and after 3 or 4 days my kness didn’t hurt anymore! Look people it’s just like anything else you gotta use it in order for it to work. I’m 46 yrs old , 140 ponds and i’m 5’9” .After having 3 kids,i have belly flab, i’m sure age has something to do with it too . LOL I’m also a Model and never have i been one who likes to exercise. But this machine is worth every penny. Because it works. As far as cleaning it > Never bothered! No need to! I will admit this machine is for beginners only. People who hate to do situps. So lets all get on our ab pro’s and watch our waist get smaller and smaller LOL Will update later! Have a great day! God Bless
I purchased the ab circle pro through the Time For Me Catalog. I wished I had read these different comments before my purchase. I did lose twelve pounds but the machine stated to give me problems with proformance. The one rollar had a chip in it and it created a rough edge on the track itself. I called the compant because I had the warrenty on it and they told me they would send me a new rollar assembly. Then two weeks later I called because I hadn’t seen the new rollar assembly yet and they told me that they were out of parts that they would be about two more weeks before they would be able to ship it out. I called again yesterday and a very nice lady told me that I should be receiving my rollar attachment in five business days. Mind you I had only had this machine since April. I realize now that even with the new rollar assembly the same thing will happen because the track is damaged . I liked the machine but indeed the quality of the workmanship behind the machine is definitly bad ad whenyou call you get the feeling that they don’t exactly know what the heck they are doing there.
I have read every review on lots of different websites and I went ahead and bought one anyway in Champion Sports Dublin. It took me ten minutes to put it together and I have it 3 days now and straight up it is working! You do work up a sweat, yes if you are unfit it might be a little hard at first but its fun and it doesnt hurt your back and it really does give me what I need which is a burning workout for my legs, bum but especially works the my sides and tummy. I have done 15 mins a day on it and to be honest I get knackered after that but if I had time to do it twice a day I would. I know I wont end up looking like Jennifer Nicole Lee (on the box) but if it tightens my 40 year old belly then Im keeping it!
Was really hot to purchase this equipment after TV infomercials and the AB PRO website. HOWEVER…….I checked out my local KMART store and there it was…for $199 plus tax. I thought this was great….but when I went to lift the box off the shelf, it was so lightweight that I thought it may have been a copycat machine…but it was the original PRO with the CD workout, etc. After reading the reviews here, and wondering if it is made of aluminum piping because of it’s lightweightedness, I am now going to decline on purchasing one. I thought it was going to be a durable, heavy machine….but it is feather weight. I think it is a bit flimsy. Too bad. The box was not that big either and the machine must be half the size it appears to be on television.
One of my friends bought an Ab Pro and like all the other people here it didn’t last. He did say it was working well on his fitness though. I am a fabricator by trade and decided to make one myself. I made it out of good durable materials. It wasn’t that difficult to make at all. I have access to rolling mills, etc. And we tried a few different types of rollers to get the right roll and make sure it was smooth and durable.
So my mate loves it and I feel good that I ripped off the design from some cheap piece of rubbish to actually make a machine that would last for years. It’s usually the other way around – good workmanship being ripped off and cheapened down for the market to make millions while the original designer/maker being left with nothing.
One of his friends who wanted to buy one has got me building the next one. I decided to roll all of the materials together so have three on the go. I think I’m going to work on my own abs on my own sturdy, fully-foldable, very durable machine. Thanks Ab Pro.
Jingoes,
How can I get YOUR info and have you make me a proper Ab Circle Pro machine?
I have not so lovely love handles and would love to get rid of them… all these reviews are just about how bad it is… and what needs to be fixed… some people love them… but i just wonder how much it works… i’m 5″5′ and weigh 160.. NOT GOOD! Will i be able to lose my love handles and about 30 pounds in 5 weeks??? HELP PLEASE! I would love to buy one.. but don’t know if i want to spend 200 bucks on it… Thanks!
Also…. Where would be the cheapest place to buy one??? Walmart? Kmart? ShopKo? Scheels? Thanks!!!!
