Customer Reviews

GoFit Core Stability Ball

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I purchased 2 GoFit Ultimate Burst Resistant Core Stability Balls w/DVD (orange 55cm and purple 65cm) over a year ago from Amazon (on sale). The ball is a very durable, good quality ball (no foul smells or sticky surfaces like some other stability balls). I haven't had any problems with the ball in over a year of constant use. I have had to occasionally add air to keep the ball at the appropriate size (but nothing out of the ordinary).

This package comes with the ball, pump and workout DVD. I didn't even attempt to use the cheap manual pump included, but opted to use my husband's automatic pump, which quickly and easily inflated the ball to the desired size without any effort. The workout DVD is that in name only. It has some good exercise ideas, but if you are looking for a stability ball workout, you will probably want to buy a separate "true" stability ball workout DVD. [..]

As a side note ...

When determining what size stability ball to purchase, leg length (not height) is what ultimately dictates the size ball you need. If you know you have shorter or longer legs for your height, then you may need to get a smaller or larger ball than the standard height charts for stability balls.

For those of you who are unsure of how much to inflate your stability ball, here are some helpful guidelines taken from the fitnesource site ... On a wall, measure 55cm, 65cm or 75cm (depending on the ball size you have) from the floor and mark it with a pencil. Then inflate the ball until it feels/looks "full", but is not hard and still has a little bit of give in it when you press on it. Put the ball close to the mark you made on the wall and then place a ruler on top of the ball so that it touches the top of the ball and the mark on the wall. This will tell you how close you are to the maximum inflation for your ball size. If this is the first time you are inflating the ball, while it might seem full, it might still measure small. If this happens, give the ball a day to "stretch out" and then add some additional air, if needed. If you don't want to do all that, they also sell tape measures specifically for measuring the diameter of stability balls. Just keep in mind, that when you sit on the ball with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent, your knees should be level with or slightly lower than your hips (a 90 degree angle).

I purchased 2 GoFit Ultimate Burst Resistant Core Stability Balls w/DVD (orange 55cm and purple 65cm)over a year ago from Amazon (on sale). The ball is a very durable, good quality ball (no foul smells or sticky surfaces like some other stability balls). I haven't had any problems with the ball in over a year of constant use. I have had to occasionally add air to keep the ball at the appropriate size (but nothing out of the ordinary).

This package comes with the ball, pump and workout DVD. I didn't even attempt to use the cheap manual pump included, but opted to use my husband's automatic pump, which quickly and easily inflated the ball to the desired size without any effort. The workout DVD is that in name only. It has some good exercise ideas, but if you are looking for a stability ball workout, you will probably want to buy a separate "true" stability ball workout DVD. Also, if you ever need an extra plug, you can buy them directly from the manufacturer at GoFit.net.

As a side note ...

When determining what size stability ball to purchase, leg length (not height) is what ultimately dictates the size ball you need. If you know you have shorter or longer legs for your height, then you may need to get a smaller or larger ball than the standard height charts for stability balls.

For those of you who are unsure of how much to inflate your stability ball, here are some helpful guidelines taken from the fitnesource site ... On a wall, measure 55cm, 65cm or 75cm (depending on the ball size you have) from the floor and mark it with a pencil. Then inflate the ball until it feels/looks "full", but is not hard and still has a little bit of give in it when you press on it. Put the ball close to the mark you made on the wall and then place a ruler on top of the ball so that it touches the top of the ball and the mark on the wall. This will tell you how close you are to the maximum inflation for your ball size. If this is the first time you are inflating the ball, while it might seem full, it might still measure small. If this happens, give the ball a day to "stretch out" and then add some additional air, if needed. If you don't want to do all that, they also sell tape measures specifically for measuring the diameter of stability balls. Just keep in mind, that when you sit on the ball with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent, your knees should be level with or slightly lower than your hips (a 90 degree angle).

I was about to have spinal fusion back surgery...and walked with a limp--but using the exercise ball helped me strengthen my back and my core and now, a year later..I feel virtually no pain and have forgotten this horrible time in my life.

The key is to USE THE BALL! :) and To use it several times a week. And then watch your core become strong!

Most of these exercise balls are all the same, but I found this one to be a pretty good quality piece of equipment. It was easy to inflate and, beyond that, it was easy to inflate to full capacity. It's so annoying when you can't inflate balls all the way and they sag when you use them.

Price is a little high on this one, but it's worth it for the most part.

Love the ball. It's comfortable to sit on and adds variety to my workout (though primarily I bought it to sit on). I haven't had the opportunity to test its burst-resistant qualities yet thank goodness), but it does feel more durable to the touch than some other balls I have seen.

