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Balance Ball Exercises

Balance Balls Help with Flexibility and Overall Fitness

Balance balls challange and strengthen your core muscles - those around the midsection that support your spine and keep your tummy flat.

Balance balls improve balance and coordination. And they're just plain fun whatever your age.

The History of Balance Ball

The balance ball is a soft, inflatable ball used in various types of exercise.

The size of the ball varies from about 14 to 34 inches in diameter and it comes in a variety of colors and is also known by a number of different names, including Swiss (or Swedish) ball, exercise or fitness ball, and stability ball, to name a few.

Aquilino Cosani created the balance ball in 1963. Cosani was a plastics manufacturer in Italy who worked on the development of puncture-resistant plastic balls.

Originally called "Pezzi balls," the balance balls were originally used to treat newborn babies in physical therapy. Later, the use of the balance balls expanded to include neurological development treatments.

Balance balls were eventually used to treat adults as well, particularly those with orthopedic problems.

Embraced by North America, the balls found their way into athletic training and from there, quickly entered mainstream fitness. They have been incorporated into many different exercise regimes from Pilates to yoga and continue to be used for both physical therapy and athletic training.

Balance Ball Workouts

The balls are used in a variety of ways, which depend greatly on the goal of the exercise.

Balance balls might be used to improve posture through exercises that involve sitting on the ball. They are also frequently integrated with sit-ups and push-ups in calisthenics routines.

Sometimes the balls are placed between the knees and used in lift exercises where they help to assist with resistance and body alignment.

Some office workers use a balance ball instead of a more traditional desk chair. This use is believed to improve posture and help to build abdominal and back muscles.

The balance ball helps to ease the strain of exercise by making it more fun and incorporating the idea of play into a workout.

However, many medical and kinesthetic professionals recognize the health benefits of using a balance ball.

It helps build balance and is popular for improving the posture. The balance ball is also used in exercises that increase endurance and muscle strength.

It can even help people lose weight.

The balance ball is also often used in stretching exercises.

The balance ball is especially popular among people who enjoy less rigorous forms of exercise. It does not require great strain on the body for the balance ball to be used effectively.

Here is an excerpt from a Balance Ball DVD. Besides being filmed in a beautiful locale, it provides the basics for getting started with this type of exercise.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as medical advice.

 

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