Exercise balls, also called stability balls, range in size from 6 inches in diameter, about the size of a small melon, to 75 cm, about the diameter of an adult baseball bat. No matter what your preferred workout, there is an exercise guide to help you incorporate a stability ball. Choose from exercises that change your relationship to gravity, add support or instability, or simulate larger pieces of equipment. Talk to your doctor about choosing an exercise program that is appropriate for you.
Weight Training
Free-weight training offers flexibility because you can perform these exercises at home or at the gym, and adding a stability ball to your weight-training routine can boost your results, notes Adam Campbell, author of "The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises." His book offers hundreds of options to achieve results using stability balls to vary your position. The Power Systems company offers similar free options on their website.
Pilates
Several Pilates instructors have modified classic Pilates reformer routines for use with a large stability ball. Ellie Herman, author of "Ellie Herman's Pilates Workbook on the Ball," recommends seated bouncing as a warmup, followed by footwork and other classic Pilates exercises using the ball. Enthusiasts can also choose varying levels of difficulty in exercises by using Stott Pilates' line of five DVDs featuring a large stability ball.
Yoga
Yoga enthusiasts can add either a large 45 cm to 75 cm stability ball, or a small 6 to 9 inch stability ball to their poses to add support and movement to traditional poses. Carol Mitchell, author of "Yoga on the Ball: Enhance Your Yoga Practice Using the Exercise Ball," advises choosing a ball that allows you to sit upright on it with your feet flat on the floor. Rodney Yee advises using the smaller balls to stimulate muscle release in his DVD, "Yoga Ball Body Therapy."
Stretch
Fitness professionals around the country use both large and small stability balls to coach their clients through stretching routines. Adding a stretch component to your regular workout can reduce muscle soreness and tension, as well as your risk of injury, according to IDEA trainer Carol Murphy. The American Council on Exercise and the IDEA Health and Fitness Association post sample stretch routines on their websites, which you can access at no cost.
References
- "Men's Health Big Book of Exercises"; Adam Campbell; 2009
- Power Systems: Stability Ball Exercises With The VersaBall Pro
- "Ellie Herman's Pilates Workbook on the Ball"; Ellie Herman; 2003
- "Stott Pilates Stability Ball DVD Series"; Stott Pilates; 2001
- "Yoga on the Ball: Enhance Your Yoga Practice Using the Exercise Ball"; Carol Mitchell; 2003
- "Yoga Ball Body Therapy"; Rodney Yee; 2006
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