Kettlebell Lifting I: Master the Basics; The Method Core Ball Workout

Two new exercise DVDs emphasize the health benefits of precision lifting drills. Kettlebell Lifting I: Master the Basics, with husband-and-wife instructors Gregg Althen and Kerry Kriener-Althen, is a no-frills guide (no visual effects, no background music) to mastering the basics of Russian kettlebell lifting (think of a cannonball with a handle), emphasizing the importance of proper body alignment to achieve maximum muscular tension in moves such as the deadlift, one- and two-arm swings, clean and jerk, midway press, and the snatch. Unfortunately, for a “basics” program, there is no introduction to the equipment itself (kettlebells can range in weight from under 10 lbs. to over 100 lbs., but viewers are not told this, nor what weight the instructors are using). Given the safety considerations involved in swinging 50 lbs. or more of heavy metal near one's head, a quick overview of various kettlebells would have been helpful. [Note: Kettlebell Lifting II: High Tension Drills is also newly available.] The Method Core Ball Workout, presented by Ari Sofer and a pair of helpers, uses a solid core ball with a pair of inlaid handles (not to be confused with the larger inflatable core balls that fitness buffs use for various stretching exercises) for a series of lifting and light resistance exercises targeting the upper body, abs, and lower body (bracketed by a warm-up and cool-down). A more traditional workout program (with the studio setting, requisite wall-to-wall soundtrack, and verbal encouragements such as, “Good! You're doing it!”) than Kettlebell Lifting I, the core ball program also suffers from a missing orientation section that would indicate how heavy the core balls are or whether they are available in various weights (there is a “core form” section included as a “bonus,” but this has to do with proper form only, and—frankly—should not have been buried in the extras). [Note: The Method: Cardio Flex Band Workout is also newly available.] While both titles expand the exercise repertoire beyond the fundamental floor and mat aerobics routines, neither includes a basic (and necessary) introduction to the equipment. Both titles are optional. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)