Core ball exercise is one of the most popular forms of group and home fitness. It provides workout variety, fun, and adds a balance training element to traditional strength-training programs. Core balls have a lengthy history of being used to help your physique, and they continue to grow in popularity as a form of exercise aid.
Core Ball Exercise History
Although core ball exercise is now a popular form of fitness, its roots are actually in physical therapy. In the 1960s a Swiss physical therapist named Dr. Susan Klein-Vogelbach was using them as a form of postural re-education. Her work inspired Joanne Posner-Mayer, an American physical therapist. After graduating from the University of Colorado physical therapy school in the 1980s, Posner-Mayer spend a few years practicing in Switzerland, under the auspices of some of the pioneers of the core ball movement. She founded Fitball, a core ball instructor training program in 1993. Then, in the mid-1990s, when balance and functional training became a popular mode of exercise, core ball exercise was introduced to the fitness industry.
Core Ball for Abdominal Exercise
As trainers become more knowledgeable about the actions of the deeper core musculature, they encourage their clients to voluntarily activate these muscles. Unfortunately, this actually makes it easy to cheat and not use these muscles. However, since using the core ball requires balance, the core muscles must be activated. Additionally, the core ball can increase the range of motion used in traditional abdominal exercises. For example, when performing a crunch on the floor, your range of motion is limited by the floor. In contrast, the core ball lets you bring the movement into extension, thus increasing the range of motion.
Core Ball Athletic Benefits
The core ball can be used for agility training and core training for all types of sports. In some cases, the core ball can be used in conjunction with a medicine ball. For example, you can perform a crunch by tossing the medicine ball into the air on the concentric or flexing phase of the movement, and catch it on the return phase. Since you need to focus on the movements of the medicine ball, while balancing on the core ball, agility is enhanced. Additionally, some core ball exercises can actually simulate the movements of certain sports.
Core Ball Pilates
The rolling movements of the core ball can be used to simulate the movements of the Pilates reformer machine. However, there is a significant differences. The reformer moves on a track. Even if your hips and knees are out of alignment, the reformer will still move forward and back. However, if there's any deviation from optimal alignment during core ball exercise, the ball will zigzag.
Strength Training on the Ball
The core ball can be used in lieu of a weight bench. Weight training can be performed from a supine, incline, decline or prone position. Unlike traditional weight bench training, which requires adjusting the bench position, body position on the ball is easily adjusted.
Core Ball for Special Populations
The core ball can be used in prenatal or senior fitness. For example, prenatal exercisers who have been approved for abdominal exercise, but have been advised against lying supine can perform crunches from an incline position on the core ball. Seniors can use the core ball for basic balance exercises, such as simply sitting on the ball.
Warnings
While core ball exercise can be used in conjunction with free weight, resistance band and cable exercise equipment, using heavy resistance is inappropriate and can cause injuries. However, it can be used in conjunction with a traditional strength training program. For example, a traditional bench press can be followed by a push-up on the ball, or a ball bench press using lighter weights. Additionally, despite videos you might have seen that showed professional athletes performing squats on the ball, this can be a dangerous for most people.
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