Exercise balls, also known as stability or fitness balls, are commonly used to work the core, but they can also be used to work the entire body. Before you purchase an exercise ball, make sure you get the right size. They run from 45cm to 75cm in 10cm increments. Match your height to the chart on the side of the box that houses the ball. After you bring it home and pull it out of the box, pump it up to its appropriate diameter.
Step 1
Lay the ball out on the floor. Take out all the wrinkles and have the hole facing up. Leave the ball on the floor until it is about room temperature.
Step 2
Measure a location on the wall that is the height of your ball. Take 65cm for example. This comes out to about 25 1/4 inches. Place a small tick mark on the wall at this height. If your ball is not 65 cm, simply multiply its size by .39 to convert it to inches.
Step 3
Inflate your ball. Exercise balls come with either a hand pump with a cone insert on the end or an adapter for a regular pump. Use the pump that came with it by inserting the cone shaped tip into the hole and continually pushing the handle up and down. If it came with an adapter, insert it into the hole and attach a pump to the other end. Inflate the ball until it looks close to your dimension. Pull out the adapter and quickly slip the plug into the hole. Push it down so the top is just above the surface of the ball.
Step 4
Roll the ball over to your mark on the wall, crouch down and eyeball the height of the ball. Push the plug down until it is flush with the ball if you are at your mark. Take the plug out and slightly deflate the ball if it is higher than the mark, and add air if it is lower than the mark. Push the plug back in once you are done.
Step 5
Sit on the ball to ensure it is at the right height. Make sure your thighs parallel the floor when you are sitting upright on the ball. Although you may have gotten the right size ball for your height recommendation, this can sometimes be off slightly. Notice how far the ball compresses when you sit on it as well. It should go down no more than 6 inches.
Step 6
Check your ball the next day. Balls often stretch overnight, causing them to decrease in size. Roll your ball over to your mark and check. If it is lower, pull the plug and add air. Keep checking your ball every month to see if it has deflated and add air accordingly.
Tips and Warnings
- Most exercise balls come with plug pullers to make it easy to remove the plugs. If you get a ball that does not have one, you can find them online or visit a local sporting goods store to see if they have them.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Adapter
- Pump
- Plug
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