Once you have mastered the basic moves, you can add variations that intensify the difficulty, recruit more core muscles and incorporate the upper body. These multi-functional versions of squats, lunges and wall sits help you ge...
With all the diet books and information on healthy eating, why are we getting fatter? Diets that are too restrictive or require boot-camp style exercise programs can be difficult and discouraging. You don’t have to give a...
Fitness balls, sometimes called stability or Swiss balls, were first used by physical therapists, but have become popular with home workout enthusiasts as well. Fitness balls lose air over time and require occasional re-inflati...
The BOSU, which stands for "Both Sides Utilized," features an inflated dome surface mounted onto a flat base, creating the impression of an exercise ball that's been sliced in half. Users may sit, stand or lean on the...
Introducing the exercise ball into your fitness routine provides variety to basic moves like crunches, pushups and squats. Use the fitness ball to vary or modify your workout to match your fitness needs.
Basic exercises performed with a stability ball commonly target the muscles of your stomach, known as your abdominals or abs. Balancing on a stability ball while lifting your feet, individually or at the same time, forces your ...
In American football it is vital to have a properly inflated ball. A properly inflated ball travels faster and goes farther than a ball that is partially deflated. To know if your ball is inflated properly, you'll need to know ...
Stability exercises help grade school students improve balance and core strength. The activities work well in the physical education curriculum, in the classroom or at home to increase stability. When teaching children new exer...
Yoga accommodates bodies of every shape, size and age. Unlike other forms of exercise that require perfect adherence to form, yoga poses permit some customization to make room for a larger stomach or less flexible joints. While...
Back pain is fairly common in adults, especially those who are older, according to the American Geriatrics Society. Back pain can be a symptom of a serious problem such as a vertebral fracture, arthritis, slipped disk, irritati...
The differences between the side press and the bent press lie in form and which muscle groups they target. The exercises traditionally use a kettlebell, a cast-iron weight with an appearance similar to a bowling ball with a han...
The reverse woodchop is an exercise you can perform with a resistance band, kettlebell or dumbbells. The regular woodchop exercise mimics the motion of chopping wood with an axe, using your arms, abdominal muscles and torso rot...
Thera-Bands and BodyFit Balls are products created to improve physical fitness by working your muscles and burning calories. Both are available at exercise-equipment retailers and make an ideal addition to your home gym. Using ...
Stability balls are a popular tool among rehab professionals, who have long understood and appreciated the ball's therapeutic value. Fitness instructors now use balls in group fitness settings, enjoying how they challenge the c...
Volleyball is an aggressive sport that requires energy, focus and teamwork. You must master a variety of techniques for serving, passing, setting and hitting. A punch in volleyball is part of a serving technique called the floa...
Because of the grave nature of annular tears, modifying your workout is necessary for safety reasons. Consult a doctor before performing any exercises with an annular tear.
Body awareness relies on tactile and vestibular position senses. There are several exercises children can do to help improve body awareness.
A stability ball, which is sometimes referred to as a fitness ball or an exercise ball, is an elastic, lightweight sphere filled with air that ranges in size, but is often 2 to 3 feet in diameter. This fitness tool is ideal for...
The seated dip exercise may be done using an exercise machine that has moveable and weighted arm handles. It may also be performed at your home or office using a sturdy chair. This exercise works the triceps muscles of the uppe...
As a senior, you want an exercise program that is safe, effective and affordable. An at-home workout using small balls, the kind children use on playgrounds, provides a challenging workout to improve your strength. Isolate vari...
A wide variety of exercises target this essential muscle group, but the exercise ball elevates oblique workouts to an art form, while taking rotational and side-bending movements to the next level of proficiency.
The exercise stability ball is used to strengthen large and small muscles. This versatile tool is an inexpensive addition to your workout program. If your hips, glutes, thighs and core are an area of concern, a side-lying leg l...
Doing abdominal exercises with a fitness ball, exercise ball or physio ball during the second trimester of your pregnancy offers a variety of benefits. It improves your posture and stability, both of which are compromised durin...
This requires regular workouts combined with a healthy diet. Although many men choose to join gyms, you can achieve excellent sculpting results by working out at home. You can perform various exercises that need little or no wo...
If you're bored with your current ab routine, adding a medicine ball and a partner to your workout can liven up your exercise while engaging your muscles in a new way. Recruit a workout partner and a properly weighted medicine ...
