Balance Ball Fitness for Weight Loss

Suzanne Deason
Year Released: 2004

Categories: Balance/Medicine/Mini/Stability Ball


The DVD consists of four chapters plus an option to program your own workout by mixing up the order of segments you choose.

There is a brief Fundamentals stressing breath and form, followed by three 15 minute progressively harder segments. Section 1 is mostly seated on the ball with hamstring stretches and spine limbering moves such as Spine Twist and Saw. Section 2 gets you down onto the mat for the traditional “Series of Five” utilizing the ball, and legwork that simulates the reformer but instead of moving your body back and forth with leg power you roll the ball in and out with your feet and legs in varying positions. Just when I started to feel it was a little too easy Suzanne moves into bridging and Teasers. She "gets ya" in Section 3 with face down exercises including Swan Dive, long spine moves, and shoulder stabilizations that act as a platform for gluteal work - heel beats, hip extensions, and a brief side leg series. Finishes with a delicious cooldown draped on the ball during which I felt blissful and completely devoid of stress.

All in all, another wonderful production by Suzanne Deason. I understand "for weight loss" videos are not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm a big fan of hers and I take these workouts for what I get from them. When I previewed it I got annoyed with the prompts to inhale and exhale a little too often, but while doing the workout it didn’t bother me. Neither advanced nor very challenging, but provides a good set of add-ons or a solid 45 minute workout for a day when you need a recharge instead of a wringing out.

Typical Gaiam music; Suzanne Deason outfit; a new background (Japanese indoor setting with a beautiful view of mountains through windows and a small altar area that reminds me of my Nam Myoho Renge Kyo days) - a keeper in my “less is more” library.

Instructor Comments:
Suzanne Deason to me is the epitome of "aging with grace," not to mention agility, and if workouts like this have helped her retain a body like that - I'm on board.

Pat58

01/19/2005