Limitless Benefits Of Exercise Balls

Exercise balls are a proven way of increasing the difficulty of your workout by adding, at different times, resistance, structure, shape and weight to your exercises. An exercise ball is not limited to the big stability balls seen in gyms and physical therapists offices. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and weights to help achieve different goals.

When choosing an exercise ball , think first of what you're trying to attain. Balance, strength, massage, and power are all benefits of using specific exercise balls.

Want to increase core strength? Try a traditional stability ball. These are typically 65 centimeters in diameter and can be sat on, stretched out on or held between your ankles and squeezed for added work. These exercise balls come in different sizes and even have versions with little legs for beginners. They work on the idea that doing exercises on an unstable surface challenges deep abdominal and back muscles and help to increase your sense of balance and core strength.

For more power, there's nothing like a good old fashioned medicine ball. These weighted balls, sometimes filled with sand, have been around for decades and are making a comeback because of their simple idea: Doing an exercise while hauling a heavy load is difficult! Used to increase power for upper body or legs, this exercise ball comes in different weights starting at four pounds. A medicine ball can be applied to sports specific goals such as increasing a swing, throw, or squat.

A dual grip Medicine ball has all the benefits of a regular medicine ball with all the advantages of it's unique design. Looking like a Medicine ball with ears, the handles make it possible to do traditional strength training exercises as well all the power related moves of a regular medicine ball. It's easily gripped and fun to use.

Looking for more strength and tone? Soft Weighted Balls come in 2-8 lb increments and can be held easily in your hands. Taking their place along side traditional free-weights, these exercise balls are used in a similar way and used mostly for upper body conditioning. Because of their soft exterior, they're easily gripped which assists in working the muscles of the hands as well as the larger muscle group being targeted. Biceps, triceps, rotator cuff, chest and back are a few of the body parts that can be worked when using Small Weighted Balls.

To make your body feel good after your exercise ball workout, try a Body Therapy ball for a total body massage. This firm but pliable exercise ball is used to roll out the muscles from origin to insertion, meaning the whole length of the muscle. The muscles are essentially being massaged. As the weight of your body sinks into the ball, muscle tension is released. Benefits include ease in the muscles which help the surrounding joints move more freely, a feeling of relaxation, and increased circulation to the muscles.

Variety and diversity are the main reasons to establish workouts using the many different exercise balls available. Use a different one every day and you'll enjoy the limitless benefits of using an exercise ball.

Susannah Marchese is a certified Pilates fitness instructor and a senior contributing editor to the popular informative website Everything About Pilates.

By susannah marchese
Published: 9/13/2008




Stability Ball Exercise Progressions for Building Muscle and Core ...

After my article Stick Your Neck Out was published; I surprisingly caught some flack from the “hardcore” types just because I showed a stability ball being used in a few of the exercise applications.

EXERCISES FOR CORE

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Exercise Ball Workout For Core Strength And Abs

Continue for a couple of minutes. With these exercises you can begin to tone the abs and core muscles, including the vital muscles in the back which we depend on for so many activities. Walk To Bridge. Begin by sitting on the ball.