I teach clients to exercise at home and so I like to be aware of what exercise equipment is available that I can recommend to my clients. I look at each piece of exercise equipment and assess price point, size and convenience and what particular focus on each machine has.

Home exercisers currently being advertised include the Firm Wave and the Ab Circle Pro which are in a similar price range between $100 and $150. The Firm Wave is a rocking platform that you stand, sit or lie on and the Ab Circle Pro consists of a track with kneepads and handlebars.

With the Ab Circle Pro your upper body remains still, while your hips swing from side to side, flexing you laterally at the waist, which tones the oblique muscles which run down each side from rib to hip, and also the abdominals that run down the front of your stomach, as well as keeping them in a perfect position.

Kneeling on all fours while using the Ab Circle Pro is quite uncomfortable at first, but is a great position for toning chest, shoulders and arms as well as building bone density in the wrists to guard against osteoporosis in later life.

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.