Exercise Ball dvd, Videos, Buy Order.

The stability ball is one of my favorite training tools because it’s so versatile. It can be used by sedentary individuals to develop proprioception (body awareness). It can also be used by workers to rehab an injury. And most recently, top level athletes are using the ball to improve strength and balance in an unstable environment.

Why is the stability ball so beneficial?

1) The stability ball develops the deep segmental muscles that stabilize the spine. Many trainers and coaches use exercises like deadlifts and good mornings to strengthen the back. While these exercises are effective for strengthening the hips and spinal erectors (low back muscles), they don’t develop the deep spinal stabilizers: the multifidus, rotatores, interspinales, etc. By exercising on the ball, you engage these segmental muscles. And developing them not only helps prevent injury, it also improves your posture and efficiency in movement.

2) The stability balls ability to roll in all directions makes it a great training stimulus for working in all three planes of motion (front-to-back, side-to-side, and rotational).

3) The unstable quality of the ball develops the neutralizers (muscles which counteract the actions of other muscles) and stabilizers (muscles that surround the joint and hold it relatively still) involved in the movement. For example, when you do a push up with your hands on the ball and your feet on the ground (as illustrated in the photo), the stabilization required recruits and develops the neutralizers and stabilizers of the shoulder girdle/joint. As a result, you become stronger in exercises that work the same muscles but don’t require stabilization. In this example, you’d be stronger in chest exercises performed on a bench, such as the bench press.

stability ball benefits

Take a look at the many benefits you receive from an exercise ball workout designed to challenge your core strength, balance, and to have fun.

1. Balance – An exercise ball workout incorporates the added challenge of balance while you are doing a workout with bands, dumbbells, or a core workout such as Pilates.

2. Core Strength – Each exercise you do in your exercise ball core workout incorporates having to stabilize the core before you can begin to work the extremities like your arms or legs.

For instance, if you are trying to perform a push up using the exercise ball as you walk out into position you need to make sure the abdominals are engaged or you will roll right off the ball.

An exercise ball squat is a great way to strengthen your legs. Position the ball on the wall and lean your lower back into it. As you bend your knees to a sitting position you’ll feel the ball roll up your spine. If you are not engaging your abdominal muscles you will roll off the side of the ball.

3. Progressive Exercises – The dynamic nature of your workout on the exercise ball allows you to progressively increase or decrease the intensity of the exercises by making slight adjustments in your body position.

As you walk your upper body farther out off the ball the more weight you will be pushing and the harder the exercise will become. Supporting more of your body weight on the ball will make it easier to do push ups.

4. Greater Range of Motion – For many abdominal exercises the ball allows for a greater range of motion, which helps to increase your flexibility and strength in the muscles. An abdominal curl where you roll your spine back over the ball is a greater range than you would achieve on a flat surface.

5. Dynamic Transitions – The rolling aspect of the ball allows you to roll into positions with ease and a more challenging transition to another exercise. For instance when doing an exercise ball Pilates workout you can transition from a side stretch or oblique lift right into kneeling side kicks on top of the ball working the abductors of the thighs.

6. Improves Breathing Techniques – When doing an exercise ball Pilates workout, once again the dynamic transitions allow for more focused and deep abdominal breathing techniques.

7. Convenience – The exercise ball workout can be done anywhere. At home, when you travel, at the in-laws, in the yard. All you need a small amount of floor space and a ball. Most of the balls can be deflated and easily filled up with a foot or hand pump so you can pack them along anywhere you go.

8. Fun! – The big round ball adds an element of play to your exercise ball workout. Fun is an important aspect of any fitness routine because it inspires and motivates us to exercise.