Yoga balls, also known as stability balls or balance balls, were introduced to the United States in the late 1980s. Once used mainly for therapeutic applications, these air-inflated spheres are now versatile fitness tools for home or in the gym. As the name suggests, you can use yoga balls as an aid in some yoga positions. You can put the same ball to a number of other uses, too.
Weight Bench
The yoga ball makes a challenging makeshift weight bench. Perform any sitting or lying free-weight exercises on the ball, although you might need to lift slightly lighter weights at first to compensate for the ball's instability. Every yoga ball has a maximum user weight limit, always marked on the packaging and usually marked on the ball itself. Note that the limit applies not just to your own body weight but any extra weights you're lifting, too.
Body-Weight Exercises
Yoga ball crunches work your abs, and the ball also allows you to work your back muscles with yoga ball pullovers. Kneel in front of the ball, place both fists on the ball, and roll your arms forward across the ball. Levering your arms down to force yourself back to the starting position works your lats.
Core Training
When your weight rests on the yoga ball, your core muscles must work overtime to combat the ball's tendency to roll. This works not just your abs but also the muscles of your back and hips. Placing your feet closer together, or lifting one foot off the ground as you sit or lie on the ball, makes balancing harder and intensifies challenging your core muscles.
Stretching Aid
The ball's rounded shape is ideal for supporting your spine during back and abdominal stretches. Drape yourself over the ball, face up or down, and relax into the stretch. Breathe normally and stretch to the point of muscular tension, not pain. If you're particularly inflexible, use a larger ball that offers a gentler curve. Use the yoga ball to stretch other muscles, too. For example, kneel in front of the ball, place both hands on the ball and lean down -- arms straight, torso parallel to the floor -- to stretch your lats.
Office Chair
The yoga ball also can double as an office chair. The only catch is that depending on your desk height, you might need a different-size ball to get into an ergonomically correct working position than to achieve your favorite yoga pose.
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