Posts Tagged ‘Core Strength’

Gaiam Total Body Balance Ball Kit 75cm

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Gaiam Total Body Balance Ball Kit 75cm




Midwest Sports Tennis Outlet offers the Gaiam yoga total body balance ball kit for your tennis fitness routine.

A Balance Ball plus strength training equals a leaner, more toned you! Gaiam has added resistance training to an exercise ball workout for any-level sculpting plus improved core strength and agility. It’s an impact-free exercise program for joint safety thats designed for all skill levels.

The Total Body Balance Ball Kit includes:

  • A high-quality anti-burst Balance Ball (75cm)
  • Medium resistance workout band (five feet long).
  • 60-minute targeted workout DVD (three 20-minute segments to strengthen your arms, sculpt abs and tone legs)
  • Fitness ball air pump.
  • Size Large: 75cm/26″ - 6′0″ to 6′3″

    Please Note: This product contains natural rubber latex which may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

    User Ratings and Reviews

    5 Stars Great quality, nice DVD
    I was concerned when I first opened the box because the plug for the ball was taped to it and under the pressure of packing, had left an imprint in the ball. I thought this might have weakened it and might rip when inflated, but it’s been fine.

    The ball maintains pressure much longer than I would have expected, is well made and seems reasonably durable. The pump is better made than I would have expected as well. The power band is simply a strip of thin rubber (or similar material), but it does the job. I’m still not convinced that it won’t, like an old rubber band, snap one day and smack me in the face leaving a whelp that I will have fun explaining to others.

    The included DVD (we bought 65cm and 75cm balls, one had two DVD’s in it) is a done nicely and will push you if you try to keep up with it from start to finish. I didn’t stand a chance…. :-)

    I bought this brand as a coworker has had one of their chairs for years and been extremely happy with it.

    I have no problem recommending it to anyone looking for a good started package.

    4 Stars Better off just buying the ball
    It says that it comes with excersize DVD’s and a resistance band, but you end up paying extra for something that you really don’t use. The DVD’s are yoga based, not really excersize geared. I would say you’d be better off getting the ball only and then a separate work out video.

    5 Stars Monica
    I have had this product since my husband bought it for me for Christmas…and I love it! I feel like I can get a great workout at a pace and level that is for me. The DVD’s are fun and the instrutor Tanya pushes me along even when I’m getting tired. I have bought more Gaiam videos so I can switch up my workouts from using the bands one day to the cardio video on others. Tanya also uses a lot of Pilates moves which help stretch and lengthen the body.

    I have since bought my Mom a Yoga AM PM video and I just bought my husband this kit… he is more of a “workout on my own” kind of a guy so I really hope he enjoys this gift as much as I do and I can’t wait to hear his feedback!

    Please give this a try and I’m sure you’ll like the products that Gaiam has to offer…they are wonderful and know what they are doing for health, body and life.

    ENJOY!!

    4 Stars It’s a Ball
    It’s a ball. It does not smell except for the first couple of days. The size is the one advertised. The pump works and the DVD are worthless anyway because there are thousands of routines freely available on the internet.

    Just 4 stars because I only had the product for a few weeks and because the price, albeit in line with the competition, is definitely too high for a plastic ball. My opinion is that all of those balls are overpriced and anyone could enter this market making a profit selling $5-$10 no-frills balls.

    3 Stars Balance Ball kit
    It arrived and it for starters your workout begins when you have to blow this thing up with a manual bike pump. Its also meant to be for someone six feet tall, I miss that goal by a good five inches. Its not clear in the adverisement to bet a ball that fits your size. Meanwhile, it just sits blown up in my living room waiting for me to review the dvd that came with it. Maybe its a good thing.. maybe not.

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  • Ironman 65cm Deluxe Stability Ball Charcoal

    Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

    Ironman 65cm Deluxe Stability Ball Charcoal




    The Ironman 65-Centimeter Deluxe Stability Ball is designed to be used in a variety of strength, balance, core training, flexibility and rehabilitation exercises. Its proper use is intended to improve your posture, balance and flexibility as well as trim your hips, thighs, and abdomen. The 65-centimeter ball is charcoal in color and fits a person five feet, seven inches to six feet tall.

