Benefits of Pilates Ball Exercises

Series Summary

Pilates is an exercise system developed by a German man named Joseph Pilates. It was designed to strengthen the body core (which consists of the abdominal muscles, the lower back muscles, hip flexors, and gluteus muscles) in order to prevent back pain, and help with spine alignment and breathing control. Pilates exercises can be done almost anywhere and can be learned quite easily. In this free video series, learn how to combine your Pilates exercises with a stability ball. With exercise balls, you improve your core muscles, balance, and tone many hard to target muscles. Our expert, Jeri Ryan, shows you all kinds of exercise that will work your abs, glutes, arms, legs, and more! Learn how to warm up with a Pilates exercise ball. Also, Jeri shows you simple to hard exercises for the beginner or advanced exerciser. So, what are you waiting for? Learn more about how to exercise with a Pilates ball today!

Video Transcript

"In this series I will be talking about using the stability ball with the Pilates method of exercise. The stability ball challenges the core to a much greater degree than other exercises. Therefore, it is pretty advanced. Take your time when you are beginning to use the stability ball. And, as we go through the series you will notice that the longer the lever you create, the harder the exercise. So, if you are doing an exercise and you are here on the ball, it is going to be much easier than if you are all the way out here. Because the lever is longer. Choosing the size of the ball has to do with your height, firstly, and then secondly it also has to do with the length of your legs. Generally speaking, someone up about the height of five feet four inches should be on fifty five centimeter ball. Someone up to about the height of five eight inches should be on a sixty five centimeter ball. And, beyond that, a seventy five centimeter ball. Another judge or to verify the height, is when you get on the ball, that your legs are completely at a ninety degree angle. So, you do not want them up here and you do not want to be sitting on the ball like this. But, nice and straight. When you are on the ball, you should make sure that the ball is still nice and round. If you start to sink into the ball, it is going to be much more difficult to use. There are several different kind of balls on the market, and this is one that is just kind of fun when we do our back massage exercises or if you are into acupressure. Ok. And, you see how this one is not blown up enough for stability."