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The jackknife exercise is a really efficient way to work out a few key areas of your body like the rectus abdominus. Find out which muscles the jackknife exercise works with help from a fitness expert and trainer in this free video clip.
Exercises to work your front delts focus on the interior deltoid heads. Learn about exercises to work your front delts with help from a distinguished fitness professional in this free video clip.
A stability exercise for a single leg squat with a medicine ball can be done right at home whenever you'd like. Do a stability exercise for a single leg squat with a medicine ball with help from a distinguished fitness professional in this free video clip.
The Bosu ball is a balance trainer that can be used with both sides up. The unstable surface of the Bosu provides a challenging platform upon which to perform your hip-strengthening exercises. Improve the strength of your hip adductors, inner thighs, hip abductors and outer thighs with standing and sitting exercises on this workout tool.
Weighted medicine balls offer a welcome variety for any strength-training routine. The overhead throw is used to measure and improve upper-body strength. The exercise is a plyometric workout that you can perform with or without a partner to increase the power of your upper body.
Exercise balls look pretty harmless. As an effective tool for building core strength, improving balance and increasing flexibility, they can be downright enticing. You might have seen experienced gym-goers handle the ball with ease, knocking off advanced knee tucks and one-legged glute bridges with seemingly little effort. For newbies, even basic ball exercises can be a challenge. If you're starting to lose patience, don't relegate your ball to the corner. Over time, you'll get used to the ball's inherent instability. There are a few tried-and-true techniques for keeping the ball steady.
It might look like a child's plaything, but that big ball you've been keeping around the house is actually a beneficial tool for staying fit. You can use your exercise ball for toning most of the muscles of your body, including your abdominals, arms, legs, back and butt. For positive results, try doing a full-body strength training workout on the ball at least two days a week.
A stability ball provides a unique base for your dumbbell training workout. The ball has a naturally unstable surface, so your core is challenged throughout each dumbbell press exercise. Your abdominals contract to keep you upright and on the ball instead of rolling to the floor. Substitute the ball for a stable surface such as a weight bench, and you recruit a higher number of muscle fibers, which increases the calorie-burning and strength-enhancing qualities of each workout.
Although a more creative moniker might make the medicine ball a bit more appealing in the advertising world, the unpretentious designation is actually quite appropriate for the simple piece of exercise equipment. Although the exact origin of the name remains unclear, it appears to originate in the device's use for health and medicinal purposes.
The lightweight exercise ball provides heavy support for your resistance-training workouts. Replace a weight bench with a stability ball as your base during strength training to also improve your core strength, balance and coordination. Plus, the ball costs less than a weight bench, for an affordable at-home exercise option. With proper use, the ball is a safe training option to add variety to your routine.
Getting started with an exercise plan is possible for just about anyone, as long as you keep your goals realistic and your exercise movements appropriate for your skill level. Your body needs to get used to exercise, so don't put too much on your plate right out the gate. The best moves are uncomplicated ones for which you can master good form quickly. The best workout programs are those that start small and then add on as you progress. Before beginning any new workout routine, ensure that you have your doctor's approval so that you can exercise safely.
It’s well established that exercise provides a good way to burn calories and lose weight. But exercising alone doesn’t guarantee that you’ll drop any pounds. To lose weight you must create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you ingest. If you wish to slim down, take a look at your diet and lifestyle first, then create an exercise program to help you achieve your goals.
Exercises that use a log of legwork are a really great way to engage various muscles all over your entire body. Find out about exercises that use a lot of legwork with help from a martial arts professional in this free video clip.
Incorporating a therapy ball into your core workouts increases how hard your muscles have to work because it adds an element of instability when you are doing the exercises. Your core muscles, which include your abdominals, obliques, lower back and hips, are commonly overlooked during most strength training workouts. Taking the time to do core exercises on a therapy ball offers an array of benefits.