Well must admitt I really do love this ab machine BUT there is a big BUT and that is how cheaply this machine is made. I cannot beleive that the centre hinges that the swinging arms are attached to is is cheap and shotty. These two arms are attached to two seperate large bolts and these arms sit on top of a black plastic disc. With normal use which for me is 20 minutes a day, very quickly I noticed black dust directly under this centre hinge(s). (middle centre under the machine) These plastic discs literally start to ware and degrade… from the first moment you start to use this machine. They ware down to the extent that the swinging arms soon becomes loose and they begin to slowly loose balance… To the point the machine cannot be used for two reasons
The whole arm beomes so unbalanced that they no longer swing freely, you will notice the knee pad sitting more to one side, rather than centre balanced and also just before this becomes very noticable another thing happens, the crome bar that attaches between the left and right arm drops whilst in use, which can throw you off the machine! as a consequence of the lack of balance caused by the worn disc’s that sit under each swinging arm, the bolt that the arms is hinged upon. This really sucks as I would consider this a major design flaw, as this little black disc undergoes allot of ware and friction. It is as if this has been done on purpose. I believe if Ab Circle Pro really believed in cutomer service, customer satisfaction or customer feedback they would use materials that are non waring and friction resistent. As once these disc’s ware down (usually very unevenly) you have wasted your money. Please congrate me I have now worn out two of these machines I only wiegh 82kgs and usually will do twenty minutes a night on the top resistence level. If anyone hears of a machine that is the same as the Ab Pro Circle but is actually built for proper ware and tear please drop me an e-mail. Twice bitten and now over $500 dollars poorer I just wish someone could design a unit like this that you could use for an extended period of time before it breaks down… Shame on you Ab Circle Pro Makers…. I really hope that Karma comes your way
hi gina
i am also from dublin and i was wondering how you were getting on with your ab pro. i was thinking of buying it next month but all i am seeing is mixed reviews and its hard to make a decision. are you getting any results?
I am 46 and bought a refurbished ab circle pro. I have some knee problems and sit-ups bother my neck. It is easy and fun to use, BUT, after using it for only one week the paint on one side is peeling causing a rougher glide. I love the way it is working the muscles I’m trying to target, but worry how to deal with the paint thing. I wonder if I stripped the paint off would it work better? I only rate low on value for the money because I don’t know what will happen with the rough glide caused by the paint peeling.
I am going to purchase this machine, because there are just as many good reviews as bad reviews. BUT! I’m buying it on EBAY – it’s less than half price!!!!
apart from ebay where can i purchase one or better yet do the trial first )Ab Circle Pro)
The reviews are pretty even some really good and realy bad the rolers concern me & thye work man ship?
Are the trial’s for the Ab Circle Pro available in Australia?If so where? please email the contact details and contact number
The ab circle pro appeared to be a good piece of kit and we enjoyed using for the first 5 weeks then the knee bowls were working loose every time we used.
Then the knee bowls came apart with the ball bearings coming out and they were broken.
Trying to get replacement parts is an absolute joke – forget it and throw the machine away before you are driven to destruction trying to get someone to help!!!
For all of you people out there that are saying that this prodcut doesn’t work, there must be a few things that you aren’t doing:
1. You’re just not putting enough effort into it- It’s not a miracle made out of machine, you have to put a little bit of elbow grease into it.
2. Not eating healthy- If you keep eating all that food such as junk foods and even excess of good foods, you will not see any results. In case you didn’t know, excess energy is stored in fat cells.
If you want results, and you aren’t willing to work for them, then ignore this product. Ignore every type of product, in fact. Because nothing will help you.
Enjoy dieing young.
i just got my ab circle today from bed bath and beyond. I read a lot of reviews on it and i figured out i just have to be prepared to replace the rollers but im going to clean it after every use. I did each work out it said to do for 3 mins each and i am already feeling it. Tomorrow i will be sore im sure. But i like it i think it works great. I get bored easy on tredmills, running, and i got the p90x awhile back ( which works amazing) but i got bored having to do the workouts an hour a day. I am 5’1 and weigh 134 so we will see if i loose any weight.