I am an intermediate/advanced exerciser who is always looking for non-traditional core workouts, so when I heard that Tracey Staehle - who has a reputation for producing innovative workouts for advanced exercisers - was producing a new DVD utlising a variety of equipment, I was very excited. I have Tracey's earlier core workout, Tracey Staehle's Core Strength & Conditioning DVD, 45 minutes of very tough core work using a stability ball, so I was expecting something of similar intensity. What I got, however, was 50 minutes of core work I can barely feel. I would rate "Core Blast" as suitable for beginners or low-intermediates at best."Core Blast" provides nine mini-workouts, each about five minutes long, grouped into three 15-minute segments - standing abs; abs on the stability ball, step or BOSU; and floor abs. The standing abs include five minutes each of boxer's bobs and weaves, oblique work with a dumbbell, and medicine ball work. This section is fun and provides a nice warm-up.
The step/BOSU section isn't very challenging. In one exercise called "get up and get down", you sit on the step or BOSU and quickly stand up without using your hands for support. It looked tough on the preview clip I saw, but was surprisingly easy.
The floor section includes planks and a different take on Pilates. The Pilates was fun, but again, too easy.
Throughout the DVD, there is a lot of giggling and banter between Tracey and her background exercisers, one of whom is her sister Jill. This is cute at first but gets very irritating on repeated viewings. Tracey repeatedly refers to Jill as a "rock star" - a descriptor which even appears on the back cover of the DVD!
All up, after doing "Core Blast" several times, I really felt I was wasting my workout time. As well, it's a bother to lug out all that equipment then only use it for five minutes.
If you want challenging ab work which uses different equipment, I would recommend Cathe Friedrich's Hardcore Series: CORE MAX which includes three 20-minute workouts using your bodyweight, a stability ball and a medicine ball; or Mindy Mylrea: All About Abs which is tougher than "Core Max" and incorporates three 15-minute workouts using a medicine ball, a stability ball and your own bodyweight, as well as a bonus 10-minute segment using Mindy's own "gliding disks".
Product Description
This 45 minutes workout takes core training to a whole new level. You will stand, sit, lie down (prone & supine) and feel great afterwards. You determine the length of your workout! Mix the exercises to create the ultimate challege for your mid section. Super-sizzling or short and sweet -- you control the custom fit. Equipment used includes a step, stability ball, and dumb bell. Optional equipment (modifications shown without) inlcude a foam roller, med ball, and BOSU.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Tracey Staehle's CoreBlast DVD (released 2007)
