Steve - BuildingStrongerBodies.com
In this Stealth Core Trainer review, I will explain why this product is a marriage made in heaven for a lot of plankers. There are a ton of different products on the market for developing a strong core. There are very few products available that will let you play a game on your smartphone and work your core at the same time. If you are tired of the old plank and want to kick up your core workout, then please keep reading.
Product Name: Stealth Core Trainer
Rating: 95 out of 100
Recommended: Yes
Summary: An innovative and fun way to get your plank on! The Stealth Core Trainer is available in two models, the difference is the weight limit. You can compete against your friends with the app. Check it out!
Core strength is something that is very important to me and is near and dear to my heart. I have been dealing with back problems for most of my adult life and have discovered through that process how important it is to develop and maintain a strong core.
YOU CAN READ MY FULL STORY HERE
I have been dealing with back problems for a long time. Then in late 2015, I was at the gym doing stuff that a guy with a bad back shouldn’t be doing. I ended up with a sprained SI joint and a blown disc, causing me to have stenosis and be bent over at about a 30-degree angle at the waist. I spent months going to the chiropractor working on getting upright.
When I was finally able to start working out again, my chiropractor stressed the importance of building and maintaining a strong core, which has opened my eyes to new ways of developing my core. I am always willing to try something different. See, I tend to get bored with the same routine, or I notice when I try something new, it is harder than I expected. That makes me think that either my core isn’t as strong as I thought, or it’s just plain good to mix it up now and then.
That brings me to the Stealth Core Trainer. First of all, it’s a cool new way to work your core. Second, you can test yourself and push yourself with the interactive gameplay. So, let’s check it out.
WHAT IS THE STEALTH CORE TRAINER?
You know those kickboards that people use in the pool? Well at the 30,000-foot level the Stealth Core Trainer looks like a kickboard that is placed on top of a ball, to make it unstable. The design started out a piece of plywood with foam on top, and a ball taped to the bottom of it, to keep the user off balance. A lot of progress has been made since then. Today, the ball and socket on the base of the unit allow for the platform to move from side to side, front, back, and twist. It uses the accelerometer in your smartphone to play the game
That is the genius behind this product. This fantastic design keeps you off balance, which helps to engage and target your core muscles. It is a great concept. Add to that the downloadable app, and you get an interactive way to train your core. No more doing plain old boring planks. Instead, you are training your core dynamically. The game and the dynamic motion of the platform will keep you engaged and help distract you from the awesome core work you are doing.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE STEALTH CORE TRAINER?
Anyone who needs to develop and maintain a strong core can benefit from using this. Whether you are performing everyday tasks around the house, like picking up a child, or a load of laundry, you are engaging core muscles. I believe anyone can benefit from a strong core. If you are a seasoned athlete or workout fiend, you can benefit from this core trainer. It is a great way to engage all of your core muscles while having some fun. It will provide you with a great core workout in just a few minutes per day.
WHY DO I NEED ONE?
As I mentioned earlier, I have become a huge advocate for building and maintaining a strong core. As a person who has been dealing with back problems for a long time, I have finally learned the value of strengthening the muscles that support everyday movements. Whether you work out five times per week or just do everyday things, a stronger core is going to benefit you.
This core trainer is a great way to work your core and keep you engaged at the same time. No more boring plank routines. The game is an app that you download. You can use the app by yourself, or you can compete against other people.
HOW DO YOU USE THE STEALTH CORE TRAINER?
To use this core trainer, you assume the same position you would as if you were going to perform planks on your elbows on the floor. Instead, your elbows are on the comfortable foam platform. The top of the platform made of an anti-fatigue foam material to help keep your elbows and forearms comfy while you are playing..err, working your core.
This platform and the sphere that it sits on allows for movement in any direction, forward, backward, even tilt side-to-side so that you can target many different muscle groups. You will find yourself engaging your low back, glutes, shoulders, arms, legs, so pretty much everything.
The core trainer is designed for you to grab ahold of the sides of the platform with your hands. This design helps to keep you on the platform, without sliding, which can help when you are playing the game as well.
TECHNOLOGY HAS TAKEN OVER PLANKS
I have not touched on the game that makes this core trainer so awesome. The app turns the unit into an interactive core trainer powered by playing a game on your smartphone. Your core becomes the controller for the game.
The game itself is a cool concept, and you can download the app in your app store. There is a cutout on the board itself that is designed to hold your smartphone, so you can view the screen to interact with the game.
Now, the game consists of an orange circle and a blue dot, simple enough. The blue dot moves around the screen of your phone, to different areas. It might be in the upper left corner, or the bottom right, or somewhere in the middle. Your mission is to move the orange circle so that it is centered on the blue dot. That sounds easy enough right? Then you have to hold that position for a few seconds. There is a timer that starts as soon as you hover over the dot when the timer is finished, the dot and circle explode. On to the next dot.
So, you not only have to maneuver the platform to chase the dot, but also have to hold it steady when you get there. This movement will have you in all kinds of different positions, thus working your core from multiple angles. You have to stabilize yourself to keep the circle centered on the dot until you see the explosion.
You could use the core trainer without the app, but that would take a lot of the fun out of it. The game just helps to add a new element to the unit itself and keeps you off balance. If you try to do it on your own, sure you will still work, but the unpredictability of the dot is part of the fun. You are required to engage more muscles as you have to stabilize yourself to keep the circle over the dot.
Through the app, another great feature is the option to compete against yourself, or compete against others. This game is very simple, yet very effective.
TWO MODELS TO CHOOSE FROM
I think this is a great product, which is a wonderful core workout. There are two models available, Stealth Core Trainer Personal and Stealth Core Trainer Professional. The professional model is more expensive. The Personal version comes with the black platform outlined in orange. The Professional version has the same black foam platform, but is outlined in “glow green.”
The Stealth Professional is rated up to 400 pounds and is for commercial use. The Stealth Personal is rated for up to 250 pounds and is for home use. The warranties also vary.
Pros:
Great core workout
The interactive gameplay is awesome
Sturdy construction which is built to last
There are two models available so you can choose which one works for you
Cons:
The price of the Professional model is steep
The motion may take some getting used to for people who have not done much in the way of planks
Is it worth it?
If you have the budget for it, I think this is a great tool to add to your workout routine. Even just using it a few days per week can help to improve your core strength. I believe it is good to mix things up as well and introduce new exercises to keep your body constantly improving. My body gets used to performing certain exercises, and it is great to change things up and challenge yourself.
I hope you found this review helpful and informative. When the Stealth Core Trainer has won your heart and made you confident that your days of performing boring planks are over, you are going to need to buy one. Alternatively, maybe you know someone in need of a great core workout.
Thanks again for taking time out of your day to check out this review. Let us help others to get an edge with their core as well, with comments below.
What do you think of the Stealth Core Trainer?
Is the Personal or Professional the right fit for you?
Thanks!