Everyone has pectoral and abdominal muscles, it's just that for many, they aren't very developed or are hidden under fat -- or both. A double-pronged approach, addressing both muscle size and body fat, is necessary for a sculpt...
Regular exercise improves children's health, but physical activity also benefits a child's stress levels, feelings, sleep and ability to focus and learn at school. Parents often set the standard for how much or how little exerc...
The Danskin Now is a special product line endorsed by Gabby Reese, a celebrity fitness expert, and sold only at WalMart. The line includes several exercise balls, including a standard 65 centimeter ball and a mini, 25 centimete...
It is tilted between 30 to 60 degrees from the ground, and its springing effect allows the ball to bounce back at you without relying on a wall or workout partner. The angle and force in which the ball bounces back at you depen...
The Altus ball is also known as a fitness ball or stability ball. It came around back in the 1960s and has been used extensively in the field of orthopedics. Ball exercises are designed to help strengthen your core, back and mu...
You raise and lower your upper or lower body as resistance to tone and shape your hips. The ball provides a comfortable support for one hip hinge variation or a stability challenge for the other variation. Allow for one day of ...
This allows the muscles of the back to be worked intensely, as bicep endurance is often the limiting muscle factor during a back workout.
Large, inflatable exercise balls are versatile objects well-suited for children bored with routine exercise. According to “Having a Ball: Stability Ball Games” by John Bly, Ph.D., rather than teaching children adult...
This is not without reason: yoga's stress-relieving properties are well-documented. People often forget, however, that yoga is an exercise and does promote muscle toning, endurance and flexibility.
Oblique muscles can be challenging to exercise, but using an exercise ball can provide effective muscle strengthening and toning. Using proper form is essential to reduce the risk of back injury or unequal muscle formation. Bre...
Running backs need to accelerate quickly to get downfield and make big plays. Linebackers need quick feet to get over or around blockers and tackle the ball carriers. A quick spin move by a defensive end can allow him to break ...
Performing situps on a hard surface can cause your tailbone to rub against, and push into, the floor, making it tough to complete the exercise. Pulling your stomach in toward your spine can diminish some of the pressure on your...
You can move forward, back, side to side and even rotate. Sometimes you perform these motions at the same time at different joints of your body. These movements happen in different planes of motion and are called mulitplanar. Y...
The oblique muscles, located on the outside of your midsection or core, are often forgotten when working out. Sometimes called love handles, they are often neglected by bodybuilders and athletes. But strengthening the obliques ...
Exercises performed with aerobic balls improve your core muscle strength in your abdominals, back muscles and muscles around your pelvis. While this piece of equipment is useful to include in your exercise regime, it takes up a...
Bouncing on a stability ball targets your core muscles -- the deep abdominals, back and pelvic muscles -- depending on how you perform the exercise. In certain cases, however, you may need to consciously engage the deep abdomin...
Fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. Being fit doesn’t necessarily mean you can lift 200 lbs. or swim 50 laps. However, some daily foundation exercises not only maintain whatever your fitness level is, they also incre...
Activities that burn more calories, such as vigorous cardiovascular exercise, can help you burn fat faster. Medicine balls and other resistance equipment, although they generally burn fewer calories per workout, can still help ...
In 1957, the first Universal gym was offered for sale. In 1970, entrepreneur Arthur Jones founded a company to make Nautilus exercise equipment. These dates provided a watershed between old-fashioned exercises that predated the...
You’ll never see results if you aren’t eating healthy foods, watching your calories and performing at least 30 minutes of cardio five days a week. Although a good exercise, situps tend to isolate the upper abs, leav...
These muscles are responsible for torso rotation and they aid in providing core strength, which, along with the abdominal and back muscles, helps support the spine. Flank exercises typically include a twisting movement in the t...
Therapy, or exercise, balls keep the spine straight. This is an advantage for those looking to strengthen the back after injury or damage to the discs. Exercising can help relieve pain from back injuries, according to Dr. Ron D...
This V-shaped set of muscles responds well to isolated movements. You may do a variety of exercises at the gym with equipment or at home on an exercise mat. For something different, perform oblique exercises with weights on a S...
Of three possible levels of difficulty, the American Council on Exercise lists the stability ball pike handstand at the highest level. This advanced exercise requires considerable strength, flexibility and balance. The stabilit...
Swiss balls — or stability balls, as they are originally known from physical therapy — allow total-body exercise. Front walkout exercises on the ball develop full-body strength, stability and balance. Try front wal...
