FitPrime G-Force

Tracie Long
Year Released: 2004

Categories: Rebounding


This is the final chapter of Anna Benson’s original Fitprime workouts, filmed in the small living room set and with lesser production values. I was highly anticipating this one, because I finally got around to acquiring a rebounder, and I love Fitprime and Tracie Long! And the DVD did not disappoint! The 53 minute workout is well chaptered (down to each tune) so if you don’t like any segments, they are easily skipped. The workout is predominantly rebounding (which is awesome) and I’d say about 35 of the 53 minutes is spent on the rebounder. There are brief strength intervals sprinkled throughout. At the very end is an instructional how-to on folding/unfolding the rebounder for those that have that brand. Of course any brand of rebounder will do (I have an Urban Rebounder). The music was sincerely awesome – it was like a “best of” the Fitprime tunes, I recognized a lot of tunes from Push Pull / From the Ground Up and some other tunes from older Firms (one tune from Better Body and Buns) and from Lean, Strong Bear, and Pump as well. It was great!

Tracie begins with a warm up that starts with marches on the floor and some quick yoga poses, and quickly moves onto the rebounder. Tracie likens this to stepping onto an escalator, just to remind you to watch what you’re doing so you don’t trip. The basic bounce is a “health bounce” with hands down at side and with small jumping on both feet. This becomes the basic step for in between harder moves and transitioning between tunes. Tracie uses 1# weighted gloves throughout, which I also used.

There were three rebounding sections of about three tunes each (so roughly a 10 minute segment) followed by a very short (no longer than 4-5 minute) strength set. The rebounding sections moved quickly, at about 3 minutes each, and included a selection of jogging, kicking, high knees, football running, jumping jacks, hopscotching, tuck jumps – basically any jump you can conceive of that can be adapted on a rebounder. She included some arm movements but nothing that would distract you from the jumping. Towards the end, she used the rebounder as something of a step, in that she had you stepping on and off of it, and squatting off of the end in two different tunes. I wasn’t sold on this idea, so for the squatting tune I used the Bosu instead, which worked adequately well. She moved slow enough on the on/off the rebounder tune that I was able to follow along safely.

The first strength interval was arm focused and included biceps curls and one arm rows. She used the rebounder as a step here as well (one foot on the rim of the rebounder for the one arm rows) but I just used my Fanny Lifter that was nearby – I prefer the 14” height for rows. The second strength interval was a long set of leg presses with one foot in the middle of the rebounder. I wasn’t sold on this idea either so I did regular leg presses on the FL with heavy weights, and it was intense at two sets of 16 per leg. The final strength interval included triceps kickbacks and pushups with hands on the rebounder (again I used the Bosu) and by that time I was so exhausted that I barely got through the pushups. There was a nice long ab and core set at the end laying on the rebounder (which was quite comfortable) and included inner thigh raises to work the transverse abdominals, then pilates-inspired rolling like a ball with bounces while in sitting position (fun!) and finally some pilates-inspired leg raises, touching each foot to the floor, to work the lower abs. She follows this with a brief side leg series, with leg raises in an arch position on each side. The final stretch was very brief and was mostly just side stretches while sitting on the rebounder. I don’t know why they didn’t save the yoga moves that they put into the warm up here at the end, where they would have been very welcomed! The final stretches weren’t adequate for me so I just added my own.

Having only acquired my rebounder couple of months ago, and mostly just using it freestyle or as a sub for floor aerobic intervals (I really like using it with Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout for instance), with G-Force being the first actual rebounding workout that I tried, it was a REAL challenge for me. The strength intervals, while still challenging, provided a break from all of the jumping. And Tracie chose the strength exercises carefully in that they briefly worked every muscle group in the body. However like Lindsey said, this a primarily cardio rebounding workout and can easily be shortened to just the rebounding. I am hoping, as I become more skillful and increase my endurance, I can use it often as a cardio rebounding workout. As it is, it’s a super cardio-focused total body workout! Like all original Fitprime workouts, I’d place this as a lower intensity than a BBH Firm but much higher than the newer Fitprimes/Kickbutts or Pink Firms. Therefore, I’d rate this as a high intermediate workout. Like Lindsey said, this is really a must-have workout for rebounding folks because there’s just not that many out there (and it’s just a super workout anyway). Overall grade A+!

Instructor Comments:
I think Tracie Long is one of the most talented instructors in the field. She has been unsurpassed in hear clear cuing since her early Firm days with the Hare/Tortoise workouts, throughout her Firm career, and with her TLT/TLP workouts (I have only done one of her newer Focus/Longevity workouts so far so can’t say, but I’m sure she continues to shine). She is down to business, not too chatty or jokey but still smiles and encourages you, and gives flawless form pointers and mirror cuing. A grade A+ instructor all the way. Not to mention she is in peak physical form and is an inspiration to look at.

Emily B.

12/05/2010