The Swiss created the exercise ball as a rehabilitation tool for people with back injuries and physical disabilities. The inflated vinyl balls engage more of the muscles for any activity because they require constant tiny corrections for balance and stability. When yoga is used for conditioning, adding exercise balls to the poses increases the intensity of the workout.
The Appeal of Exercise Balls
Exercise balls are also called stability balls because it takes tremendous focus and strength to maintain stability when using them. They can provide flexible support for the back for abdominal exercises and make holding traditional yoga poses an entirely new challenge. And they have become popular in yoga studios because they increase toning and add variety to a yoga routine or class. Working with the balls is particularly helpful to anyone recovering from a back, knee or leg injury.
The Back, Spine and Core
Exercise balls and yoga postures create a fitness alchemy that benefits specific target areas. The spine and back are supported by the ball so that more challenging poses can be attempted safely. The core, the midsection of the body that contains the deep abdominals, the lower back and the spine muscles, is activated by the instability of the ball. Core muscles that support all the body's movement are hard to work in a normal fitness routine, but you can immediately engage them when doing yoga on the exercise ball.
Posture and Muscle Balance
The exercise ball discourages overarching your back during workouts because any departure from ideal balance will make you unstable. Another advantage of the ball is that it supports even development of muscle groups. To maintain balance, you can't favor one side or one group over another. And neglected back muscles like the glutes and hamstrings are worked every time you use the ball for back support during a pose.
Adaptation
To use an exercise ball for yoga postures, the poses must be slightly adapted. For example, a classic yoga cobra pose is toes pointed, legs stretched back along the floor, head up, back arched and supported by fully extended arms pushing up from the floor. The exercise ball cobra begins with the legs and toes extended, the chest resting on the ball with the hands behind the head. The arms then move forward in unison, thumbs up until they are fully extended. Raise them as high as possible towards the ceiling; rotate the arms around in a circular movement ending with the arms along the body, hands by the hips.
Precautions
Exercise balls are inflated and can be punctured. Avoid wearing anything sharp and check the area where the ball will be used for objects that could gouge or poke a hole in it. The ball requires constant work and can be tiring to use so begin using it for a few yoga poses during a routine until your stamina can handle the extra effort. Work with a yoga instructor to develop a practice using the ball. Yoga asanas are controlled and exercise balls are unstable and random. Learning correct form for poses using the ball may take some practice.
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