During this state, your body uses fat as the primary fuel source to cool your body, repair damaged tissues and replenish nutrients to your body. When you train with medicine balls, use your lower body and abdominals to generate...
A rowing action exerciser, or rowing machine, is a low-impact workout that can improve your cardiovascular fitness and build strength and endurance if instructions are followed properly. It also can help burn calories and works...
The higher your hips, the harder your back must work. And while the deadlift remains one of the best lower back exercises, you can turn it into too much of a good thing. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any s...
However, if you perform the squat with incorrect form, you can place undue stress on your lower back or knees. To squat properly, you should stay flat-footed during the squat and not be up on the balls of your feet.
By using an exercise ball to work out the transverse -- or deep abdominal wall -- muscle, you provide stability for the spine and strengthen a core muscle, enhancing overall body movement. Similar in function to a back support ...
In most cases, sciatica dissipates on its own within six to eight weeks, but in the meantime, sciatica can be very uncomfortable. Several home remedies can manage pain and discomfort, including tennis ball massage. Consult your...
When the flanks become fatty, this area is also known as the saddlebags. To lose fat anywhere on your body, you need to burn more calories than consume. Fat reduction occurs throughout your body; spot training does work to melt...
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, ...
Exercising your buttocks can be as simple as sticking to a walking or jogging regimen. But if you're more of the inside type, then you can hunker down on an exercise mat and whittle away your butt with a series of targeted mo...
weights is a good introduction to strength training, especially if you are a senior citizen or an individual with low mobility. Use 1-lb. dumbbells or body weights that are strapped to your wrists or ankles to add extra weight ...
With just a set of dumbbells and a stability ball, you can get a complete body workout in the comfort of your own home. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the average person get two to three days per week of to...
Zumba Gold is a Zumba method specifically tailored to give older adults and seniors the chance to reap the benefits of aerobic dance. Join in to get the 30 minutes of exercise you need on a daily basis.
Many exercises may be used for the deltoids. Depending on the type of equipment used, you may target the muscle alone to work the deltoid, or you may work on the general area around the shoulders and upper body and still work t...
A common problem of those who suffer from flat feet is painful arches, which can lead to swelling and redness. Most commonly, flat feet occur when your arches do not develop properly during childhood, but the wear and tear of s...
This position looks as if you are pushing your stomach out in front of you, with the tops of your hip bones bent forward. The abnormal curve of your pelvis can cause upper-body posture problems, including a hunched back. Incorp...
The Gold's Gym exercise bar mounts in a doorframe so you can do pullups, pushups and crunches. The bar fits in doorframes between 26 1/2 and 36 inches wide. The kit includes two sets of mounting brackets. Position one set of mo...
The use of birth ball exercises specific to labor and delivery can help to reduce labor pain. Birth ball exercises help the baby move through the pelvis and keep mom upright during labor, which can help avoid medical intervent...
Those who are fortunate to have a gymnasium or an indoor court nearby can engage in a variety of activities that involve tossing balls. If you have limited space indoors, other types of ball-tossing activities d
A Swiss ball, also called a stability or exercise ball, adds a degree of instability to an exercise. Instead of using a weight bench, sit or lean on a Swiss ball while performing triceps dumbbell exercises. Do seated overhead e...
Exercises that perform multiple functions are the ones that are best for people who are pressed for time. And the side chop is one of those drills. Also commonly referred to as the wood chop, the side chop is a fantastic way to...
All you need are comfy gym clothes, a Hula-Hoop, a jump rope, an exercise ball and some free weights. Pick out some energizing music, move any furniture out of harm's way and your improvised gym is ready for action.
Playing volleyball is an excellent way to fulfill daily exercise requirements, but if you finish a game with red, sore marks up and down your arms, it's possible that you're using improper bumping technique. When done properly,...
Colombia-born exercise instructor Alberto "Beto" Perez first came up with the workout in the late 1990s in California, where he incorporated interval aerobic training with the merengue, salsa and other dances, plus dance music ...
A StayBall is a specific type of stability ball that has a weight in the bottom. This prevents it from rolling around on a gym floor and makes it beneficial for people with balance issues. Regardless if you are a newcomer or se...
The half jack exercise evolved from the full jumping jack. The half jack allows you to exercise in smaller, more confined spaces while still getting an aerobic workout. Because of their lower impact, half jacks might be a good ...
The Russian twist is a torso rotation exercise that targets your core muscles. A medicine ball adds resistance and increases the difficulty of the exercise. If you do the medicine ball Russian twist while seated, you will use y...
