Fitness Exercise Balls
Experience the advantages of a full body workout at home with a fitness ball. An inexpensive item to add to your home workout equipment, fitness balls provide a unique workout.
Fitness exercise balls are made from poly vinyl and generally have a diameter anywhere from 18 and 28 inches. A large air filled ball, a fitness ball is durable and can hold weight up to 600 or 700 pounds. Used in physical therapy and fitness, there are several names used for exercise balls:
- Pilate’s ball
- Gym ball
- Therapy ball
- Balance Ball
- Exercise ball
- Yoga ball
- Body ball
- Sports ball
- Swiss ball
Your body will respond to the fitness ball’s instability, while at the same time you keep your balance and use more muscles – they are strengthened while you struggle to maintain balance. Your body’s core muscles: the abdominal and back muscles are targeted with fitness ball exercises. Your patience, stamina, self discipline will be challenged while doing this form of exercise.
Fitness balls are valuable because they’re round. It creates instability and makes your core body muscles work.
If you contrast crunching exercises with the fitness ball to doing crunches on the floor, the floor crunches only work the upper abs but on a fitness exercise ball, the abs, back, hip, pelvic and core muscles work together to keep you on the ball. You’re working the front and back muscles at the same time, developing a healthy and better balanced shape.
Advantages of using the Fitness Ball:
Great for your posture
Works the core muscles
May help if you’ve been previously injured (check with a doctor)
Relieves strain
Improves flexibility
Can be used by anyone
Light weight – carry it anywhere
Disadvantages to using the Exercise Ball
Be careful not to overuse
Can cause injury
Some coaches say that a big percentage of fitness ball exercises are worthless.
Benefits of using the Fitness Exercise Ball
Proper Alignment
While training with the fitness ball, you’ll be challenged to maintain your balance. As a result, your body parts will align properly.
Weight Loss
Along with the benefits of using the fitness ball, you’ll lose weight as well, when you exercise regularly.
Work Those Abs!
If you’re looking to get your abs in great shape, you can use the fitness ball to target this area. While using the fitness exercise ball, the back and abs muscles work simultaneously as you workout.
Stamina and Muscle Strength
Increase your stamina and muscle strength – since all of your major muscles get a workout, strength, stamina and strength improve, along with stability, flexibility and resistance.
Stretch
Start your exercise routine with stretching with the exercise ball. The fitness ball will allow you to move easily between stretching positions.