Resist-A-Ball Fusion

This is a 55-minute stability ball workout, consisting of a "fusion" of pilates, yoga and athletic stretch moves, with an emphasis on core strengthening.

The only equipment needed is a stability ball. The participants do the workout barefoot. You probably want to add a yoga mat underneath.

There is some instruction and form pointers, but this isn't a beginner's ball workout. Familiarity with pilates will help a lot in getting the most out of this routine.

Carol Murphy leads the workout and instructs live. She mirror-cues. There is one background exerciser, Robert, who demonstrates more advanced modifications of the exercises. The set is an emptied-out room with wood floors and walls, large curtained windows, and a bar and bongo drums(!) in the background. The music is standard-issue exercise stuff, but good - I recognized a few tunes from other workouts.

The start menu allows you to "play all" or select chapters. The Chapters page has a helpful list of the exercises in each chapter (although the exercises themselves are not individually chaptered).

The chapters are organized by body positioning on the ball. The specifics are as follows:

Warm-up (7 minutes): Low impact marching, side steps, etc. to warm the body.

Seated and Supine (10:15 minutes): Emphasis is on the abs and core. Pilates neck pull prep, supine trunk curl, circular crunch, trunk traction, pilates mermaid prep, spine twist, pilates saw, triangle pose.

Prone (8:45 minutes): Upper back/posture emphasis. Back extension, trunk traction, push-up combo, locust pose, crane pose, kneeling cat.

Side-lying and prone (9:45 minutes): Emphasis on hips and glutes. Pilates side kick series, balance star, prone leg pull, heel pedals, kneeling pushup series, child's pose, downward dog, thread the needle, rotary torso stretch.

Elevated Leg (17:15 minutes): A wide variety of exercises with one or both legs elevated or on top of the ball. Side plank, star pose, leg curl, shoulder bridge, ankle prep, froggies, leg press, double leg stretch, vertical crunch, toe taps, teaser, V-sit, sun salutation (used as a stretch).

I enjoy working out on the stability ball - there's a fun factor that other fitness toys don't have for me. I'm an intermediate exerciser who has worked out for a number of years. While Resist-A-Ball Fusion is not as hard as some ball workouts out there (for example TLP Core Foundations), with this workout I still felt pleasantly challenged without being wiped out. I liked having an advanced option demonstrated (for if and when I get there!).

I received my copy of Resist-A-Ball Fusion in trade. However, you can purchase this and other Resist-A-Ball workouts at www.resistaball.com, or check out the instructor's website at www.carolmurphy.com.