Increased quickness and agility are worth gold as volleyball becomes an increasingly explosive and competitive sport at the high school level and above. Your objectives in a quickness and agility program can include an increase...
The transversus abdominus muscle is one of your deep core muscles. It helps you keep your torso upright and supports your weight. Developing strength in this muscle with transabdominal exercises is crucial to daily life activit...
Though some sort of back pain is common, few will have conditions serious enough to require surgery. A massage helps reduce muscle tension and provide relief for lower back pain or sciatica. For those times when a massage isn't...
Get out on the floor and start dribbling the basketball. It is a vital skill and you want to be as strong as possible bouncing the ball. Keeping the ball under control helps push the offense down the floor and protects against ...
Ankle strengthening exercises with a balance ball are designed to strengthen the muscles in and around your ankles as well as stabilize your core muscles. In addition to strengthening your major muscles, balance ball exercises ...
The BOSU, shaped like half of a stability ball, addresses all of these fitness requirements, and lets you train for them simultaneously. World class cyclists such as Lance Armstrong incorporate BOSU strength and balance exercis...
They also assist in decelerating --- or slowing your body down --- when you run or walk down a steep hill to avoid injury to your joints or falling, explains the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Therefore, you should perfor...
Not only do you lose water this way, you also lose important electrolytes. Failure to replace lost water and electrolytes results in fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Depleted muscle glycogen stores are an issue after part...
BOSU stands for both sides up. The Bosu trainer is an innovative piece of exercise equipment that combines the instability of an exercise ball with the versatility of a flat surface. You can perform exercises both with the flat...
Fitness balls come in a variety of colors, sizes and even names, but all fitness balls can take an exercise routine to the next level by challenging core muscles more effectively than fixed position resistance machines.
Strengthen your arms with your exercise ball and have the added challenge of balance and core control. There are two ways to do pushups that will tone your triceps, anterior deltoid or front of your shoulder and pectoralis majo...
Muscle definition in the abs comes from a healthy diet and regular abdominal exercises. Your abdominal workouts should target each of the three abdominal muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis and obliques. Eat a d...
Although they might have beauty consultants and plastic surgeons on speed-dial, many celebrities still get their gorgeous physique through hard work and dedication. The key to getting celebrity-thin thighs involves hard work an...
If you cannot squeeze a visit to the gym in your schedule or budget, ball exercises are one of the most inexpensive and time-saving ways to keep your body in shape. Introduced during the 1900s, Swiss ball exercises were first u...
A stability, or exercise, ball is a large, air-filled rubber ball that typically is found in gyms, rehabilitation centers and homes. Many strength and flexibility exercises can be performed on a stability ball. By placing your ...
Gynmic is a brand name for a type of exercise ball. Exercise balls are also known as Swiss balls, birthing balls, fitness balls, stability balls and therapy balls. Gymnic exercise balls range in size from 45 cm up to 85 cm. You...
These important muscle groups stabilize your knee joints and move your legs toward and away form the midline of your body. The dome-shaped Bosu -- resembling a stability ball cut in half -- facilitates exercises that challenge ...
Volleyball teams utilize players with varying body types and unique skill sets to fill specific roles and positions on the court, but every volleyball player should possess skills such as speed, quickness, core strength, lower-...
Today, research has shown advantages to both you and your baby. Of particular interest to many expectant mothers is how to make labor and delivery easier. In general, helpful exercises include strengthening the pelvic floor, op...
Improving ankle stability and function will reduce the likelihood of an ankle sprain and improve your overall balance. The Bosu ball is a semi-circled half-disc designed to provide a safe, yet unstable, surface for you to train...
Squeezing in an effective ab workout on a daily basis can be hard to accomplish nowadays. But with a focused mindset, a workout plan and the right equipment, it is possible. An exercise ball may be used for ab exercises, and th...
Strengthening your hand requires you to strengthen both the muscles and tendons of your hand and the muscles of your forearm. Both work together, so you can train them both together. You must perform exercises for the muscles o...
Since their introduction to the United States in 1989, exercise balls have become commonplace sights in commercial gyms, rehabilitation centers and home gyms. Although this large plastic sphere's instability forces you to stabi...
The crunch, while the most common abdominal strengthening exercise, is not the only one. In fact, crunches work only the most superficial abdominal muscles, called the rectus abdominus. Frequent crunchers know that the neck, lo...
The BOSU facilitates exercises that address all of these essential aspects of dance conditioning. The word BOSU is an acronym that stands for both sides up or both sides utilized. Resembling half a stability ball, the BOSU has ...
