We have a guest blogger today! Liz Harper is a personal trainer living and working on the Gold Coast of Australia. Liz specializes in clients over 35 and people with diabetes and heart disease. Her blog is Liz Harper Fitness where she shares health and fitness tips with her readers.
Since I’ve been using exercise balls
Sculpt a body you can be proud of by using a Swiss ball
By Liz Harper of Liz Harper Fitness
Yes it’s true. You really can have a beautifully sculpted body with the help of just one simple piece of fitness equipment.
History of the Swiss Ball
The Swiss ball (also known as a fit ball, gym ball, body ball or exercise ball) was first developed in the 1960s by an Italian plastics manufacturer who came up with a way of making large colorful balls that could be filled with air.
A doctor in Switzerland was the first to use the balls with adults who had orthopedic problems. Therefore, because the balls were first seen used in Switzerland, they became known as “Swiss balls." The balls were later introduced to the United Sates in the late 80s and since then they’ve been widely employed in fitness programs throughout the world.
Are exercise balls dangerous?
For a number of years the Swiss ball seemed to be everywhere. But in recent years there seems to be a shying away from the balls due to a number of reports of injuries sustained when balls have burst. In one case I heard about, the person involved ended up with fractured eye sockets due to dumbbells hitting the eyes when the Swiss ball burst. The person was lying on it in a reverse bridge position and performing a dumbbell chest press.
In an attempt to promote safe practices, some gym instructors and personal trainers have been discouraged from using them. Personally, I think this is probably a bit of an overreaction, because if used appropriately, Swiss balls can be a terrific tool for increasing muscle strength, flexibility and balance as well as improving core stability. They also add lots of variety to a training program and can be a welcome change from some of our more routine strength exercises.
Why use an exercise ball?
The unstable base that the ball provides means that you are working more than one muscle group at a time. Since your brain and muscles are having to concentrate on balance as well as the exercise being performed, you are working coordination and proprioception at the same time.
Proprioception is a technical term for your brain being “aware” of what your body is doing without actually having to see it with your eyes. This is done via signals being sent from your muscles to your brain and back again. If you train your proprioception, your balance and coordination improves.
Learn more about exercise balls
There are a lot of books out there with heaps of different exercises for the Swiss ball. Here is one I recommend you read if you’re thinking about introducing the Swiss ball into your fitness program.
REMEMBER: Before attempting any exercises on the Swiss ball it is wise to consult with a fitness professional first to make sure you a using the correct techniques in your exercises.
Thanks Liz for that great post! And don’t forget to stop by Liz Harper Fitness and sign up for her RSS feed.
More books about exercise balls
Therapeutic Exercises Using the Swiss Ball- Ultimate Core Ball Workout: Strengthening and Sculpting Exercises with Over 200 Step-by-Step Photos
- PowerSculpt For Women: The Complete Body Sculpting & Weight Training Workout Using the Exercise Ball (Includes Bonus DVD)
- 101 Ways to Work Out on the Ball: Sculpt Your Ideal Body with Pilates, Yoga and More
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I sort of needed this reminder.
LOVE the ball.
lately it hath been more of a “toy” for me and the toddler tornado than a core worker outer
M.
Exercise balls can be a great way to progress exercises. People with acute back pain may be better of starting on a more stable surface. Nice post.
For beginners to advanced strength trainers, the exercise ball is a great piece of equipment. The variety of exercises and the ability to use more than one muscle makes it a great way to energize the routines.
I just recently started using the exercise ball to advance my at home routines and it’s been great–with or without weights.
Try a tricep dip on an exercise ball, and you’ll be wondering if you’ve ever worked the Triceps before!
I love these balls. They are so versatile! Great for crunches!
I love my exercise ball so much I bought an extra and use it as my chair at work. You won’t believe what a difference it can make on your posture and on your core stability.