Stealth Core Trainer Pro Review

Tired of doing boring planks? The Stealth Core Trainer Pro makes a game of it

Achieving the feat of toned abs is a pipe dream for many. While the exercises and diet required to get them feels like a daunting task unto itself, the sheer act of doing a plank – or crunches and sit-ups until your stomach aches – is so tediously boring.

Since this is something so many people relate to (including us), we decided to give a new device called the Stealth Core Trainer a brief run to see if it could somehow make working out your core an enjoyable experience. What turned out to be a balance board with no real upkeep, the Stealth Core Trainer seems able to make a grueling fitness regimen feel less tortuous. All told, this low-tech device had us pushing harder every time we used it – and to be honest, it made us want to get active.

The Stealth Core Trainer is premised on a do-it-yourself workout schedule.

There’s no shortage of specialized or tailored workout routines targeting abs — they’re all over the place. Thing is, not everyone can afford a personal trainer, nor do they always feel dedicated enough to make that gym membership worth every penny. This is exactly where the Stealth Core Trainer can make a difference. Premised on a do-it-yourself workout schedule, one of the device’s strong suits is that you can either use it at home, at the gym, or really anywhere at your leisure.

Having started out as a Kickstarter campaign, there are now two versions widely available. The Stealth Professional handles more weight (up to 400 pounds) and uses tougher materials. It’s designed for use in gym facilities and is manufactured in the United States, coming standard in green or black the price of $300. Conversely, the Stealth Personal is made in China and supports up to 250 pounds, with materials that are less rigid. It comes in orange at $200. For our review, we opted for the Professional version to get a true sense of the cream of the Stealth Trainer crop.

Both are functionally the same. Each makes use of a balancing board elevated by a swiveling base underneath for a 360-degree rotational spin that also tilts forward, back, or side to side. On the top is a recessed portion to lay down a smartphone in landscape mode.

An inserted phone runs its free companion app called Game Your Core (iOS or Android), adding a particularly fun gaming aspect to the equation. There’s no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection between the two, however, as the board itself has no connectivity to it. It’s just a low-tech piece of thick plastic which utilizes the phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope to keep the game going.

It’s simple yet effective in how it incorporates exercises for the abs, obliques, glutes, and lower back.

The gist is that you position yourself on the board into a plank upon starting the Game Your Core app. The game is basic in that it uses a grid with glowing orbs and a floating reticle that you need to place and hold over the orb. The only way to do so is to shift forward or back, tilt to either side, or twist in any direction.

It’s simple yet effective in how it incorporates exercises for the abs, obliques, glutes, and lower back. There are no separate routines to target these areas, they just engage based on the shifting, tilting, and twisting which occurs during the game....

Read the full review on Digital Trends: Digital Trends Review - Stealth Core Trainer