Most low-post players will admit, however reluctantly, that their success on the basketball court depends largely on the ability of their point guards to feed them the ball. A good point guard knows the specific conditions in w...
Simmons, registered physical therapist. She adds during the last half of your situp, your hip flexors have taken over to curl your upper body up to your knees. Do exercises that isolate the muscles of your midsection to achieve...
A situp works the abdominal muscles. These muscles are critical to maintaining a strong and lean physique. Your abs provide assistance in almost every upright movement you participate in. They help to support your spine and pro...
A birth ball is also used to perform gentle, non-impact exercises during pregnancy, a time when physical exercise may be uncomfortable and difficult. Birth balls are about 60 cm in diameter and made of durable plastic. Do not u...
They fall in the category of free weights, and while often used for abdominal strengthening, they can be used for many different muscle strengthening activities. These weighted balls come in a variety of weights. Learn the ball...
The BOSU has a rubber dome side, which functions like a rubber balance disc, and a flat plastic platform side, which facilitates exercises performed on a balance board. The platform-side-up position provides a greater challenge...
A Swiss ball, also called a stability ball, is a large, air-filled, rubber ball that adds an element of instability to various exercises. Because your body has to overcome the unstable surface more stabilizer muscles, including...
Ringing exercise balls for the hands go by many names including chime balls, Chinese Exercise Balls, Boading Balls, Chinese Health Balls or Chinese Therapy Balls. Using the balls on a consistent basis can provide many mental an...
Also called an overhead triceps extension, the overhead triceps lift is one of the simplest, yet highly effective exercises for the triceps. Like all exercises that target the triceps, the main movement invovles simply extendin...
These muscles, also known as your adductor muscles, are difficult to isolate. A ball is one of the least expensive pieces of equipment that you can use to target this area. Use a medicine ball or stability ball or both. Integra...
Its unstable environment challenges your ability to balance and stabilize your body when you move. Therefore, the BOSU is one of many tools that can strengthen and stabilize your joints, including the ankles. Start with simple ...
A strong, wide back helps provide stability and power while benching and pressing overhead, and support while squatting. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any exercise program.
Most sports require strong knees, and it's critical to protect your knees to avoid cartilage tears or surgery later in life. But it's not just athletes who suffer from knee problems. Lifting, climbing or squatting during daily ...
The BOSU resembles half of a stability ball with a flat bottom. You can use the round side facing up or down. The BOSU can help you strengthen your torso, which includes your obliques and stabilizing muscles in your spine. Your...
The Bosu Ball is a piece of exercise equipment that resembles half of a stability ball. The bottom is flat to provide a stable base, while the top is rounded and used as a balance trainer for many different exercises and applic...
The rear deltoids usually refer to the posterior section of the shoulder muscles and parts of the trapezius and rotator cuffs that cover the shoulder blades. This group of muscles work with other muscles in the arms and torso t...
Underneath your ribs along the sides of your body are your oblique muscles. The obliques connect the lower eight ribs to the crest of your hip bone. Improve the look of your torso, particularly the space underneath your ribs, w...
Training your pectorals can help for both sexes. The reality is that many men tend to overtrain their pectoral muscles while women tend to undertrain them, according to the website Smart-Strength-Training.com. They add that men...
Strengthening these muscles improves your balance and stability, enables you to perform full-body movements effectively and may decrease your risk for certain injuries and chronic conditions. This requires your participation in...
Many of these people suffer the wheezing and shortness of breath associated with asthma during strenuous exercise, a condition known as exercise-induced asthma. This creates a paradoxical relationship between exercise and asthm...
Steppers require more effort than treadmills and therefore, burn more calories in a shorter time. Many sports enthusiasts use the stair stepper as a way to cross-train and get a great aerobic workout. The Gold's Gym Stepper 200...
A gyro ball is a novel exercise device. Proponents claim that the gyro ball, sold by companies under names such as Powerball, GyroBall and Gyro Ball, can benefit you in a number of ways. You can use it to sculpt or strengthen w...
The pectoral muscles are responsible for the internal rotation of the shoulder, horizontal adduction of the shoulder, shoulder flexion and protraction of the scapula. Doing exercises that mimic these movements will stimulate an...
Simply wearing Fila sculpting shoes will not make you fit. You still have to exercise. Sculpting or toning shoes are available by most athletic shoe manufacturers. Although the costs vary between each brand of shoe, the premise...