However, it only comes in a hideous bright orange color (even brighter than it looks on the screen!) which is fine if you're keeping it in the basement or a workout room but looks awful funny in my livingroom, which is where I primarily use it. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice if it came in more than one color!

Finally, the peripherals:
The pump is as cheap in construction as you would expect for a freebie thrown in with the ball, but it works without too much effort and that's all that matters.
The DVD has some really good exercises on it, but be sure to have your remote handy because she only does one side so you have to manually repeat each segment on the DVD to get the other side of your body done. Plus, I had to pause it sometimes in order to get myself in the position I needed to be because she doesn't leave much time for that. Also, some exercises require extra equipment, like weights or a second ball. But for the most part it is a good DVD that targets a wide variety of muscle groups.

Comparison of three GoFit 65mm balls PLUS three other brands. All were 65cm, except the Everlast. I compared material weight, texture, weight rating, odors and pumps.

First up, #1: GoFit "Premium" model no, GF-65BRBall, ©2009. Second, #2: GoFit "Ultimate", model no. GF-65BrBall-B ©2008. Third, #3: GoFit "Professional". Fourth, #4: Everlast "Burst -Resistant Fitness Ball no. EX3584YE, yellow 75cm " and finally, Fith, #5: Valeo 65mm. All included pumps and DVD's. Cost: Three green Lincolns out the door at Big 5 Sporting Goods thru Feb 2010 on all except GoFit "Pro".

Quick Summary: My final choice was #1, the purple 65cm ©2009, GoFit "Premium" model no, GF-65BRBall (no suffix-B) Note: this is not the same as the "ultimate" model in this Amazon listing, rather, it is Big5 SKU no. 04052742 and UPC 6 87339 20270 3. Not sure if Amazon sells the GoFit "Premium". GoFit "Premium" was the only one, other than the GoFit "Pro" (available from Amazon), that resembled health club quality to me. Yet, "Premium" was only a fraction of the price and best value for it's 1,000 lb weight capacity, low odor and sturdy material. The "Ultimate" model in this Amazon listing is rated at only 600 lbs. Some balls have "burst-resistant" or "xxxx lbs. weight rated" on the package. The so called "burst-resistant" Everlast 75cm was only rated to 330 lbs compared to the GoFit "Premium" rated at 1,000 lbs. "Burst-resistant" supposedly means that the ball will not suddenly deflate. A higher weight rating seemed more relevant to me. The GoFit Pro is rated at 1,200 lbs but was three times the price. Two other ways to measure the quality: Open the box an rub two layers between thumb and index finger, or, compare the deflated ball weights in each hand. I believe that GoFit Premium and GoFit Pro will be more puncture resistant than the others owing to heavier, thicker material. Both should also be highly suitable for chair use.

Textures and weight: smooth vs. textured. All the store brands, including the GoFit "Ultimate" had textured material. Only GoFit "Premium" and "Pro"models have smooth material. I prefer the smooth vs. the sticky rough material for several reasons. Ease of cleaning; did not stick to my body; thicker material; seemed less likely to puncture. Note: Ultra-light weight, high end backpacking tents are now made of thinner, lighter , costlier materials, so light weight doesn't always correlate to low quality or low strength. Still, my expensive Mountain HardWear, although light and strong, does puncture easily. GoFit "Premium"= 1,000 lb weight vs. Everlast ex3584ye10LtKRB = 330 lbs Vs. GoFit "ultimate" = 600 lbs. Others- not weight rated on box.

Valve: There is only a hole, not a true "valve", in most of these fitness balls. Make sure that your ball comes with at least one plastic plug in the box. My GoFit "Premium" had one already inserted in the air entry plus a spare. Nothing worse than pumping these things up and finding out that the plug is missing.

Core Stability vs. Fitness vs. Therapy balls: Seems to be different names for the same thing. Correct me if I am wrong here.

DVD's: Both the GoFit "Premium" and the "Ultimate" came with a 25 min "Linda Leene" DVD. The Everlast comes with a DVD entitled "Greatness is Within", EX3582, unknown running time. I did not watch either video. FORM, FORM. Technique and Form: It is most worthy to note that proper technique and form are required when exercising. I had the benefit of a physical therapist to correct me. What seemed intuitive on my own was actually not correct form at all. I am strengthening quads, hamstrings and core muscles. It is probably well worth a few dollars to have a professional observe and correct your form and technique from the start. Anyone can do it right at any age. Also, performing certain exercises in combination with a MediCare approved neoro-muscular-stimulator will boost your re-hab. If your MD prescribes an electrical NMI, and your P-T trains you in it's use then use it at home in combination with your ball, and perhaps ankle weight straps. Just remember, form is everything. Go easy the first few weeks. Your progress will amaze you in just a few weeks. You can watch a DVD but that is probably no better than reading an exercise pamphlet. If you have children, by all means, get interested in using a ball at an early age. Many injuries can be prevented in the first place if the body is well toned. Balls work many groups of muscles at once. They are the single best life long friend anyone can have at any age.

