1. The Origins of Exercise Balls
Exercise balls were first created and used for physical rehabilitation in Switzerland and are often still referred to as Swiss balls. Over the years, the benefits of exercise balls have become well known, and they are now used by chiropractors, physical therapists, orthopedic doctors, strength coaches, personal trainers and by people like you at home. The benefits of exercise balls are endless and they can be used by virtually anyone, regardless of age or fitness level, for injury recovery, strength training and even weight loss.
2. The Power of Balance
Exercise balls are inherently unstable, meaning that as you perform ball exercises, you must constantly engage your muscles to maintain balance which in turn works to increase strength, coordination and flexibility. As you continue regular exercises, you will increase lean muscle mass without adding bulk. It is a proven fact that the more lean muscles mass a person has on their body, the faster body fat can be burned, the key behind losing weight with an exercise ball.
3. Caring for the Core
One of the key factors behind weight loss and exercise balls is building core strength, or stabilizing and strengthening the deep muscles along the spine and abdomen. It is impossible not to work the core as you balance the ball. Not only does this mean more lean muscle mass, it also mean increase performance in other physical activities which can help aid in weight loss. How, you might ask? Well, in order to move your arms and legs for running, walking, swimming or simply living, the body recruits the muscle power of the core. Therefore, as you increase core strength, you will enjoy better stamina and performance in all of your daily activities with less effort, making exercise less stressful.
4. Pain Relieve for Better Performance
As you strengthen the core with an exercise ball, you will find that your body posture will improve naturally and common aches and pains in the hips, back, neck and shoulders will be greatly reduced. Relief of pain is another way that you can lose weight with an exercise ball, as a pain-free body moves with greater ease and more often, helping you to increase you physical exercise in general.
5. A Study on Stretching
Studies have shown that cross-training is the best way to maximize weight loss, mixing cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching. By adding an exercise ball to yoga, Pilates or other exercise routines, you can easily cross-train in the comfort of your own home to increase weight loss with one simple exercise tool.
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