During a soccer match, goalies, or goalkeepers, follow different rules than the rest of the players because they can pick up the ball and throw it. Goalkeepers also can make saves with their hands, giving them an advantage over...
Whether on the ground or in the air, a variety of forces contribute to the motion of a ball. Focusing on spherical balls -- such as those used in golf, baseball and basketball -- their size and mass help determine how they trav...
Building strength takes time and consistency because you lose muscle mass with inactivity. Talk with your doctor and a personal trainer to receive approval and a customized strength-training program. Performing compound exercis...
Many sports and daily activities --- such as golf, boxing and gardening --- require some degree of rotational power. This involves using stabilization strength to keep your body in alignment to avoid injury, and full-body mobil...
The game relies heavily on passing the ball and jumping to either protect the net or score a goal. The best way to improve your muscular strength for netball is to practice the movements you use during the game. Medicine balls ...
If you don't have much fat on your body, then building muscle means you get to eat considerable calories and lift heavy weights for your abdominal exercises. However, if you have excess body fat, you must restrict your caloric ...
Also known as squats, these exercises help strengthen your legs. Some of the squat variations involve movement, while others, such as yoga poses, are held in a static position. Use these half-seated exercises three times a week...
Crunches benefit men and women in much the same way, but can certainly help women achieve a lean and toned stomach. Exercise equipment, such as weights or a Roman chair, can also help intensify an abdominal workout.
Tumbling skills, including the back tuck, commonly are used by gymnasts and cheerleaders. The back tuck involves flipping backward 360 degrees in the air in a tucked position. The back tuck can be used during dance and floor ro...
Exercising your reflexes improves your ability to quickly recognize and respond to threats and other stimuli. Reflex exercises also help improve your balance, coordination and agility, and can enhance your performance in a vari...
Ankle rehabilitation therapy involves slowly and purposely returning your ankle joint to a functioning level by using healing protocol plus physical rehabilitation. Not all injuries are the same, so check with your doctor befor...
The good news is that basic calisthenics such as squats, lunges and shoulder bridges are great for toning these two muscles. In addition to, or instead of, the basic exercises, try dynamic exercises for the glutes and hamstrings.
Many fitness professionals use a Swiss ball, which is a large ball made out of a strong, synthetic rubber, to help clients improve their body self-awareness and balance. You can perform basic movement patterns that involve usin...
Pain in the ball of your foot that manifests or worsens after exercise is generally referred to as metatarsalgia. This condition can indicate trauma to or strain of bones and ligaments in the ball of your foot -- or metatarsal ...
The overlap is a common play in soccer, especially on a team with fit defenders looking for some excitement up front. A classic overlap occurs, for example, when a left fullback gives the ball to a left midfielder and makes a r...
It rolls back and forth in just one plane, instead of rolling in any direction as a round ball does. Although advanced exercisers may need a round ball for extra instability, making exercises more challenging, the moderate inst...
In order to lose inches in your midsection, thighs and upper body, focus on conventional weight loss methods. With daily exercise you can burn calories, lose body fat and slip into a smaller dress size.
A notable difference between the two is that in netball, the player is not allowed to dribble the ball -- it must be passed between players by throwing. If you are sufficiently fit to play netball, the game has several benefits...
The shoulder press lockout is a variation of the overhead press. You limit the range of motion for the lockout version compared to the standard overhead press. Weightlifters use the shoulder press lockout to increase strength -...
Joining the wave of those fitness enthusiasts who developed a new system of exercise were the creators of Nia -- neuromuscular integrative action -- Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas.
This tool is especially helpful to improve the strength in your forearms and grip. Clubbells resemble skinny bowling pins with the majority of the weight in the largest part of the bell. The weight of a clubbell varies from 5 t...
The tibialis anterior muscle is on the front of your shin. This long muscle travels to the medial side of your foot and connects to a small bone in the arch of your foot. Its job is to support the arch and to lift your foot whe...
The G-Ball is a basic medicine ball popularized by world-class gymnast, Mitch Gaylord. This functional training tool comes in 2-, 4- and 6-lb. versions. Any exercise performed with a regular medicine ball can also be performed ...
According to Autism Speaks, " An estimated 1.5 million individuals in the United States and tens of millions world-wide are affected by autism." Students who are diagnosed with autism can stay fit by keeping exercises simple an...
The transverse abdominis muscle is the muscle you want to exercise if you are after a toned and tight abdominal area. This muscle is the body's natural girdle, running in the horizontal direction from one side of your abdomen t...
