Fitness Ball Workout

When you think of back exercises have you considered a fitness ball workout?

A FUN and EASY way to help you feel better all over.

Exercise balls, stability balls, Swiss balls and physio balls, and on and on...

You may have heard them called many things, but the names are often interchangeable and for the most part refer to the same big, durable, vinyl ball, one that is widely used to improve balance, and build strength and endurance in your lower back and abdominal muscles.

Fitness balls have been in use for years as part of rehabilitation programs, originally used for strengthening lower back muscles and for abdominal muscles. Due to their success in that environment a fitness ball workout has become incorporated by a vast number of physical education teachers, personal trainers and coaches in many of their training programs.

The balls popularity doesn't end there.

They're in nearly every health club and gym, even being used by heavy-duty body builders for awesome ab workouts. People have them in their office and at home. Fitness balls and fitness ball exercises have become so mainstream, that you may have already seen someone in your office with a fitness ball chair! If not, start a trend!

And, because the balls are just about the most lightweight piece of exercise equipment you'll every own, and easy to inflate and deflate, they can travel with you, just about anywhere.

How to Use Fitness Ball

First off, make sure you have a ball that is the right size for your height, weight and any medical condition which you need to take into consideration.

Once you've selected the properly sized ball you can begin to integrate the use of the ball into your own fitness ball exercise routine. 

This might include:

• fitness ball Pilates or fitness ball yoga
• abdominal muscle strengthening techniques, and
• weight training

Or, just try relaxing and sitting on your ball as you're having conversations or watching television. Due to the imbalance of the ball your abdominal and lower back muscles continually need to adjust while using it. So, even sitting on the ball for short spurts of time will still provide you with some of the same benefits as other fitness ball workouts.

If you are new to fitness balls, many health clubs offer fitness ball classes. Otherwise, you can easily find an exercise ball fitness video or book, either online or at a bookstore - sometimes even a health food or vitamin store.

A fitness ball workout should feel FUN and natural. Don't push it until you know your limits and only use a ball if you know it's medically advisable!

Here are a few of the very basics that you will probably be starting off with to get yourself acquainted with your ball. Proper breathing needs to be a big part of your fitness ball workout, just as it is with any form of exercise.

Balancing Sit

• Sit on your fitness ball and begin rotating your hips in clockwise circles.
• Turn in the opposite direction, moving your hips in counterclockwise circles.

Flexibility

• Comfortably lay backwards over your fitness ball, with your head, neck, back and shoulders arched over the ball to support it.
• Extend your arms out at your sides, parallel with the floor.
• Hold this position for up to 30 seconds.
• Lower your arms to your side and return to starting position.

Strength Building

• Lie face down across the top of your ball, with your abdomen resting on the ball.
• Place your palms on the floor, beneath your shoulders.
• Extend your legs behind you.
• Tuck your chin until the back of your head is parallel to your spine.
• Slowly lower your chin to the floor by bending your arms at the elbows.
• Slowly lift yourself back to the starting position.

Once you are comfortable with the instability of your ball and how it moves with you, you'll be on your way to incorporating the ball into your own fitness ball workout routine.

Fitness Ball Pilates - Fitness Ball Yoga

Traditionally, fitness balls have not been considered standard Pilates equipment and were not used as part of a Pilates exercise movement. Similarly, the balls were not thought of in regards to yoga movements. However, the benefit of exercise ball Pilates and exercise ball yoga:

• improved balance and coordination
• greater body awareness
• better toned abdominal muscles
• increased range of motion with greater agility
• core muscle strengthening

...and the ease by which they can be incorporated into your Yoga and Pilates exercise routines, have made them increasingly popular.  Experiment with the instability of the ball  and add challenge to a variety exercises.