What is Wünderball?

• a highly energetic cardio workout with a 55cm physioball to relatively fast music (136-144 bpm)
• through a series of bouncing patterns and basic choreography, you will learn to control the ball by engaging your upper body, core and shoulder girdle
• the extra weight of the ball increases heart rate and provides a double workout that is adaptable for any fitness level, but remains low impact
• elements of interval training are woven in: there are moments of high intensity movements followed by low intensity recovery segments

Who is Wünderball for?

• anybody who is in well enough physical condition to move through a cardio routine and hold on to the ball (no major injuries or other health issues that could be contraindicating)
• all ages, shapes and fitness levels are welcome since this workout is highly scalable with many options to modify

How is Wünderball different from other ball classes?

• one of the distinct features and what makes Wünderball unique is the bouncing sequences, where the participants bounce in unison to the beat of the music
• these sequences start out simple and can evolve into highly complex movement and bounce patterns
• the body has to be ready to adjust to these changes quickly and react to anticipatory cuing in very little time

How can bouncing a ball give me a workout?

• the 55cm ball feels much heavier than it actually is: as your feet move, your arm muscles work to control the ball and create a combination of slow, large bounces, followed by quick tiny bounces
• your body is forced to adjust to different levels of intensity: from power moves, involving large muscle groups, to detailed precision work, focusing on the smaller stabilizing muscles

How does Wünderball work my brain?

• in many workouts that involve repetitive movement, such as running, burpees or bicep curls, your body knows what to do and will continue to do it on autopilot
• in a Wünderball workout, your brain must be present and focused the entire time, anticipating the next movement or bounce, and operating in connection with your body

At first, this type of focus may be frustrating, but frustration isn’t always a bad thing.

Author Neale Donald Walsh says that “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”, and I couldn’t agree more.

When you push past those feelings of frustration and mental discomfort, that’s where the magic happens.  That’s where the positive energy of all your classmates, focusing and bouncing together, can help propel you and see you through.

But pushing past frustration takes work.  It takes practice, openness to whatever imperfections pop up, to those moments when you are tired, or you miss a bounce.

What is the key principle of Wünderball? 

Quality over Quantity

• Wünderball is not just about results and feeling better, even though those are inevitable consequences
• Wünderball is about staying present while you exercise
• it is about digging deep, moving through the doubts and discomfort and embracing the journey as it is happening
• it is not about competition or finish lines, but about learning to control your body, to make each movement precise and focused, so you can work at your optimum level and avoid injury
• form is paramount and often requires tiny support muscles you didn’t even know you had: you have to locate them and wake them up: just like your mind and the rest of your body, they will become stronger with practice and time