Many health benefits derive from the use an exercise ball as part of your workout routine. Other names for the exercise ball are Swiss ball, gym ball, Pilates ball, Pezzi ball, fitness ball etc. These name clearly illustrate that this simple piece of equipment has extensive applications in athletic training, regular exercise and even physical therapy. Lots of people also combine it with weight training, to add novelty and intensity to their workouts.
An exercise ball measures 14 to 34 inches in diameter (35 to 85 centimeters) and it is made of soft elastic plastic. As compared to working out on a flat surface, exercising with a Swiss ball makes the body respond to the instability of the ball by putting more muscles to work to maintain the balance of the body. This trains and strengthens core muscles in particular (abdominal muscles and back muscles) that are responsible for maintaining correct body posture.
Working out with an exercise ball thus benefits people who suffer from chronic and acute back pain, pregnant women, people who’ve been through physical trauma and need to recover and pretty much anybody who wants to develop a healthy fitness routine.
The exercise ball is very inexpensive equipment, and it does not limit you to just a few exercises. If you search online, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that there are over 50 different types of workouts that can be performed with an exercise ball.
There are even people who prefer to sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair while working at the desk. So far, we don’t have scientific evidence that this works to benefit core muscles, if they are not actively engaged and active. You can nevertheless try to see what happens if you sit on the exercise ball without any additional exercise.
Some fitness instructors include the exercise ball among the items they use in their gym. Even if you exercise at home, there is nothing difficult in using this item of equipment for strengthening your muscles and achieving your fitness goals properly. In case you have not been working out in a long time, you should be careful to take routines gradually, so that you don’t try to meet too advanced goals.
Working out at your level represents the first step to efficiently meeting your goals. This is probably the golden rule of exercising, regardless if you use an exercise ball or not.