How Does a Stability Ball Work?
-
What Is a Stability Ball?
-
A stability ball, also known as a balance ball or exercise ball, is a fairly large flexible ball composed of an elastic plastic polymer. It can be used to perform a wide variety of flexibility, endurance and strength-building exercises. Stability balls are especially popular among women to aid flexibility and isometric workout activities such as Pilates and yoga. A stability ball is meant to provide a supportive yet gentle surface on which to perform exercises. They require additional stability from the user in order to keep herself from rolling off the ball, which helps build balance.
Using a Stability Ball
-
You should select a ball that is large enough so that the knees come to a 90-degree angle when you sit on the top of the ball. This will allow for the easiest use of the ball. A stability ball may be used on its own to perform a wide variety of exercises. Assisted push-ups can be performed with a stability ball by resting the stomach on the ball and extending the arms down to the ground. The further down the body the ball is placed as a support, the more difficult the push-ups. Advanced users can place their feet on top of the ball, which results in push-ups that are even harder than normal grounded push ups. Various rolling and isometric exercises are possible, as are exercises that involve using the ball as a cushion between the user and a wall, such as wall sits and squats. The abs can be worked out be leaning back with the ball supporting the small of the back or by doing crunches with the legs draped over the top of the ball.
Additional Applications
-
Apart from exercises that can be achieved with the stability ball alone, the ball can also be used in conjunction with free weights to increase repetitions or add resistance. For all practical purposes, the stability ball can act as a normal weight bench for lighter lifting. Instead of doing chest butterflies with dumb bells on a bench, you can use a stability ball. Instead of doing triceps extensions off the edge of a bench, a stability ball can be used. The advantage of using a ball instead of a bench is that the ball is soft and conforms to the body, while a bench can be hard or too thin, which puts uncomfortable pressure on certain parts of the body. When lifting with heavy weights, you should not use a stability ball, since the risk of dropping the weights due to a loss of balance is dangerous. Similarly, you should always use dumbbells when lifting with a ball rather than longer straight bars, since dumbbells can be cast aside in the event of a loss of balance, while a straight bar cannot.
-
