When Aquilino Cosani, the Italian toy maker, created big, colorful balls as a child's play toy, he probably didn't know that they would one day become a hot fitness trend. The balls took a long journey before reaching gyms and exercise studios. They were used for physical therapy before they were used for general exercise, but their versatility and affordability makes them a coveted piece of exercise equipment.
The Fun Factor
There's no reason why kids should have all of the exercise fun. The exercise balls add a sense of novelty and fun to a workout, which may help you prevent burnout.
Balance Challenge
The balls are unstable objects, so using them for exercise poses a balance challenge. Balance training enhances athleticism, and may prevent falling in senior citizens.
Flexibility Training
The exercise ball can be used for both dynamic and static flexibility exercises. You can perform dynamic flexibility exercises, which are flexibility exercises involving movement, by sitting on the ball and circling your hips, or using your upper body to roll the ball in different directions. The ball also provides support for static stretches that involve spinal extension. People whose tight hip flexors make it difficult to perform forward flexing stretches from a seated position will find it easier to perform these stretches while sitting on an exercise ball.
Abdominal Exercise
The American Council on Exercise studied various methods of abdominal training and found that the exercise ball was one of the most efficient ways to train the core. The exercise ball is used for crunches and oblique exercises. It can also be placed between the inner thighs for reverse curls.
Strength Training
The exercise ball can be used in an incline, decline or seated position as an exercise bench. It's an efficient way to incorporate core stability training into your strength conditioning program.
Dynamic Seating
Sitting on the ball while you work at your computer encourages you to keep your core muscles active.
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