Explode - Body Bar and Bosu

Body Bar and BOSU's "Explode" is an hour long cardio plus strength/endurance moves, led by Mindy Mylrea, and uses a BOSU and a body bar. Mindy is joined by Keli Roberts and Violet Zaki. Violet does the entire workout without a BOSU, and uses a four pound body bar. Mindy and Keli use the BOSU, and Mindy is also using a four pound bar; Keli is using a nine pound one. I used a six, and it worked fine for me. I'm an intermediate/advanced exerciser, and I would call this workout right for any level, as you can modify everything.

The warm-up uses only the BOSU, and Mindy does a fine job of getting you off and on it, so you get used to the unstable surface. If you've never used one before, you can do this workout. The first strength/cardio segment alternates between squats off the side, on the BOSU, and quick lunges off either side of the BOSU for the cardio part. You are holding the body bar the entire time. The strength moves are fast (but not "too" quick) so it's more of an endurance/strength workout than a slow and heavy one.

The second strength/cardio segment is upper body, and uses shoulder work and rotation, all done while standing on the BOSU. My six pound bar got HEAVY during this! Mindy says cute things like "don't stop - what? But my body bar weighs 54 pounds!" and during all the military presses, "my arms are saying they don't want to be in the military any more!" The cardio portion of this segment is jumping on and off the BOSU - major core work!!

You then get a break from strength/cardio by doing abdominal work on the BOSU, while holding the body bar. Mindy makes it super-challenging by taking her feet off the floor, but you can keep them down if you need to. This is a very challenging core segment, but one you will love! The back work is done while prone on the BOSU, again holding the body bar for part of it, and again keeping the feet off the floor which can be modified. Rows are done with one knee on the BOSU, adding yet another balance component.

The final segment starts with cardio, and has an all-instrumental version of Tavares "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", which was a delightful surprise for me! It starts with the BOSU flipped curved side down again, and I did this part on the floor because gripping the flat side of the BOSU hurts my hands. Lots of what Mindy calls "road runners" and they'll be familiar to you. She's very animated in this part, and you can tell she's loving it! She slows down after the road runners to again do planks while holding the flat side of the BOSU, but lunging forward slowly, side to side, then in the next series turning your torso and crossing one leg in front of the other. You need to be in a full plank position to pull this off, and it's very challenging and makes you feel strong!

The strength portion of the last segment uses the flat side of the BOSU which you lie on, and holding the body bar you do chest presses. Then you use the flat side to do hamstring work, lying on the floor. The stretch is relaxing and well-earned!

This is an explosive, fun workout!!

This is a 64-minutes advanced workout that uses a Body Bar and a BOSU; although one participant shows modifications without a BOSU, the workout is truly designed to take advantage of the BOSU's unique possibilities. Keli Roberts and Violette are the background exercisers.

The workout is loosely designed circuit-style, alternating cardio and weight training segments:

Warmup (7 minutes)

Lower Body Circuit (18 minutes):

This is a TOUGH segment where Mindy does one minute lower body exercises (mostly variations on squats and lunges) with the Body Bar used for added resistance on the shoulders, followed by one minute of a cardio variation of the same exercises with the Body Bar used for added balance. For exemple, a lunge off the back of the bosu (strength training move) becomes a plyo lunge (cardio move). My heart rate soars and my legs scream during this segment.

Upper/Lower Body Strength standing on top of the BOSU (3 minutes):

*"rowing" variation on the front raise

*military press with a rotation to the side

*military press with a leg abduction.

Cardio (5 minutes):

Begins with an easy-to-follow routine that involves jumping on the BOSU and walking down, rocking horse, and knee lifts. This is followed by a fun ski drill that mixes "downhill skiing" with freestyle plyo jumps ("hot-dogging it").

Upper/Lower Body Strength kneeling on the BOSU (7 minutes):

*bicep curls

*tricep overhead press

*leg abduction.

Core Work lying on the BOSU(8 minutes):

*bicycle while holding the Body Bar for added resistance

*V-Sit and "rowing" side-to-side with the Body Bar

*traditional ab curls

*side crunches

*leg abduction with the bar resting on the leg

Upper Body Strength (2 minutes):

*back extension, lying in prone position on the BOSU

*1-arm row, kneeling with one knee on the BOSU

Cardio (5 minutes):

This is a series of drills performed with the BOSU inverted (dome side down); it includes burpees with "road runners", jacks in a pushup position, and lunges.

I like the drills but I find it a little awkward to throw in 5 minutes of cardio at this point of the workout since the previous and following segments are performed lying down.

Strength (6 minutes):

*Chest Press, lying on the inverted BOSU

*Pelvic tucks, lying on the floor with heels on the inverted BOSU

*Sit on the inverted BOSU with legs crossed. This is meant to work the core but it is really goofy. Keli Roberts keeps falling off her BOSU.

*Push ups, performed gripping the Body Bar that is set across the BOSU (dome up).

Stretch (4 minutes)

Overall:

This is my favorite BOSU workout! Contrary to some of Mindy's other workouts that overemphasize certain muscle groups or specific exercises (e.g., zillions of pushups!), this one is well balanced. A+

The Bosu is a great new tool to use and this video/dvd is made for the advanced user of this item. There is also someone featured in the video not using a Bosu, and actually the workout would be good that way too. (Sometimes if your feet get too sore, it's a good alternative to hop off and follow her, then pop back on when the feet are fine.)

I would say that this is an advanced video due primarily to the speed at which the moves are done. There is a throrough warm-up, then you move through intervals of strength and cardio. The legs are totally worked and you will feel it the next day for sure. There is also a stretch at the end, but I felt more stretching was needed for me afterwards.

Every body part is worked on but I would say that the legs are hit harder than the upper body is. The combinations are smooth. Mindy explains quickly and moves on into the work. So, if you like videos that you don't have to wait for the explanation to be done with before you get to work--- this is for you.

An example of a strength/cardio section is- Legs: you do a series of side squats onto and then off the ball with the body bar. Then you set the body bar down and move very fast over the top doing side squats for like 2 or 3 minutes. Then you work the other leg and repeat the cardio burst. There are more complicated variations of movements this is just to give a simple example.

If you like Mindy's style of teaching this is a good one to get cause you get a lot of variety and challenges from it. It goes for just over an hour I believe. If you get the DVD of this it comes with Burn by Keli Roberts as well.

The two workout really compliment each other.

This is an excellent program of stabilization strength. I would highly recommend it to someone who feels comfortable on the Bosu and wants a challenge.

If you have not used a Bosu before may I suggest that you make sure that you can do the moves before adding weight.