You need to remember three things when it comes to adductors, abductors and stability balls. The adductors are on the inside of the thighs, the abductors are on the outside of the hips and stability balls cause you to be off ba...
Some use it to describe a floor exercise that works your oblique abdominal muscles. Other trainers teach a tension-release hip-roller exercise on a foam roller. Exercises using a stability ball and Middle Eastern dance techniqu...
Burl Pettibon, the chiropractor credited with inventing the wobble chair. Pettibon was not the first professional to realize this. During the 1950s, European physical therapists Elsbeth Kong, Mary Quintin and Susanne Klein-Voge...
Decline benches provide a more-intense abdominal workout for your upper and lower abdominals, as well as your obliques and transverse abdominus. When you add a medicine ball, the resistance becomes greater, further increasing t...
In basketball, defending a player without the basketball is every bit as important as defending the player with the basketball. When an offensive player cuts toward the basket or toward the ball, the defender must bump the offe...
A well-rounded routine contains all elements of a fitness workout including cardiovascular, upper body, lower body and abdominal muscles. Check with your doctor first, since not all routines and exercises may be appropriate for...
Use motivational techniques to keep yourself going and reflect on the ways that your mornings are better because of your workout. The more your dwell on the positive aspects of morning exercise, the more likely it is to become ...
For some women, large breasts may be out of proportion for their body type, and may decrease self-image or self-confidence, states MayoClinic.com. Further, large breasts may make participating in physical activities difficult. ...
Bouncing on a trampoline is one of the most efficient ways to exercise. Trampoline bouncing is often called "rebounding" and can be performed on a large or mini trampoline. Rebounding provides an intense cardiovascular exercise...
Volleyball players spend hours on the court practicing set-hit offensive strategies. However, changeup hitting, where pace is taken off the ball, keeps defenders guessing as to what the offense will do next. Tipping is one meth...
A Volumetric Exerciser, or spirometer, is a post-operative recovery apparatus used most commonly after major abdominal and chest surgery to restore and strengthen lung functioning. The apparatus trains the lungs to increase in...
The opposite of this condition is called knock knees. Bowleggedness in children is not usual and usually corrects itself, but sometimes the assistance of special shoes or braces is necessary. Sometimes adults do end up with bow...
A Dynamax ball is specially designed with a soft exterior vinyl coating for easy gripping. Unlike your average medicine ball, the Dynamax ball is not conducive to exercises that involve bouncing. This should not be a deal break...
Volleyball requires you to generate a significant amount of energy in a short amount of time. Because the game involves quick, powerful movements, your training regimen should focus on anaerobic exercises. You should also selec...
Doing situps as part of a workout plan that includes several abdominal exercises is an effective way to strengthen this area. For strength-training exercises, do eight to 12 repetitions of one to three sets of each exercise.
Working your core can help strengthen stabilizer muscles and improve posture. Situps are designed to strengthen your abs. While the traditional situp works, you can add variations to your exercises.
Your caput laterale muscle is one of the three tricep muscles that runs along the outside of your arm. Exercises that involve triceps extension work this muscle to strengthen and provide it with more mobility and flexibility. Y...
Getting in shape for college soccer is a year-round process and a daily commitment. After your high school or U-18 club team finishes its season, and following one to two weeks of rest, you'll want to begin preparations. Offsea...
These muscles are responsible for straightening and extending your spine and they help you bend your spine to the side. The erector spinae muscle group plays an essential role in your posture. It is important to include strengt...
Volleyball is a physically demanding sport that takes skill and athletic ability. Pete Waite, author of "Aggressive Volleyball," adds that volleyball also is an entertaining game that many athletes choose for the opportunity to...
Advocates for stability ball training claim that it's great for abdominal and lower back workouts because it forces you to use those muscles to remain stable on the ball at all times.
Ball knee crunches, which are also called knee tucks, are an advanced abdominal exercise that uses a stability, or exercise, ball. The exercise ball creates an element of instability, which makes the exercise more difficult tha...
Playing center field is a huge responsibility in baseball. The center fielder is the captain of the outfield. His job is to get to hit balls as quickly as possible and accurately throw them back into the infield based on the ap...
Most medicine balls do not bounce and do not have handles, but there are types available that possess both features. Medicine balls are used during warm-ups and to provide resistance during plyometric, or explosive exercises, a...
If you are looking to make fast fitness progress, a gym ball is a good tool to include. Known also as a stability or fitness ball, a gym ball causes you to be off-balance when doing exercises. This leads to a high amount of mus...