An exercise ball is an effective tool for your toning exercises. Also known as a stability ball, or fitness ball, these inflatable props can act as a base or comfortable support for weight training, core strengthening or body weight exercises. Incorporate each of these types of exercises in your fitness routine.
The exercise ball is often referred to as a stability ball, which may seem like an oxymoron, because when you are on it, it feels anything but stable. Because of its round shape, your muscles are challenged to maintain your body's positional stability. Therefore, your core and many other muscles have to work harder with each movement you make while you are on it.
The types of fuel you use for exercise include fat, carbohydrates and protein. Your body’s preferred fuel sources are fat and carbohydrate with protein supplying only a modest amount. Whether you use fat or carbohydrates depends on the type of fitness regimen, intensity and duration of the activity, your diet and your fitness level, according to Marie Dunford in her book “Nutrition for Sport and Exercise.”
The lawnmower pull exercise is a compound muscle move that can be done in a variety of ways. The primary muscles at work are the back muscles: the latissimus dorsi, the trapezius and the rhomboids. Secondary movers include muscles of the arm, shoulder and core: the biceps, the triceps, the deltoid and the erector spinae.
Doing your abdominal workout with an exercise ball gives you added muscle-toning benefits -- your core muscles are engaged as you stay balanced on the ball while performing crunches and other ab-burning exercises. Having a strong core brings balance and stability to all of your day-to-day activities and workouts. There are a variety of moves that you can bust out in five minutes to develop a strong core. Mix and match to create a routine that works for you.
The Swiss ball is a very specific type of exercise ball. Learn about Swiss balls versus general exercise balls with help from a fitness expert and competitor in this free video clip.
One great exercise for beginners who have limited abilities going into a workout is the squat. Learn about great exercises for beginners with limited abilities with help from a fitness expert and competitor in this free video clip.
Stability balls are portable workout tools that improve core stability. The unbalanced surface of the ball requires your core muscles, including the transversus abdominis, pelvic floor muscles and multifidi along the spine, to engage more so that you don't lose your balance and alignment while you move. You can do a variety of exercises on the ball to keep your workouts fun.
Stability balls are very versatile exercise tools. When doing core exercises or stretching, you can use one to replace an exercise bench. Make sure your ball is the right size for you by sitting on it and noticing the position of your thighs, which should be parallel to the floor. If your knees are above your hips or vice versa, you should select a different size.
Cycling relies on the power of your abdominals and lower back but does little to condition your core. According to exercise physiologist Patty Tomlin from Colorado’s Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, "Cycling can sap your core strength and actually create problems." Constant pedaling overdevelops your quads and leaves your hamstrings weak, which can lead to substandard posture and a weak core. If you strengthen your core, you’ll stop wasting energy rocking back and forth on the bicycle to maintain balance.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle does nothing for your health and well-being. Sitting for long periods can result in shortened hip flexors and tightness in your hips. This can impair your mobility, and because tight hips negatively affect the position of your pelvis, your back suffers and you might end up with back pain. To combat hip tightness, lengthen your muscles by stretching them. An exercise ball, which is often used for core-strengthening exercises, can double as a stretching tool to support your body. With consistency, you can maintain your hip flexibility.
While most weight training exercises only train muscles through one plane of motion, medicine ball exercises can train your body in all three planes of motion. They’ll also blast your core to develop both muscular strength and explosive power. Women tend to use medicine balls that range between four to eight pounds. You can choose from a variety of medicine balls, for example, hard rubber balls that bounce off walls or soft-shell fitness balls.
Swiss ball exercise programs are great due to the added element of instability. Learn about Swiss ball exercise programs with help from a fitness and performance specialist in this free video clip.
The stability ball is just one of many great tools that you can use to tighten up and tone those legs at home. Use an exercise ball to trim your legs with help from the founder of Exerscribe at the Fit Athletic Club in this free video clip.
There are a few key ball exercises that you can do from practically anywhere, even while you're sitting in a chair. Learn about ball exercises that you can do while sitting with help from a certified fitness trainer in this free video clip.
