Those
big, sturdy exercise balls are great workout tools to strengthen your core and
help you achieve or maintain balance. It is unstable because of its rolling
action, and a beginner might have difficulty balancing at first. Fortunately,
this rolling motion is also the reason why it’s so great for exercising because
it makes you use muscles in a different way.
Stabilityballs are sometimes called Swiss balls, fitness balls or balance balls. When
you perfect exercising on these balls you’ll be improving your cardio, balance
and strength. Learning such moves as planks, pushups and squats move the
muscles in various ways that are different from most exercises.
Here are
some great core-building exercises to learn with a stability ball:
·
Plank Pike-Up – This is a balance
exercises that also helps your abs, lower back and core. You’ll lie to top of
the ball, shins on the ball and palms on the floor beneath your shoulders.
Using your abs and legs, roll the ball to your stomach while lifting your hips
and keeping your head between your arms. Repeat about 10 times.
·
Ski Step – Workout like a skier
by sitting on the stability ball, feet together. With one motion, swing feet
right and arms left. Be sure to sit straight up on the ball when performing
this one.
·
Ball Jog – Sitting on the ball
with abs pulled in and feet planted on the ground, lift your knees up and down
while bouncing as high as possible. Do this for two to five minutes to keep
your heart pumping.
·
Knee Tucks – Begin in the push up
position, straight arms, toes on the ball and hands on the ground beneath the
shoulders. Bring your knees toward your chest until they’re beneath your hips
and then extend knees back to the pushup position. Repeat ten to fifteen times.
·
Side Squat – This exercise
stretches your core. Standing with legs apart, grasp the ball overhead with
both hands, keeping your back straight and pulling in your stomach muscles.
Then, bend over to bring the ball outside and next to the left foot. Repeat for
the right side. Repeat ten to fifteen times.
To
achieve all the benefits you can from a stability ball, choose the correct size
for your body and the exercises that are most important to you for your fitness
routine. To discover which size is best for you, be sure to sit on the ball,
making sure that the knees and hips are right angled with the floor.
Besides
being great to strengthen the core, stability balls are also used for those who
have suffered injuries. Muscle and spinal injuries are reduced because of the
gentle movements used during most ball exercises.
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