Exercise ball training began in Europe as a form of physical therapy. In 1980, U.S. physical therapist Joanne Posner-Mayer traveled to Switzerland and Denmark to study therapeutic exercise ball techniques. She founded Fitball, a ball manufacturer and educational organization, when she returned to the United States. When physical therapist Cheryl Soleway joined the Fitball educational team, she added a small ball release program, which combines the benefits of stretching and massage.
Stability
Your deep core muscles stabilize your spine, but the "use it or lose it" principle determines their ongoing health. Just as your muscles require resistance to stimulate contraction, your sense of balance requires instability in order to trigger core muscle activity. The Fitball provides an unstable training tool, which challenges your equilibrium and demands core muscle activity. The Fitball stabilization module begins with what Posner-Mayer calls the basic bounce. Sit upright on the ball, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles to maintain torso stability, and create a gentle bounce. Keep your heels on the floor.
Dynamic Balance
The basic bounce establishes stability. The Fitball "walkout" trains you for balance in motion, also called dynamic balance and transitional balance, because it requires you to maintain stability when flowing from movement to movement. Sit upright on the ball and draw your belly in. Walk your feet forward and let the ball roll from your buttocks to your neck. Walk your feet backward until you return to the starting position. To perform the prone walkout, begin with your chest on the ball, and walk your hands forward, allowing the ball to move toward your feet.
Massage
Soleway's small ball release program uses 5-, 6- or 7-inch balls for a technique called self-myfascial release. The method, which involves sinking your weight into the ball and performing small rolling movements, alleviates tension, relaxes overactive muscle groups, importunes mobility and range of motion, and reduces scar tissue and adhesion that result from injuries, overuse or misuse. Pilates instructors often incorporate the small ball release before the abdominal section of the workout. Lie supine with your knees bent, and place the ball under your neck. Gently roll you head from side to side until you feel the neck strain release.
Small Ball Release Benefits
Unlike static stretching, small ball release does not increase muscle length. This is particularly important for athletes, since too much length before a game may weaken your muscles and destabilize your joints. Small ball release bears similarity to the more common foam roller massage technique, but the smaller size of the Fitball enables you to zero in on smaller, specific areas. Mike Robertson of Robertson Training Systems explains that the size of the ball also increases the intensity of the massage. Since the ball is smaller than the roller, more of your body weight sinks into it, thereby increasing the pressure.
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