Think back on all the fitness doodads and gizmos that have come and gone in the last few decades. Due to a fitness craze that mostly began in the 1980s, you can likely think of a lot! While the Thigh Master and the Shake Weight have come and gone, one fitness fad has stuck around—the exercise ball, also known as a gym ball, Swiss ball, physioball, or stability ball. (I'll use "exercise ball" and "stability ball" interchangeably here.)
Why the staying power? Because unlike other fads, the exercise ball actually makes sense. This big rubber inflatable sphere is truly a versatile piece of workout equipment. And not just for serious bodybuilding or high athletic achieving individuals, either—the exercise ball is great for all levels of fitness. It can function as both a form of resistance in your workout or it can work as a bench or platform for exercising on.
Sports docs and physiotherapists have been using stability balls for years to help improve their patients’ core strength and overall functionality. More recently many gyms and studios have incorporated them. And to be honest, along with a pull-up bar, I think everyone should have a stability ball in their home.
What is an exercise ball good for?
Weight training
A properly inflated stability ball is an inexpensive and useful alternative to a weight bench. Plus, when you lie down on or otherwise use a ball while you lift weights, you activate some muscles aside from the ones you're focusing on. These muscles work to keep you stabilized and safely atop the ball.
Core training
Using an exercise ball in your core training can help in two ways. Doing core training atop a ball can help you increase the range of motion you're moving through. Using the ball as a resistance tool or weight also allows you to get more out of your core exercises.
A fancy chair
Most of us sit on a chair for many hours every day, which can lead to rounding the back, dropping the shoulders and a generally slouchy posture. But if you sit on a ball, you will naturally and almost automatically engage your core muscles, which allows you to maintain a nice upright posture while giving you a passive workout.
For a more on-purpose workout, try lifting a foot up off the ground while balancing on the ball.
Also, replacing your office chair with a ball can be a great antidote to the misguided ergonomics of our modern workstations. Instead of encouraging our bodies to stay in the same position for hours on end, sitting on a stability ball encourages your body to switch positions, wiggle around and—best of all—stand up and move more often!
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