Fitness Ball Exercise - The Pros and Cons of Doing Exercise with a Fitness Ball

Fitness ball exercise is getting more and more popular. You see them in the gym, and there are many fitness ball exercise videos DVD and books being sold in your local bookstores. If you like add some variety and challenge to your routine workout routine, using a fitness ball can be a good idea.

Fitness balls have many names, such as exercise ball, gym ball, therapy ball, body ball, yoga ball, Pilate’s ball, sports ball, and Swiss ball. A fitness ball is cheaper and does not take up as much space as regular in-home exercise equipment. In addition to using it as an exercise equipment, many physical therapists use fitness balls to treat their patients who suffer from back pains, knee, and hip injuries.

A fitness ball usually have a diameter of about 55 to 85 centimeter, and they are made of elastic rubber. Fitness balls are available in many different sizes. To find the right fitness ball for your height, your feet should be on the ground and you can balance easily when you sit on it.

Fitness Ball Exercise Advantages

Fitness ball exercise can build your core strength, stability, control, and balance. During the exercise, you have to keep yourself balance on the imbalance fitness ball. Therefore, fitness ball exercise can effectively strengthen your muscle while you are struggling to keep balance on the ball. Most fitness ball exercise target to build your core back and abdominal muscles. Regular floor crunching only strengthen your upper abs’ muscles. Doing crunching exercise on a fitness ball, you can build abs muscles, back muscles, pelvic muscles, and hip muscles, because all these muscles are working together to help you stay on the ball.

Fitness ball exercises will never be boring. In fact, it can challenge your perseverance, stamina, patience, as well as self-discipline. It requires you to work the entire core muscles to get the best results.

 Fitness Ball Exercise Disadvantages

Be extremely caution when you do any fitness ball exercises. Strength training coaches revealed that fitness ball exercise can cause injuries easily. In addition, about 70 percent of fitness ball exercises are considered worthless. 

Sample Fitness Ball Exercise

Here are some fitness ball exercise you can try. These are some basic exercise that people do on a regular basis. The fitness ball adds a twist to these regular exercises and makes them more challenging.

Stretching

Give your back a good stretch by laying on the fitness ball and learn backward as far as you can. Stay there for a few seconds to stretch you back.

Push Up

To do push up on the fitness ball, put your hands on the floor and your feet on the fitness ball. To maintain balance, keep your feet apart. It is harder to do push up on the ball if your feet are put too closely together.

Sit up (or Sit back)

Sit on the fitness ball. Keep your feet on the floor and keep your back straight. Put your arm across your chest. Lean backward until you feel your abdominal muscle is being used. Then return to the original position.

Bridge

Lie on your back with your feet on the fitness ball. Tighten your abdominal muscle and raise your hip and buttock off the floor. Take 3 deep breath, then return to the original position. Repeat.

Fitness ball exercise is fun and challenging. Doing it properly, fitness ball exercises help you to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. It is also good for people who have back pain problems. However, if you are not sure if you are doing the exercise correctly, consult a fitness trainer to prevent injuries.