Does the Bender Ball Work?
Sold by personal trainer Leslee Bender, the Bender Ball is an inflatable exercise ball the size of a large melon. It is marketed as a core training aid to help you perform abdominal exercises.
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Crunches and the Bender Ball
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You can use the Bender Ball to perform crunches. Place the ball on the floor, keeping a hand on the ball to keep it still. Then get into the crunch position with the Bender Ball between your lower back and the floor. Perform a standard crunch. The ball is supposed to position you to target your lower abdominal muscles more effectively than standard crunches.
Leg Lifts and the Bender Ball
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You can use the Bender Ball to perform leg lifts. Place the ball on the floor so that it makes contact with your lower back, as with crunches. Again, the ball is supposed to position you to target your abdominal muscles more effectively than standard leg lifts.
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Oblique Crunches and the Bender Ball
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You can use the Bender Ball to perform a variation of crunches that targets the muscles at the sides of your waist, called the obliques. Perform a crunch, but as your back lifts off the floor, twist to one side, then the other, trying to target the contraction in the oblique muscles.
Wall Squats and Bender Ball
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The Bender Ball can be used to perform wall squats. Stand against a wall with the bender ball resting against your upper back and the wall. Perform a squat by bending your knees. The ball will roll between your back and the wall as you descend. Using a ball is a good way to keep the movement smooth and steady.
Does the Bender Ball Work?
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Crunches, leg lifts and squats with a Bender Ball are exercises that can be performed as part of your fitness program. If the ball helps to motivate you and tends to keep your mind focused on training your core muscles, it can be said to work. However, you do not need an exercise ball to perform any of these exercises effectively.
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