2003
What is it?
A 45-minute aerobic workout built around the stability ball. The "ABC" in the title refers to Amazing Ball Choreography (and it is).
Who is it for?
Intermediate to advanced exercisers. Goudeau is known for his creative choreography, but never fear — this workout is surprisingly easy to learn. That said, it is fast paced, so exercisers who are more experienced will get the moves down more quickly. You will, of course, need a stability ball.
What to expect:
Are you tired of stability ball workouts where the instructor serenely drapes you over the ball in some sort of modified Yoga or Pilates pose? Are you little bored of lifting weights on a ball instead of a bench? Do you have a hard time these days even sitting still on the ball — is there something inside you that just makes you want to bounce up and down on top of it? Well, guess what — you've already learned the basic move to Patrick Goudeau's aerobic ball workout. It's called "bouncing for fun," and it is a lot more fun than your standard step touch or marching in place. And bouncing for fun is just the beginning — this 45-minute exercise routine feels more like playtime than a workout. You do simple dance moves on and around the ball, dribble it like a basketball, plié squat with it and even dive forward on top of it (be forewarned — you'll need a little more than a body's length of space between you and the TV to accomplish that particular move). You'll work up a sweat before you know it, and you may not even realize just how much you've engaged your core until the next day, when you feel it. Goudeau is obviously having a great time and his positive energy is infectious. He's also really good about giving you pointers at the beginning of the workout. In addition, here are a couple of things you may want to keep in mind: if you have an uneven floor, keep track of your ball to make sure it doesn't roll too far away when you're not completely in contact with it. You certainly want it to be there when you're supposed to sit on the downbeat! And while this is one of Goudeau's easier routines, that doesn't mean it's for someone who's never done an aerobic dance video before. You still need to be comfortable with the standard moves, and being familiar with the ball helps too, even though you'll be using it in completely unfamiliar ways. ABC Workout won Health magazine's 2005 award for "most innovative" workout, along with winning kudos from Fitness and Real Simple. We also had a blast doing this routine, and we think you will too.