The Core Board is an unstable circular board, a kind of wobble board which pivots on a central point but, unlike the wobble board, it actively returns to its original position. The idea is to do a series of exercises as instructed by your trainer, but with the added difficult of doing it on a board which is offering resistance to your movements.

There are three levels of workouts, and as you get better so you can move from one level to the next. But whatever you do, don�t start with an advanced class or you�ll throw in the towel before you�ve had the chance to enjoy the benefits. Speak to your trainer first, he or she will advise you.

Warming up
It is vital to give yourself a 7 to 10 minute warm up before you start. This should consist of stretching the muscles of your lower limbs, paying special attention to calves and ankles. This preparation should be done to high energy music, something with a strong beat - funk for example - at a speed of 120 to 130 BPM. This will help to bring up our body heat and heart rate gradually, while at the same time increasing the rate of oxygen exchange between blood and muscle.

Basic equipment
Clothing should be comfortable to allow you total freedom of movement and the material should be breathable to let perspiration escape. Footwear should be light and flexible.

What it�s good for
A Core workout will improve your stability, coordination and balance, as well as tone up your abs, torso and all the muscles in the centre of your body, hips and waist. It will also give a good workout to your calves and ankles.

Frequency
Core experts recommend a workout two or three times a week. And they warn that you won�t see results for at least a month. One of the reasons for this is that it takes a while to get the hang of the technique.

Where to get information?
Core Training Reebok has taken over from Step but, for the moment, the only people to have brought it to Spain are its pioneers, the Reebok Sports Club, who are in Madrid on 914 26 05 07. Give them a call and arrange to have a trial session, without obligation. You won�t be disappointed.