the method: target specifics: stability ball workout

[Guest guest]

Carolyn,

Thanks for the review on that workout. You give great detail, I appreciate that.

So what do you give this video on a scale of 1 to 10? Is it worth buying?

Thanks again.

~*~*~~*~*~

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/2/2004 6:27:49 PM US Eastern Standard Time, pvisser@... writes:

i plan on throwing the workout into a group of stabilityball workouts and do them all during a 'ball' theme week -- and this one cando double duty and participate in a 'pilates' theme as well

A ball theme week? That sounds interesting to me. I don't have but a few ball workouts, but that would be a great way for me to get better at using it. You'll have to let me know what your "theme week" is like and I might try it.

You have persuaded me to go and get the Method ball workout, I might get it this weekend. Thanks so much for the review, I think we all appreciate ALL your reviews.

~*~*~~*~*~

[Guest guest]

today's workout was FINALLY the method's stability ball workout.

this workout is about 50 mins long (give or take a few mins here and there)

plus an intro and talk at the end make the whole thing around 55 mins.

the intro is about 3.5 mins and the instructor talks about the workout and

proper stability ball size. the workout is a blend of pilates, yoga,

ballet and athletic training with balance being challenged by the ball. no

dumbells are involved. the workout is to be done barefoot.

next comes a 10 minute warmup which includes instruction on how to breathe

properly. the lower back and pelvis is warmed up by sitting on the ball and

rocking back and forth. then the legs, arms and torso are warmed up and

stretched by rolling and raising the ball.

the leg workout is also 10 minutes long and consists of standing and side

laying (laying on the ball) exercises. first the instructor stands and

places one foot on the ball, then she does a leg curl by rolling and

pressing the ball back and forth with this one leg, while balancing on the

other leg. next she bends forward, placing her hands on the ball for

support and lifts and lowers one leg behind her while balancing on the other

leg. then she does static lunges while holding the ball above her head and

then sweeping the ball to the side while doing the lunges.

when she lays on her side across the ball she goes into a side plank

position and does a pilates type moves for the legs - thes are kind of hard

to describe but they involve moving the leg back and forth and also lifting

and bending the leg.

next is arms for about 5 mins. first she pushes her arms into the ball for

resistance as she rolls the ball away from her and back. also she goes

into plank position on top of the ball and does tricep pushups. then an

exercise where she lays on her back on the ball and extends the arms, opens

them and lifts them.

the ab workout is 10 mins long and invloves doing crunches on top of the

ball and then adding oblique twists and then a clock crunch where you rotate

the crunch from oblique to oblique... also doing the pilates saw (i think it

is called) with both feet on top of the ball (feet roll the ball in and out)

and then with only one foot on top of the ball. then she grips the ball

with her ankles and calves, lifts it straight up and does the pilates 100.

finally she does toe dipping as she lifts the ball over her head and follows

that with single leg pilates teaser/pike also while lifting the ball.

the butt workout is around 8 mins long and starts with plank position on top

of the ball and then you lift both legs, open and lower them for a number of

reps. then you lift one left at a time. then you lift one leg, lower, tuck

legs under you with an oblique twist, bringing ball under your body, and

then extending legs again, rolling the ball back out. then there is another

exercise where you extend one leg onto the ball and do a pilates-style

hamstring curl. after that is the frog pose (which i had trouble with at

first and had to re-wind and redo) -- this is where you get into plank

position on top of the ball and then drop your feet to either side of the

ball, grip it with your calves and thighs and raise your hips up. then you

extend your legs out, rolling the ball out and then curl your legs back in

squeezing the ball with your inner thighs and roll it back in.

the cooldown lasts for about 2 mins and consists of a few stretches. there

are also a few stretches mixed into the workout after certain moves but i

dont think that they are held long enough to get much benefit from them.

overall, plank position on top of the ball is used alot and various poses on

the ball need a bit of practice. the ball adds fun to the pilates-based

moves. of all of the segments, i think that i felt the moves for the butt

the most. Also, you need to hold your abs and butt tight for all sections

for stabilization. also there is a constant focus on breathing properly.

the music is light, yoga type music with drums.

the instructor looks great and she gives good instruction. she has 2 women

with her -- one doing beginner mods but i didnt look at them much. the

instructor's name is Katalin Zamiar. the set is a fake desert setup but it

changes to show katalin by herself doing the moves in a real desert. One

thing that i really liked about this workout is that she gives you time to

get yourself and your ball into position as she explains the moves before

you do them. i felt that this was a good pilates type workout to do for

the core with the added bonus of strengthening the arms, legs and butt.

*~*~*~*~*

Carolyn

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[Guest guest]

it cost me $12 on vhs and after having done the workout once i say that it

is worth that price if you like to do pilates and want to add a spin to your

pilates workouts. i plan on throwing the workout into a group of stability

ball workouts and do them all during a 'ball' theme week -- and this one can

do double duty and participate in a 'pilates' theme as well so it isnt

a workout that i plan on using every week, for example, but maybe every

month or so.

bottom line -- i liked the instructor, i like pilates, the moves are unique

and allow me to get more out of my ball, there are lots of different moves

presented in 45 mins along with adequate instruction. some i can do and can

really go for while other moves need to be practiced. (so it isnt too easy

and not too hard -- right at the intermediate level).

*~*~*~*~*

Carolyn

RE:

So what do you give this video on a scale of 1 to 10? Is it worth buying?

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[Guest guest]

>A ball theme week? That sounds interesting to me. I don't have but a few

ball workouts, but that would be a great way for me to get >better at using

it.

i have a bunch of different themes and i like to combine 2 or 3 of them for

a week... i often will follow a general rotation of

1 - cardio+sculpt (incl abs)

2 - cardio

3 - sculpt (incl abs)

4 - cardio

5 - abs and lower body

6 - cardio

7 - stretch/yoga

but for example will use taebo for all of the cardio workouts or will use

all kathy smith workouts for the week or all sharon mann workouts for the

week. i like also to do a firm bss1 or bss2 week or a slim series week

(which follows its own rotation) or i will make all of the abs workouts

pilates and so on. i have, oh, 4 or 5 stability ball workouts ranging in

length from 10 mins to 50 mins so i would slot them in anywhere and

everywhere that i could during the week, depending on their focus (id use

one on a sculpt day, one for a short abs add-on to other workouts, one to do

in addition to a cardio workout, one to do for my main abs workout for the

week and so on).

> You have persuaded me to go and get the Method ball workout, I might get

it this weekend.

i hope that you like it! please do let us know what you think of it.

(and dont hit me if you dont like it at all...lol)

-carolyn.

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