Instructors Pamola Barron and Donald Baune are a sister-and-brother team, both chiropractors. Here they present a beginning level workout program to help you balance, strengthen, and stabilize your back using a stability ball (not included). Total Back Fitness contains two progressive workouts, both designed to be easy and gentle. You should master workout 1, being able to complete it without discomfort, before moving on to workout 2. Begin with relaxation, breathing, and stretching, which is done mostly lying on your back, feet resting on the ball. The first workout then presents 20 minutes of back- and abdominal-strengthening exercises that are easy and don't stress the back. Workout 2 presents 41 minutes of stabilization exercises: exercises that strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and help your posture and balance. Some are done lying on the floor without the ball; others involve lying, rolling, or sitting on the ball. The instructors constantly guide you through the proper way to do each exercise and offer modifications if you need them. The video ends with back strategies to help you avoid irritating your back in daily life activities.
If you're a beginner or fearful of exercise because of your back pain, this is a safe, slow, intelligent, and gentle way to start getting stronger. --Joan Price
