Let me make one thing perfectly clear: I hate exercise and sports. I absolutely loathe it. There are several reasons for this, some of which are actually legitimate. When I was a kid, it was always forced, whether by my parents or in state-mandated phys ed classes. I do not have the physical coordination to hit, throw, or catch a ball (which other students aimed at my head). PE classes in the USA are typically taught by fascists who encourage bullying and marginalization through having students pick teams, "games" like dodgeball and other forms of torture. I had bike rides forced on me at various points throughout my childhood that we did not do regularly & left me utterly winded when I had to go. The 2 or 3 times I have attempted a workout video as an adult, I felt so tired and sore afterward that I never went back more than a couple of times before I quit, and they were allegedly easy beginner videos. 3 years ago, I tried a treadmill, and frankly, I'm still a little out of breath from that.

For a long time I have enjoyed sitting on my rump eating whatever I pleased and slowly gaining weight. I'm not morbidly obese, but I know I am at a crossroads. Physically I do not feel all that well, and I'm not crazy about how I look. I was having trouble getting through the day, sleep problems, and I also have osteo-arthritis in my shoulders & spine. The arthritis is hereditary & while the weight didn't cause it, the extra baggage & lack of activity is NOT helping. I decided to get one of these exercise balls with the intention of just bouncing up and down on it. The one activity I enjoyed as a child was jumping on the bed, so this seemed like a good thing to at least try. (I suspect that there are a lot of adult jumpers in this country who could greatly benefit from a trampoline or ball.) My friend beat me to the punch and ordered this ball and DVD combo for Christmas in early December.

I was skeptical about the DVD, having been shouted at by Richard Simmons & Denise Austin to "feel the burn" when I had barely gotten out of my chair, and so forth. I was greeted by a soft-spoken woman (she does sound Austrailian as noted in another review, but I don't really know). Throughout the workout, I kept waiting for the awful part where you are out of breath, a stich is in your side and you just have to stop because you know you're only 20 minutes into what turned out to be a 60 minute high-impact, fast moving workout that is NOT for beginners no matter what the box said. The music is playing loud and fast, the people on the tape are never out of breath, and you think, "THIS is for beginners? I'll never be able to get up to this level."

Well, it didn't happen. I was able to get through about 75% of the workout the first time. And I didn't hate doing it. The DVD has several sections of what is probably a very simple 30 minute routine. I'm sure someone will come along and say that "this is insufficient for this," and "this will not help with thus and so," but the people who will say this do not understand one very important thing: I'm not trying to get flat abs, or leaner thighs. Right now my goal is to get through the DVD, so that when I master it, flat abs will be all I need to worry about. Right now I have much more serious problems. I think this is something the fitness crowd fails to understand about the sedentary crowd. A lot of us would love to get up and do something if you would stop the loud voices, the unrealistic expectations, and offer something that is truly geared for people who never leave the couch unless it's to go to the fridge.

You aren't left at the end of the DVD feeling like it's an impossible goal, and you don't feel like a schmuck if you can't do every single thing. Some of the upper body stuff in the last 1/3 of the DVD is difficult for me to do, because of the arthritis and because I have poor coordination. However, after doing this for the last 4 weeks, it is getting easier. I had been doing it for 3 weeks at Christmas, and a relative told me I looked like I had lost weight. I don't keep a scale because I feel that it's only a gateway to a manic-depressive episode, so I can't say if that's true. But I have stuck with this for a month now-- we're through the looking glass, here, people. Anything is possible.

The ball itself is very sturdy and inflated easily. The measuring tape confused me-- it's too long to measure the ball. Just use the pump to inflate it, and watch the DVD to get an idea of how much "give" it needs to have. I'm not sure what else to say about the ball, since I've never had one before. I do know that it hasn't popped under my weight yet, so that has to be a good thing.

And yes, there is a part of the DVD where you really do sit and bounce on the ball. Jumpers, take heart. There is hope for us yet. 5 stars

I hate working out. Really, I hate it. Working out always reminds me of the fact that I'm overweight, and it turned into a very negative experience. But, ever since I bought this ball, I work out 5 days a week! It really is fun! I keep mine in the living room, and almost every guest I've had can't resist sitting and bouncing on it. 5 stars

I am impressed with the durability of this product. I've used other exercise balls that just felt 'flimsy' in comparison to this brand. And, I've read reviews that says that the smell of the plastic was overwhelming when they took this ball out of the packagaging-and I did not find that to be true. Yes, there is an odor, but it quickly goes away after 2-3 days after you've inflated. 5 stars

Don't try to do the excercises without first watching the DVD. The exercise sheet does not fully show the motions needed to perform the exercises correctly & there is some potiential for injury if the exercises are not done correctly. The DVD is very easy to follow. The exercises are a really good workout. Some of the exercises are more challenging then others, so take it easy until you really get the hang of being able to balance on the ball. The ball was easy to inflate with the enclosed pump. The tape to measure the ball for correct inflation was too long & didn't really work for me. Try just bounching on the ball while watching TV for a great aeorbic workout. 4 stars

This ball and exercise video are great for working out at home, especially if you're loathe to sign gym membership contracts and spend time in the "meat market". Be sure to watch the video at least the first few times because the accompanying poster doesn't show all the moves nor specific instructions. The video instructor is very helpful; she's soft-spoken with a mild Australian accent. Unfortunately, the background music is pretty lame; better suited to a meditation/yoga video, so you might want to have your own mixed CD playing. Also, be sure to get a yoga mat for stability, and some moves may require extra cushioning for knees and hands. 4 stars