Pumps: My choice, GoFit "Premium" came with a foot, rater than a hand pump, although the pump was not a deciding factor for me. "Ultimate" and "Premium" comes with the same pump, a foot operated bellows type. The G-F bellows foot pump is nothing to write home about and appears disposable in quality... but, it worked very well one time. Simply plug the included poly ribbed hose in to the bellows, then select the included nozzle to fit the ball inlet. Insert and pump by foot. Toward the end of the pumping, I had to use the bellows like an accordion between my hands. I may have over-inflated it. No instructions for filling were in the box. Other evaluators have mentioned that you should inflate partially and leave over-night until the storage wrinkles disappear. I pumped away until right out of the box trying to rid the wrinkles. Go with the two stage , overnight method to avoid over stretching the ball in the first pumping. The other brands had hand pumps. If you need to fill and deflate for storage often, then buy a high volume electric air mattress pump. They are cheap and come with suction mode for deflation. Do not use a high pressure tire pump because they will take to long and can easily damage the ball.

Odors and volatiles: The GoFit "Premium" was totally free of volatile odors detectable to me. If you have high sensitivity to volatiles, understand that some are odorless. Generally, I always choose natural over synthetics whenever I can. Not an option for me in my three green Lincolns sale price range. The Everlast, made of thin, textured material had a strong odor in the wrapper. This one went right back on the shelf.

purchase date: 2-16-2010

I regularly use stability balls at the gym and bought this one for use at home. I use the 65 cm balls the most, so that is the size I bought from GoFit. However, the ball is clearly larger than 65 cm when fully inflated. I measured the size at 70 cm, and it is still a little more squishable than a workout ball should be. Sure, I could let some air out of the ball so that it is smaller, but then it would be flat! The GoFit ball is a poor quality product if that is what was intended.

While I have not had any problems wih my ball leeking, I would suggest buying a size smaller than you use at the gym or buying a different company's ball.

After reading an article about "active seating" somewhere, I bought this ball. It is my primary desk chair and it's great. (I now have a very nice 'real' chair for you next time you come.)

I can use my mind and body at my desk. I can go from sitting (still, rocking, or really pushing it) to busting out a few sets of crunches, or using it as a bench to do reps with dumb-bells. No equipment and no excuses.

Really well made, the pump is quite basic but more than adequate, and the results- my core- prove I made a great investment.

I purchased 2 GoFit Ultimate Burst Resistant Core Stability Balls w/DVD (orange 55cm and purple 65cm)over a year ago from Amazon (on sale). The ball is a very durable, good quality ball (no foul smells or sticky surfaces like some other stability balls). I haven't had any problems with the ball in over a year of constant use. I have had to occasionally add air to keep the ball at the appropriate size (but nothing out of the ordinary).

This package comes with the ball, pump and workout DVD. I didn't even attempt to use the cheap manual pump included, but opted to use my husband's automatic pump, which quickly and easily inflated the ball to the desired size without any effort. The workout DVD is that in name only. It has some good exercise ideas, but if you are looking for a stability ball workout, you will probably want to buy a separate "true" stability ball workout DVD. [...]

As a side note ...

When determining what size stability ball to purchase, leg length (not height) is what ultimately dictates the size ball you need. If you know you have shorter or longer legs for your height, then you may need to get a smaller or larger ball than the standard height charts for stability balls.

For those of you who are unsure of how much to inflate your stability ball, here are some helpful guidelines taken from the fitnesource site ... On a wall, measure 55cm, 65cm or 75cm (depending on the ball size you have) from the floor and mark it with a pencil. Then inflate the ball until it feels/looks "full", but is not hard and still has a little bit of give in it when you press on it. Put the ball close to the mark you made on the wall and then place a ruler on top of the ball so that it touches the top of the ball and the mark on the wall. This will tell you how close you are to the maximum inflation for your ball size. If this is the first time you are inflating the ball, while it might seem full, it might still measure small. If this happens, give the ball a day to "stretch out" and then add some additional air, if needed. If you don't want to do all that, they also sell tape measures specifically for measuring the diameter of stability balls. Just keep in mind, that when you sit on the ball with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent, your knees should be level with or slightly lower than your hips (a 90 degree angle).

The ball did not include plugs to keep the air from escaping. I spent 30 minutes pumping it up with the manual pump, only to find that there was no way to plug it up. There were also no instructions included on pumping the ball up. (That would've been helpful to know if I was doing it incorrectly b/c of the missing plugs.) Other than that, the quality of the ball was exceptional - very thick and sturdy.