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Exercise Ball – Health and Fitness Benefits

If you have been to a health club lately or watched a fitness program on TV, you have probably noticed people exercising with what looks like an oversized beach ball. This ball is called an exercise ball, also known as the Swiss ball. It was first used in the 1960s by a European physiotherapist for rehabilitation purposes. So what’s all the fuss about, you ask?

The exercise ball has been proven to be a very valuable tool in physical rehabilitation and exercise training. Because it has been very successful in physiotherapy, it has made its way into mainstream fitness.

Although it looks like a ball children might play with, don’t underestimate the importance of the exercise ball. It’s very inexpensive and can be used in literally dozens, even hundreds of training exercises for the entire body. And the good thing about it is people of all ages can use it.

Here’s how it works. The exercise ball is used as a surface to lie on when performing various exercises. It can replace the floor or the bench (on the bench press). You lie with your back on the ball, and your feet on the floor for support. You can do abdominal crunches as well as many other exercises involving weights from that same position.

What’s the benefit of training this way, you ask? Here’s what it is. When you perform exercises with the fitness ball you are forcing your body to use extra muscles required for balance. More specifically, the muscles in the abdominal area, the core of your body become more involved.

If you are doing bench press exercises, for example, the main muscle groups being trained are the chest and the triceps (to a smaller extent). When you perform the same exercise on an exercise ball, more muscle groups become involved because of this instability you have created. As a result, along with the chest and triceps, the core and leg muscles are trained as well (as they help to maintain balance).

Many people are placing too much emphasis on exercising the lower body. You should spend an equal amount of time on the core. Your core strength is essential for balance and body stability. A stronger core helps you to perform your daily chores with greater ease. Remember every exercise performed on the fitness ball uses the core muscles. In addition, a strong core strengthens the lower back and helps to reduce the risk of lower back pain. And for those that dream of achieving that ever elusive six pack, the exercise ball may just be the answer.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted a study to determine the most effective exercise for the abdominal muscles. The results suggested the top rated exercise was abdominal crunches performed on an exercise or stability ball. (1)

Another good exercise involving the stability ball besides the popular abdominal crunches is leg squats. Here’s how to do them. Place the ball between your back and a wall. Start at the standing position and begin moving downwards by bending your knees. With your back straight, let the ball roll up your back as you move down, and down your back as you rise back up. This version of squats uses the ball as leverage without the use of weights. It’s also a good way to learn proper technique for performing squats. This exercise tones and builds the legs (quadriceps) and buttocks.

If you are looking to improve your fitness level and appearance you should consider getting an exercise ball. With it you can perform a total body workout. It’s very inexpensive and you can use it in the comfort of your home. You can find one in the range of fifteen to fifty dollars.

Here are some benefits of training with the exercise ball:

• Compatible with people of all ages and sizes.
• Firmness level can be easily adjusted to accommodate fitness level
• It’s affordable, lightweight, and easy to carry
• Can replace expensive and heavy workout benches
• Strengthens body core
• Strengthens lower back muscles
• It can be used for a whole body workout
• Increases flexibility
• Works on deep abdominal muscles you didn’t know existed
• Effective for physical rehabilitation
• It can be used with yoga

The harder balls have a higher level of difficulty when performing exercises. The softer the ball is, the easier the exercise. If you are a beginner you may want to start with a softer ball. To make the ball softer or less firm just deflate it. Make sure the ball is the proper size compared to your height. Manufactures and store outlets provide guidelines for height.

You can surf the net to compare various models. When you find the exercise ball you want, you can order it online, and it can be shipped right to your door. Look for merchants that offer free shipping.

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1 http://www.ginmiller.com, “Best Ab Exercises”, retrieved 15 Sep 2004 from <http://www.ginmiller.com/gmf04/artinfo/bestabsintro1.htm>

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