BOSU Blast with Seasun Zieger (CIA 2604)

Overall, this is an excellent workout for intermediate/advanced exercisers who are comfortable with both the step and the BOSU Balance Trainer. The choreography takes advantage of the bouncy surface of the BOSU with plenty of jumps and the moves flow easily from one to another. The intensity is consistently medium-high and steppers will recognize the familiar format -- a total of five combinations that follow a 32-count format. Seasun does a great job of keeping the workout moving with her excellent cueing. There aren't many challenging BOSU cardio workouts out there, so this one's a keeper.

While there are a number of BOSU Balance Trainer (BT) DVDs out there, there aren't many that offer a step-like routine using a Balance Trainer, which is one reason this one has become an instant favorite of mine. I'm always looking for ways to use the Balance Trainer in more traditional exercise and this workout fits the bill.

Seasun's 45-minute workout starts with a basic warm-up designed to acclimate you to the BT with mambos, step knees and extensions on top of the dome. She includes this combo in the main workout, adding some height and jumps to the moves. The combinations that follow take advantage of the BT's squishy dome with lots of power (leg extensions, jogging, lunges, knee-ups, over the top, etc.), all of which can be modified without the jumps. Most of the moves are recognizable from step choreography, but they're much harder on the BT and the intensity stays in the medium-high range throughout the workout.

There's a bit more repetition and take-it-from-the-top than I would normally tolerate in a step video, but it's nice to have more time to perfect the moves on the BT. Seasun's choreography is perfect for this type of equipment - challenging and fun, but not too intricate.

Overall, this is a great choice for something a little different. Users should be very familiar with the step and should also be comfortable using a BT. Because the surface is unstable, it's easy to get sloppy when you get tired, so newbies might want to try it a little at a time. It takes incredible focus to stay on it, so this isn't a workout to zone out on. If you don't have a BT, one background exerciser uses a step and Seasun does offer a few modifications for some of the moves. This video, CIA-2604, also features All Body Cardio by Sharon Money Twombly which isn't reviewed here.