    Manufacturer’s Warranty
    90-day warranty for materials or workmanship with proof of purchase

    User Ratings and Reviews

    4 Stars Nice but too small
    This might be a nice size to work out with but I wanted one to use as a chair for my desk. This one was too small. 75cm is what I needed. Fully inflated, this ball comes up to a little under my knee.

    This ball has a nice silver color (a bit duller in person than the picture).

    It comes with a small hand pump which is a workout in itself.

    The ball does have a bad smell that is failry strong for a few days. After that, it is fine.

    4 Stars Sitting on it as I write this!
    I got sick and my therapist recommended I get one of these for two reasons. 1, to do exercises with and 2, to sit on at work. After buying it, I never really used this particular model for exercises, since I my therapist always had their own…from experience though these things make a lot of exercises harder, and I’ve become a fan of using them to strengthen your abs and your other core muscles.

    I took this one to work and sit on it like a chair. It is not really comfortable enough to sit on full time, so I keep my office chair nearby and usually switch after about 4 hours. Sitting on it does improve your posture and seems to really help your core strength as well since you can’t slough down and lean on anything like a chair back.

    Per other reviews. Mine might have smelled like vinyl when I first got it, but that quickly faded. Yes, the pump that is included sucks, and worse off there isn’t a standard hole on it so you can’t use a regular pump to inflate it. This isn’t too big of a problem since you only really inflate it once and it holds the air pretty well. Also, according to another review regarding slow leaks…mine has never had any leaks. I inflated it at home and actually carried it to work I think I had to re-inflate it once and that was more to get comfortable with it and haven’t had to pump it up since over the last couple of months.

    5 Stars Great Product!
    This is a great product. It has helped me increase my situps and improve my abs tremendously.

    2 Stars Hate to burst your bubble, but.. . .
    I was using this as a seat at my computer desk, and unfortunately, it got a slow leak within a week.

    Pumping it up again did not help, though it is possible I simply received a defective item, or my [persnickety] cat took out its aggression on this ball while I was away.

    That being said, I CAN tell you that using it as a seat will offer you a good core and stability exercise. I was enjoying the subtle, but constant workout of my abs and lower back, which is why I was so disappointed when it deflated.

    3 Stars holds air fine, but smelly and not round
    The included pump is a joke if you want to get this thing inflated out of the box. I used my bike floor pump and it still took forever. But hopefully it’s something you only need to do once.

    The ball I got is not round, and may explain why some folks complain that it’s not the advertised size. It may well be the advertised size on one axis, but not another.

    I’ve had this thing airing out in the garage for weeks now and it still wreaks of the plastic/vinyl/whatever smell such that I can’t stand having it in the house long enough to actually use it. The smell is subsiding though, so maybe in another few weeks I can bring it inside.

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    Power Wheel II

    Friday, June 26th, 2009

    Power Wheel II




    Power Wheel II Core Trainer The Lifeline Power Wheel was voted “The Best” Core Trainer in the World! - As picked by 5 of the Best Trainers in the Country The power wheel was designed to fit both hands and feet, to dynamically improve core strength, power and balance. Where Does The Power Wheel Train Your Body Engage your core by forcing it to stabilize the upper and lower body together either stationary or dynamically Train full body stability, strength, endurance and even POWER! How does The Power Wheel work: The Power Wheel was designed to challenge the entire body to stabilize while moving. Because of its unique patented design, you can put your feet or your hands into the Power Wheel, so you can perform unlimited core exercises. And because of the top level instructional booklet and video included, you will learn the best way to to get your core (abs, back and surrounding muscles) to its most powerful level ever! The Power Wheel Ab Trainer includes: The Lifeline Power Wheel comes complete with 14″ wheel, solidly constructed with foot pedals and extended foam cushioned axle to accomodate both hands and feet Velcro toe fasteners and latex looped heel fasteners Instruction manual and video by fitness expert Jon Hinds, CSCS, CPT, NASM, former strength coach of the LA Clippers

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    Valeo Burst Resistant 75cm Body Ball Gray

    Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

    Valeo Burst Resistant 75cm Body Ball Gray




    Ideal for stretching and toning at home, the 75-Centimeter Burst-Resistant Body Ball from Valeo will help improve core strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and muscle tone. Sitting on the body ball forces your body to stay balanced, which then strengthens the stabilizing muscles. As a result, your body alignment improves while also allowing for a more effective workout with greater stability and balance as you move through the exercises. The ball includes a workout DVD and air pump. Clean with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth.

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