The Firm Zip Trainer Barefoot Abs

Title: Firm Zip Trainer: Barefoot Abs

Instructor: Alison Davis

Time: 15 Minutes (including warm up and cool down)

Level of Difficulty: Low Intermediate

DVD menu: Play workout

Production quality: high

Equipment used: zip trainer and core ball

This workout is part of the Firm Zip Trainer basic set, which includes the large pink 5# zip trainer (smaller than a stability ball but larger and softer than most medicine balls - I think it is their version of the UGI ball) and a small 3# core ball, a small firmer weighted ball. The core ball can be placed inside the zip trainer but is not used that way in this workout.

This workout is about 15 minutes long but includes a brief warm up and cool down, so the actual work is about 10 minutes long. This includes a little downtime to transition the zip trainer from the ball shape to open, and back to ball shape. There are a few less intense exercises sprinkled with some higher intensity 30 second bursts (there were about three bursts in the workout). I definitely found the workout to be fun, but not much of a challenge (except for the bursts and the longer exercise where you balance on one leg on the dome of the zip).

It just seemed like with the warm up and cool down, and the downtime to manipulate the zip trainer, that there isn't that much substance to the workout. There was a fun factor, but it would have been more enjoyable to me if there was less downtime and the workout was more like 20 or 30 minutes. The workout did work on core engagement from all angles, and was very creative. I would call this a low intermediate workout.

Alison works out in an open gym w/ 2 exercisers, one beginner modifier and one offering some advanced modifications . 30 second bursts are interspersed into the core work in this 15 minute workout. You will need your Zip Trainer & core ball for this routine.

Exercises include: grape vine pulling ZT to knee, burst: ZT burpees, surrenders kneeling on the dome, balance stick on the dome holding the core ball, side thrust burpees, kneeling on dome leaning back & extending the core ball, lying supine on the dome w/ core ball extension, ball pass while sitting on the dome, leg & arm scissors on the dome, bridge w/ feet on ZT, and a final stretch.

I rate this a solid intermediate core routine. Alison provides great instruction and I enjoyed the creative use of the Zip Trainer: under the feet, in the dome position, holding it, standing on it for a balance challenge, kneeling on it and more. I am really excited about this program & am enjoying it even more than I anticipated!!! I received this dvd to review.

(dome - unzipped flat on floor, ZT - zipped Zip Trainer w/ or w/out a core ball, core ball - just the core ball, S+C - strength & cardio, C+S - cardio & strength, AMP -as many as possible)