Posts Tagged ‘exercise ball chair’
Choosing the Right Exercise Ball Chair
October 14th, 2009 | 
Author: 
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.
An Overview of The Exercise Ball Chair
Gaiam Exercise Ball Chair
An Overview of The Exercise Ball Chair
Use of an exercise ball chair is becoming a popular alternative to standard desk chairs in both the office and the classroom. The less than perfect ergonomics of typical office chairs is the notorious cause for an array of negative health effects including shoulder tightness, rounded shoulders, neck pain, and low back pain. Using an exercise ball chair can improve and even alleviate these symptoms by strengthening core musculature and improving spinal alignment while seated. Not only that, use of an exercise ball chair often results in improved standing posture, better circulation, and more fun at the office!
The fun and benefits of an exercise ball chair don’t stop there! Not only are these positive effects being experienced by working adults, students in classrooms across the country are experiencing positive effects as well! According to numerous reports* students who replaced their desk chair with and exercise ball report higher levels of concentration, improved energy, and even better handwriting. While classrooms and home offices commonly use a simple exercise ball to replace their office or desk chairs, there are quite a few designs of an actual, Posture Improving Exercise Ball Chair that looks more professional and sometimes even stylish.
In my next few posts, I plan to give a few exercise ball chair tips and also a brief overview of the different chairs on the market…Enjoy!
*Sources:
http://www.kare11.com/
http://ergonomenon.com/?p=352
Stability Ball Core Strengthening Exercises
3 exercises that you can perform on a stability ball. These stability ball exercises are guaranteed to strengthen your core, while providing a great cardiovascular workout at the same time. Combine these stability ab exercises with a proper diet (example: decreasing sugar intake, sweets, etc) will speed up the process of getting into shape, or a six-pack if you desire!
Stability balls come in various sizes. Make sure that you select the correct one based on your weight and height. Stability ball training is of the best ways to improve your body posture, making you more aware of your stance at any given time.
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Exercise Ball Exercises & Basic Instruction
There are several reasons you may want to learn how to use an Exercise Ball; it could be that you want to get in shape, improve balance & stability, strengthen your core, work out at home, or just add a new type of variety and challenge to your current work out routine. Exercise ball exercises can range in difficulty from fairly easy to extremely challenging, which is why they have become a staple in almost every gym across the country. This simple former toy-turned-fitness equipment is also being used as a chair in classrooms and offices across the globe. Can you imagine…an exercise ball chair at every desk in your work place? Whatever the reason you’ve become interested in learning more about this simple piece of equipment, let’s look at exactly how you can get the most out of your exercise ball.
The most basic exercise ball exercises focus on using your own body weight, maintaining your balance, and performing limited and controlled movements. The unstable surface of the ball will initially put you off balance when you sit or lean on the ball. For your safety, you should be near a handrail or otherwise stable surface to ensure you can stay on top of the ball during each movement.
To begin using the ball, first make sure you are near a mirror or reflective surface so you can maintain the proper position during the exercise. The proper position is commonly referred to as the neutral posture. Neutral posture means having your shoulders down and back (under the ears), maintaining the natural curve of the spine, and keeping your pelvic girdle in the neutral position. Start by simply sitting on the ball and maintaining the neutral posture I described. Keep your abdominal muscles slightly tight and just get comfortable sitting straight up. As you get more comfortable, try lifting and holding one leg just a few inches off the ground while still maintaining the neutral position, after about five seconds, put one leg down and lift the other one just slightly into the air. This may or may not be challenging based on your current ability to balance and stabilize yourself. Take notice of how you respond, did you feel your core musculature tighten up? Did you feel wobbly or off balance? Use this movement as a simple way to improve posture and strengthen your core.
When you feel you’ve mastered the simple movement I previously described, you are ready to move on to new and different exercises. Experimenting with new and different movements can be fun, just remember to use a mirror and focus on maintaining the neutral posture throughout the entire exercise. By doing this, you will get the most out of each exercise ball exercise you attempt and you will progress yourself to more difficult and challenging movements.
RECOMMENDED EXERCISE BALL EXERCISES
- Leg Lifts (previously described)
- Wall Squats
- Ball Walk-ups
Enjoy your exercise ball and most of all, consider using yours as an Exercise Ball Chair!
Posted in exercise ball, exercises with ball | 
Tags: exercise ball, exercise ball chair, exercise ball exercises | 
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