Ugi Ball Fitness by Melissa 2.17

Ugi is the ultimate 30-minute workout that combines strength, cardio and core training into the most fun, challenging, stylish way of becoming functionally fit.

Ugi is a workout that can go anywhere, and that makes people feel good about their bodies, energy and health. In a studio, at a park, in your own living room or backyard, or even at the beach, we can Ugi wherever it works for U.

Two years of research and development led to the Ugi ball itself, which has the squish of a beanbag, the bounce-back of a stress ball and the beauty of simple design. Fifteen inches in diameter, and weighted to meet individual fitness needs, the Ugi ball is so versatile, it can be used by anyone, anywhere.

This amazing ball, combined with a unique 30-minute, total functional fitness program is what makes the Ugi workout so challenging and effective. The series of one-minute exercises are efficient enough to change your body completely — from warm up, cardio, strength conditioning, balance to cool down, and flexible enough to be done anywhere — from home, gym, beach to office.

In small group classes, and in a fun and supportive atmosphere, your Ugi workout will have you doing 30 different exercises, for 1 minute each, while improving your overall functional fitness. The goal of functional training is to emphasize the transfer of fitness gained from exercise into improved performance in daily activities, which is something not usually accomplished with machine-based strength training which focuses on isolating muscles to increase the size of a given target muscle but does not demand the coordination required to build optimum strength and performance.

Ugi is traditionally done barefoot, unless we are outdoors on a very hard or uneven surface. Barefoot training has become a new trend in the fitness world, and for good reason. The idea behind barefoot training is that our technically designed shoes may actually give us too much support, cushioning and stability, making the muscles and neuromuscular pathways of the foot and ankle weak and “lazy.” Training barefoot, you will strengthen the foot and ankle muscles, allowing them to complete the connective chain that runs through the body, and being barefoot increases your awareness of the body and allows you to work on balance. There are many benefits to barefoot training, but it is not for everyone. You can talk to your doctor to determine if it is right for you, and your Ugi workout can be done with shoes on if necessary.