Your balance is actually affected by three systems in your body. Find out about balance retraining exercises with help from a fitness professional, journalist and lifestyle coach in this free video clip.
Progressive exercises for beginners are a great way to get an exercise routine started off right. Find out about progressive exercises for beginners with help from one of San Diego's premier fitness trainers in this free video clip.
Leg curls can very easily be done on a regular stability ball by making good use of a particular technique. Do leg curls on a stability ball with help from one of San Diego's premier fitness trainers in this free video clip.
Weight balls can be incorporated into a wide variety of different exercises depending on your preferences. Use weight balls for exercises with help from a fitness industry professional with over ten years of experience in this free video clip.
Incorporating balls into both Yoga and Pilates is a whole lot easier than you might assume. Find out how to incorporate balls into Yoga and Pilates with help from the founder of Pilates and Your Palate in this free video clip.
If you're out of shape and are just getting back to working out, you're going to want to start with some light exercises. Find out about light exercises for when you're out of shape with help from a professional fitness trainer in this free video clip.
When doing the Swiss ball military press, you always need to keep a few important things in mind. Do the Swiss ball military press with help from a researcher, educator, and advocate for lifestyle medicine in this free video clip.
If you're looking for a new office chair and want to stay in shape, you might want to consider using a regular exercise ball. Use an exercise ball as an office chair with help from a researcher, educator, and advocate for lifestyle medicine in this free video clip.
Wall squats, when done with a ball between the knees, are really very effective for a number of different reasons. Find out about wall squats with a ball between the knees with help from a fitness expert in this free video clip.
Front walkout exercises are commonly completed with a Swiss ball and a very particular technique. Find out about front walkout exercises that you can do with a Swiss ball with help from an extensively experienced fitness professional, licensed nutrition manager and lifestyle coach in this free video clip.
Advanced Swiss ball exercises can be used in a number of different ways depending on your preferences. Find out about advanced Swiss ball exercises with help from an extensively experienced fitness professional, licensed nutrition manager and lifestyle coach in this free video clip.
Medicine ball Russian twists are a terrific way to give a few key areas of your body a good workout. Find out which muscles are worked out with medicine ball Russian twists with help from an experienced fitness professional in this free video clip.
Balance exercises play a very important role in your success with martial arts and defense tactics. Learn about using balance exercises for martial arts with help from a defensive tactics instructor and martial arts practitioner in this free video clip.
You can do a lot of great ab exercises that really engage your arms and legs with little more than a regular exercise ball. Learn about ab exercises using arms and legs with an exercise ball with help from the founder of Be A Fit Mama, Inc. in this free video clip.
The stability ball leg curl is really great for working out a few key muscles on your body. Find out what muscles the stability ball leg curl works out with help from a fitness and exercise expert in this free video clip.
Traditional weightlifting and using a stability ball both have their fair share of upsides and downsides. Learn about traditional weightlifting versus the use of a stability ball with help from a fitness and exercise expert in this free video clip.
Determining initial vertical speed in projectile motion is something you can do by tossing a ball into the air. Determine initial vertical speed in projectile motion with help from an experienced research scientist in this free video clip.
You'd be surprised by how many great exercises you can do with just a capsule ball. Find out about exercises that you can do with a capsule ball with help from a distinguished fitness expert in this free video clip.
Exercise ball exercises are a really great way to loosen the hip abductor muscles on your body. Loosen the hip abductor muscles on your body with exercise ball exercises with help from a fitness expert and competitor in this free video clip.
Bird-dog exercises are really great for working out a few core muscle groups. Find out what muscle groups Bird-dog exercises work out with help from a fitness minister and certified peak performance coach in this free video clip.
You really need to gear your exercise routine towards both who you are and what you want to accomplish. Learn about good exercises that you can do with a big ball for a flat stomach on a female with help from an experienced Pilates instructor in this free video clip.
