Gaiam Balance Ball Kit: decent ball, boring workout
Written: Jun 17 '04 (Updated Jun 17 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Ball is of decent quality. There are many great exercises you can do with it.
Cons: You will not get in shape with the video in this kit.
The Bottom Line: The balance ball is a great addition to a fitness routine, but the workout video is very weak.
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| qualia's Full Review: Gaiam Balance Ball Essentials Kit |
This summer I decided to add some variety to my workouts, so I enrolled in a balance ball class at my university's gym. The exercises in this class make heavy use the balance balls with the aim of helping us achieve balance, coordination, and total-body strength training. This was my first introduction to stability balls, and I was pleasantly surprised. As someone who regularly practices pilates and yoga, I found that using the ball really enhanced my workout and challenged me in new ways. It's effectiveness comes from the fact that it can support your body in positions that would be impossible to achieve on the floor or bench.
Because the ball class only meets once a week, I wanted to purchase a ball of my own so I could use it at home. I chose the Gaiam Beginner's Kit for two reasons. First, I found them on sale at Target for $25, and second, although Proform balls were less expensive at only $12 each, the Gaiam kit came with a workout video. I figured I would want to get a ball-workout video anyway, so I chose to pay the extra amount for the Gaiam kit.
The kit
Each kit comes with a ball, a hand-operated pump, and a 35-minute introductory video that incorporates segments from three longer Gaiam workouts: the abs workout, the lower body workout, and the upper body workout.
The kits come in three different sizes. To get an optimally-sized ball you choose a kit depending on your height. (5'0"-5'5" small, 5'6"-5"11 medium, and 6'0"-6'3" large).
Some assembly required
The ball was a bit tough to inflate. The hand-pump is predictably weak, but it does the job well enough. It took me about 15-20 minutes to get my ball fully inflated. (This in itself was a bonus upper-body workout.)
It was hard to determine when I should stop inflating the ball, because the instructions were a bit vague. You're supposed to "inflate the ball to the desired size and firmness," but you are also adamantly warned not to inflate the ball beyond its maximum diameter (which was 55cm for my small-sized ball). At first, I decided not to take any chances and stopped as soon as the ball looked fully rounded, but I immediately recognized that in this state, my ball was too small to be effective. I checked its height with a measuring stick and realized that it was still well below the 55cm maximum height, so I pumped some more and it did expand to a more suitable size. You want to expand the ball to an effective size, but you also don't want to over-inflate (Who knows what would happen. Maybe it would explode?). Unfortunately, the kit doesn't come with a measuring string to guide you. So, I suggest you either use a measuring stick to periodically check the height or use a measuring tape to check the circumference of the ball as you inflate it. (At maximum, a small ball should be 55cm tall or 172cm around, a medium ball 65cm tall or 204cm around, and a large ball 75cm tall or 235cm around).
The verdict
Am I happy with my purchase? Well, yes...and no. The ball itself has been fine. It supports my frame well and allows me to do my ball-class exercises at home. So far it has held up well. No damage yet, and I haven't had any problems with much deflation.
However, I must say the video that comes with the kit (which was my incentive for choosing the kit to begin with) was extremely disappointing. If you are looking to get in fabulous shape with the balance ball, you won't achieve it by following this workout. It doesn't offer much of a strength or flexibility challenge at all. The video is friendly and relaxed in tone, and it might be fine for those looking to ease into fitness with a slower-paced, very low-intensity intro. Yes, this is a beginner's kit, but I think Gaiam should have at least included a few more moderately-challenging moves in this kit. Otherwise, why tout it as a fitness kit?
If you do buy the Gaiam kit, know that the exercises in the video are not representative of what can be achieved with the ball. If find yourself wanting more of a challenge, ditch this video and explore others.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
qualia
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Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 21 members
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Shutterbug, bibliophile, caffeine addict, crazy cat woman.
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