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The Federal Trade Commission has targeted another fitness product over what it is calling deceptive ad claims and marketing practices. The product in question this time is called the Ab Circle Pro, a cheery looking red circle with two handles and knee cups. It is a rather simple design that promises not only a fun, exciting workout but an effective, ab targeted workout as well. That claim, according to the FTC is where the company, Fitness Brands, went wrong.
The Ab Circle Pro, like most fitness products is marketed by a "fitness celebrity" ,often just a pretty face with a fit body but no real training or expertise in the fitness field. In this case, the celebrity in question is Jennifer Nicole Lee, a fitness model and author who admits to having no formal training, background or education in fitness, nutrition or personal training. She also claims that she does not have any athletic background as well.
In the infomercials for the product, Ms. Lee smiles for the camera and then claims that three minutes on the Ab Circle Pro is the same as a half hour of other types of ab work. And that is the claim that the FTC is naming as deceptive, misleading and grossly overstated. Those infomercials, some lasting for full hour, has been repeated on various networks over ten thousand times, especially during the period of March 2009 to May of the following year.
Fitness Brands will be ordered to pay out more than twenty five million dollars in consumer refunds directly related to the Ab Circle Pro which was sold through infomercials and the company's web site at a price of $250. Skechers USA was forced to pay close to double that amount to settle its on FTC case related to their Shape Up shoes.
Mary Engle, the Associate Director of the FTC has said the agency has instituted a major crack down on fitness items, especially those that make outrageous and unsubstantiated claims. However, she admits that it is going to be an ongoing and difficult battle because for every Ab Circle Pro or Shape Up shoes that get fined for false claims, there are dozens of other products just waiting to take their place.
In addition to claims of false advertising, the Ab Circle Pro has been the subject of a number of bad reviews because it did not hold up, often breaking after only a few uses.
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A very unscientific study today: a friend (who never works out) and myself (daily exercise) took turns on the Ab Circle Pro which is currently taking up space in my hockey room. I timed both of us on the ab workout as well as the inner thigh workout to see how long it would take to feel any fatigue/muscle activation and to break a sweat. Now, it goes without saying that little miss no exercise hit those marks way faster than I did- but, it still took her, a complete couch potato way longer than three minutes to work up any sweat or to start breathing faster.
My mother bought one of these once. They're pretty terrible actually. They hurt your knees and the whole thing feels like it will fall apart at any moment… needless to say it went straight back to the manufacturer. Add to that the chances of you getting fit with it are very very small indeed!
I admit that I have one of these. It was given to me because a friend bought it and realized that it would not hold his weight. It is fun and that is about it. I wouldn't call it a workout and it certainly wouldn't fool me into thinking that three minutes playing around on it equals 30 minutes of anything else. I like to do it because it makes my giant pony/goat/dog go nuts and it is funny to watch. They also do not mention that when you take the pin out and use it to work you inner thighs you look and feel ...naughty!
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