Exercise Ball Workout - Exercise Ball Exercises & Workouts
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Why are Exercise Ball Workouts so effective?
Exercise Ball Exercises and Workouts Build Strength, burn fat and help you build a strong core and abdominal region.
If you are looking for a fun way to get into shape - look no further. Thanks to the simple exercise ball, you can get a fantastic workout in just a few minutes a day. Not only will the workout feel intense for your muscles, but you will find that it is entertaining since it is different than the "norm".
The exercise ball can be found at many gyms and they are an affordable addition to any home exercise equipment setup. They can be purchased at just any about store, both in person and online, and they run around fifteen to twenty dollars.
The three biggest benefits of Ball training
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Fun way to tone your body
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Add challenge to balance or core training
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Use for known exercises in place of bench or floor for core stability.
Inside This Article
-What is an Exercise Ball?
-Tips on Using Exercise Balls
-Upper Body Workout on an Exercise Ball
-Lower Body Workout on an Exercise Ball
So, now that you know that an exercise ball is the latest craze, just what exactly is it?
Basically, an exercise ball is an elastic PVC that is roughly 14-34 inches round and it is filled with nothing but air.
You can change the pressure of the exercise ball by removing the valve stem. Adding more air or deflating the exercise ball is easily done. Believe it or not, the exercise ball is not just used for physical therapy, but it is often times used for some weight training as well.
Other Names: The exercise ball actually goes by many names so you may have heard about it before but just did not put two and two together.
The exercise ball is also sometimes called the Swiss ball, gymnastic ball, pilates ball, body ball, sports ball, birth ball, yoga ball, stability ball and therapy ball.
These are not all of the names that the exercise ball is sometimes referred to as, but they are among the more popular.
The main benefit that you will receive when using the exercise ball is that you will engage more muscles with your exercise than you would have ever engaged without the use of it.
The ball will help teach your body to have better balance and the back and abdominal muscles are generally the focus of the exercise ball.
When you first bring home your exercise ball, most likely you are going to have to inflate it yourself before you are able to make use of it. The key is to make sure that you are completely inflating it without over inflating it.
When the exercise ball is completely inflated, it will take more balance on your part to make the most of it. Under inflated exercise balls do not require as much balance on your part.
Train in area with adequate space: Even though it might not seem like it at first, using an exercise ball requires some space. You may not want to move the couch or the dining room table every time you want to use the exercise ball.
Make sure that you are setting yourself up with an area that will be accessible for you when you want to work out with your exercise ball. Generally, you will want to allow about four feet circumference around the ball in order to be able to make the most out of your exercise routine.
When you start an exercise ball routine, make sure that you are completely aware of the routine before you begin. This is the best way to make sure that you are going to get the most out of the workout and that you will be able to avoid getting yourself hurt.
Upper Body Workout on an Exercise Ball
You are already aware of bodyweight exercises on the stability ball for the upper body as stability ball pushups, with either feet or hands on the ball as variations.
There are many other upper body workouts that you can do with the use of an exercise ball. Of course, some are more popular than others. Here are two upper body exercises with the exercise ball to get you started:
Shoulder Press
You will want to start off by sitting in a proper upright position on the exercise ball. Holding your dumbbells in a shoulder height - palm out position, you will want to press the dumbbells directly up over your head.
You will then give a brief pause and then gently lower the weights back down to your shoulder height. Make sure that you are not arching your back while completing this exercise. The shoulder press on the exercise ball is perfect for the triceps and the shoulders.
Biceps Curl
This is the perfect exercise for the biceps. Start in a proper sitting position on the exercise ball. You will hold the dumbbells down to your sides, allowing your palms to face out. While keeping your elbows at your side, you will want to lift the dumbbell up and towards your shoulders. Give a brief pause and then gently lower the dumbbells back down.
Lower Body Workout on an Exercise Ball
Even though most people already know that an upper body workout is easily obtained with the help of the exercise ball, not many seem to know that the exercise ball can be great for the lower body as well. Here are two examples of lower body workouts for the exercise ball:
Leg Extensions
You will begin by placing the ball under your upper back in order to stabilize your hips and your abs. Hold a medicine ball directly up over your chest with your knees at a 90 degree angle. During the same moment, lower your arms behind your head while you raise one leg straight out in front of you. Return to your beginning position and then repeat this motion but with the other leg.
Ball Squeeze
You will first begin by lying on your right side with the exercise ball resting between your shins. Squeeze the ball with your shins in order to hold it into place. You will then squeeze your inner thighs in order to contract the hip and the waist muscles. Repeat this several times for both sides.
As you can now easily see, there are many workouts that can be done with the help of the exercise ball. These workouts are only the surface of what can be done with the exercise ball.
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