It is mainly responsible for plantar flexion -- moving the top of your foot away from your shin or lifting up onto your toes as in the calf raise exercise. To strengthen any muscle, including the gastrocnemius, the National St...
A Swiss ball, also called an exercise ball or stability ball, is a large, rubber, air-filled ball. The Swiss ball adds an element of instability to the crunch exercise because you have to balance on the ball while performing th...
The term "pecs" refers to the muscles located on your chest, also called pectoralis muscles. For women this means the muscles that lay just under the breasts. The term is plural because this part of your muscular system consist...
You can exercise in the park, at a track or in your own backyard. One important element in outdoor medicine ball workouts is positioning the ball for maximum effect. Hold the ball close to the chest when jogging or running up a...
Core exercises can help strengthen the muscles in your abdomen, back and pelvis and increase your balance and stability. Yoga balls come in a variety of sizes. For the best fit, choose a ball that allows your knees to bend at a...
The ball of your shoulder refers to the area of the rotator cuff, the group of muscles and tendons that cover the top of the upper arm bone. You may want to do a series of exercises for this area of your shoulder, whether as pa...
Body sculpting is a workout program that incorporates exercises that target the specific areas of the body you would like to reshape. The workout firms and elongates your muscles to produce a toned and lean appearance. You can ...
A fitness ball, also called a stability ball, adds resistance to exercises that work the muscles of your core: abdomen, back and pelvis. To find the right size, sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. The ball should ...
By placing your weight on the ball, you will find it necessary to incorporate additional muscles into your workout to maintain your balance, adding to the difficulty of the exercise. With the help of a pair of dumbbells, you ca...
Fitness ball exercises are an effective tool for strengthening the back, according to a 2006 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The findings of the study suggest that fitness ball training can improve y...
When you workout with an exercise ball, you raise the level of difficulty and intensify the workout. You work the muscles specific to the exercise and those muscles required to maintain your stability and balance on the ball.
A Swiss ball, also known as a stability ball, is a soft 18- to 30-inch inflatable ball used in mat and resistance training exercises. It is an excellent tool for strengthening the abdominal and lower back muscles. The instabili...
In fact, many believe its origins can be traced to Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, who designed the weighted ball to be used in therapy by those suffering from back injuries. Today, there are numerous types of med...
According to MayoClinic.com, these balls work well to strengthen the core muscles of the body, including the abdominals, back muscles and the pelvic muscles. A firmer ball makes exercises more challenging, while a softer ball p...
Incorporate a medicine ball, weighing anywhere from two to 30 pounds, into your exercise routine to improve core strength, advises trainers from Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU). Medicine balls are available in many...
They are relatively inexpensive, take up very little room, and have been adapted to many types of workouts. Instructors as diverse as yoga practitioners and bodybuilders are often drawn to these simple, colorful, inflatable sph...
A medicine ball is a type of exercise equipment used in core training to build and strengthen stomach, chest and back muscles. The balls come in different diameters, weights and materials. All types of fitness and physical ther...
Balancing on an exercise ball takes a lot of concentration and muscle coordination, which is exactly the point, especially when using an exercise ball to help you lose weight. Using the exercise ball instead of a bench or the f...
The NSD Powerball is a hand-held exercise accessory. The ball-shaped device features an internal gyroscope; once this rotor is put into motion by the user, the device gently propels the user's wrist into a rotating motion. This...
While the quarterback can't play well if the other players around him don't block, run and catch passes, the quarterback handles the ball on nearly every play and must know what to do with it and have the physical ability to ex...
Balance or stability balls are a convenient, affordable and practical choice for home workouts. The unstable surface of a balance ball makes it especially valuable for core and abdominal exercises, including crunches. You can g...
Yoga balls, also called fitness balls and stability balls, are large inflatable spheres that work the core muscles deeply during exercises. Using the balls improves balance and strength -- a bonus for any fitness program and im...
In the mid-1990s, personal trainers started using stability balls with their clients as a way to improve core muscle strength and add an element of instability to otherwise stable exercises. Beginning exercisers, pregnant women...
Exercising involves several personal choices based on your body type, fitness condition, the type of exercise you are performing and other factors. No one but you can choose the right exercise mat for your personal fitness rout...
You also can use an exercise ball to train other muscle groups. Try traditional exercises on an exercise ball to add variety to your workouts, and use it with other exercise tools, such as barbells, dumbbells and resistance bands.
