The Exercise Ball Authority

Archive for the ‘exercise ball’ Category

An exercise ball is one of those big over-sized kick balls you see at many gyms. Exercise, or stability balls as they are sometimes called, come in various diameters, some brands have a rubber strip surrounding the outside of the ball others are covered with little rubber massaging bumps massage your body and provide additional stabilizing friction while using the ball. The stability ball can be used to introduce a new challenge into your exercise program. The various activities you can incorporate your stability ball into are: abdominal/core exercises, balance & stability training, stabilizing the spine, all types of stretching, weight training, and more! You can even use it as an office chair if you want (I do!). Most exercise ball exercises challenge the core and are meant to stabilize your spine. The fact that you are sitting or lying on a wobbly ball challenges the nervous system, requires balance, and increases demand from core muscles. In addition, it requires increased mental focus to ensure you maintain the appropriate form throughout the entire exercise. Developing core strength and improved balance are essentials in a ‘functional’ fitness program. Functional fitness is a multi-dimensional fitness program where the body is trained for real-world body movements, as well as strength & leanness. For example, you could be an excellent runner who runs an hour a day, you are lean, tone, and eat right. You look great & you’re really in shape. Then why did you lift your suitcase to put it into the trunk — and throw your back out. What happened? Most likely, you over trained one set of muscles while unknowingly ignoring the opposing muscle group. This can lead to muscle imbalances and weak links in the body. You might be lean, strong, and ready for the beach, but are you ready to lift your toddler out of his car seat or bring all the holiday decorations down from the attic? Functional fitness training focuses on preventing injuries similar to this. In addition to functional benefits, using a exercise ball to challenge your core strength improves muscle development through the core without any fear of getting ‘bulky’. Since muscle burns dreaded fat, you can expect improved metabolism and leanness as an added benefit of using the ball. If you want to make your workouts more interesting and effective, I recommend using an exercise ball to replace the standard workout bench or exercise mat. While using the ball, make sure you are near a mirror, where you can monitor your posture and ensure your back is straight and your abs are tight. Always strive for perfect posture when using the ball to perform any exercise other than stretching. When you begin to use the ball, you’ll most likely be very off balance and a little timid. As your nervous system adjusts, you’ll become more confident and have the ability to challenge yourself in new and different ways.

Stretch, Tone & Tighten Your Body Using a GoFit Exercise Ball… Discover step-by-step how to get in shape using an exercise ball -even if you’ve never exercised before. This burst resistant stability ball includes workout DVD that teaches you fun and challenging exercises you can do at home. Learn Safe & Effective Workout techniques to improve  Balance, Alignment & Posture by finding out more right now!

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Gaiam Exercise Ball Chair

There are a few variables to consider when choosing to an exercise ball chair.  First, you should decide if you will simply use and exercise ball to sit on, or if you want a full blown exercise ball chair.  While both choices are effective, a full blown exercise ball chair would probably be considered the more professional of the two choices.  Not only that, but the chairs offer a variety of options including backed or backless, rolling or static feet, and range from moderately fashionable, with the ability to be integrated into a nicely designed office, to ugly looking.

If you choose to simply replace your office chair with an exercise ball, you really only have to decide on the color and size that’s right for you. If you are between 4′11″ and 5′4″ a 55 cm ball will work best for you, those between 5′5″ and 5′11″ should use the 65 cm ball and if you’re between 6′0″ and 6′7″ use a ball 75 cm ball.

If you are overweight or experience back pain, it is still safe and probably even beneficial to sit on an exercise ball.  Just make sure you are in the proper seated position while using the ball.  Upper legs should be parallel to the ground or hips can be slightly higher than the knees while in the seated position.  Be sure the exercise ball chair or exercise ball is close enough to your workspace so you can maintain the appropriate upright, neutral posture in the upper back – slumping your shoulders is not an option!  Finally, it doesn’t hurt to make sure that the ball is burst-resistant that if the integrity of your ball is compromised, you can feel secure knowing it’s not going to explode and cause a potential injury.  Some companies make burst-resistant balls that will hold up to 600 pounds.

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Wondering which exercises on the ball will help strengthen the core while also isolating other muscle groups? Performing these simple exercises on a ball vs. a bench creates a challenging and fun workout that will also improve balance and overall coordination.

Whenever you use a ball, remember to maintain neutral posture, as compromising it will defeat the purpose of using a ball entirely. Neutral posture can be defined as keeping shoulders down and directly under the ears and stomach just slightly tightened as if someone were about to surprise you by tapping on your belly. Basically, maintain the natural curve or your spine and especially try to keep your pelvis in the neutral position. Exaggerating the curve in the lumbar spine by rotating the pelvis back is a common mistake exercisers use when working out with an exercise ball.

Some of these movements are more advanced exercises that require previous experience with an exercise ball so be careful when trying them on your own.

The tuck is a simple movement, but a challenging exercise. If after a few reps it becomes to difficult, simply roll back, supporting the entire lower leg with the ball.

Exercise Ball Tuck Start

Exercise Ball Tuck - End

Bridges, both supine and prone, are a great challenge for beginners who want to strengthen their core.

Supine Bridge; Hold

Supine Hold;advanced

You can focus on activating and isolating the chest while doing push-ups

Exercise Ball Push-Up Start

Exercise Ball Push-up End

Try these movements with the exercise ball and let me know how you like them!

Technorati Tags: exercise ball, exercise ball exercises, stability ball exercises

Technorati Tags: exercise ball, exercise ball chair, exercise ball exercises