When Joseph Pilates created his original method of body conditioning early in the 20th century, he did not develop exercises for the Swiss ball, also called a stability ball. In his book, "Return to Life Through Contrology," Pilates offered instructions for exercises to be done on a mat using the body's own weight for resistance. Many of these exercises focus on stabilizing and flexing the core muscles of the abdominals and back, and can be adapted for use on the Swiss ball.
Back on Ball
Pilates exercises traditionally performed with your back on the mat adapt well to the supine, or upward facing, position on the ball. These exercises require extra stability from your deep abdominal muscles. Position the ball to adequately support your spine so you can move without serious strain to your neck or pinching in your lower back. If the exercise seems too easy, move the ball down your back an inch or two. If the exercise seems too difficult, move the ball up a bit more toward your shoulders.
The Hundred is a classic Pilates exercise which translates well to the ball. Your arms will pump straight at your sides with your upper body in a slight crunch and head raised. This motion might bounce your body on the ball, but your aim is to try to remain still. Perform the Rollup on the ball just as you would on the mat, but keep your knees bent. Crisscross is also suitable for the ball, but becomes very advanced if you lift your knee as you crunch across your body.
Abs on Ball
The prone, or downward facing position, allows you to perform Swimming and Pilates Push-ups on the ball. Position your abdominals on the top of the ball and your legs hip width apart to balance on the balls of your feet. Pressing your pelvic bones down firmly into the ball and drawing in on your navel helps activate your abdominal and gluteus muscles. Stretch the chest up to do a standard back extension before Swimming, to find your range of motion in this position.
For Swimming, lift the right arm and the left leg simultaneously while balancing your center on the ball. This motion might cause your body to slide to one side, but work to keep your balance instead. Switching smoothly back and forth between legs and arms in opposition is a workout for the entire back of your body. Pilates push-ups usually start standing up, as demonstrated in "Total Pilates" by Malcolm Muirhead. Adapting them to the ball requires you to hold your body in a suspended plank position, with the ball under your lower abdominals for beginners, or under the shins for more advanced work.
Ball in Feet
Several exercises for the mat in Pilates get a boost from holding a Swiss ball between your feet. Position the ball so your feet are directly at the sides of it, then turn your legs out slightly at the hips to engage the inner and outer thighs. While flat on your back, you perform the Corkscrew and Double Straight Leg Stretch exercises almost exactly as done in historical Pilates matwork, except the added weight and size of the Swiss ball in your legs advances these movements. Crunching at the ribs and bending at the knees allows you to do Double Bent Leg Stretch as well as a modified version of Open Leg Rocker. These adaptations put extra strain on the core and thighs, and should only be used by experienced Pilates students.
References
- "Return to Life Through Contrology"; Joseph H. Pilates and William J Miller; 1945
- "Total Pilates"; Malcolm Muirhead; 2003
- "Get on the Ball"; Lisa Westlake; 2002
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Stabilty Ball Exercises for Core Strength
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