Exercise ball FUNdamentals...

The ball has long been used to train for balance, coordination, and flexibility.

They are also used for core conditioning, functional, and athletic conditioning.

The concept is so simple.

Many everyday events and certainly most sports force us into unstable positions, challenging our balance, calling for immediate neuromuscular control and spontaneous sensory capabilities. So why not train for these specific physiological events?

The tool is even more simplistic. It’s a ball… with a great many names.

It’s been called an exercise ball, a fit ball, a fitness ball, a flex ball, a gym ball, a body ball, a swiss ball, a physio ball and a stability ball.

Whatever you call it, it’s been around a long time. It made a resurgence in the 1960s when a toy maker in Italy popularized it as the “Gymnastik Ball”.

One of the first individuals to recognize the potential value of the exercise ball was a Swiss physical therapist who used it in rehabilitation for spinal, shoulder, and hip injuries.

The exercise ball finally crossed our shores in the 1980s and found its use in physical therapy too.

However, it quickly became a regular fitness tool for personal trainers and athletic coaches, and a favourite among fitness enthusiasts.

The exercise ball does some things very well, and almost anyone ranging from novices to athletes can benefit from their use.

If you workout from home, you’ll definitely want a fitness ball because, short of the training benefits, a stability ball also provides additional advantages for home fitness in terms of its compact size, portability, versatility... and economical price.

A stability ball is really ideal for home use. It’s convenient, practical, and simple to use. It’s easy to own, it takes up very little space, requires very little maintenance, it’s light-weight, and it stores fairly easily.

The ball can take the place of a chair or weight bench, and you can use it to perform exercises you normally perform on the floor.

It's not a bad idea to cycle stability ball exercises into your fitness workout program , if nothing else, than for the sake of variety.

What the swiss ball does, is introduce a variable of instability.

Essentially, the ball provides an unstable environment causing additional muscles to work as your body is forced to maintain balance.

See how exercise ball exercises provide a proprioceptive environment to challenge your sensory capabilities, and why even top athletes use the ball to train...

What follows then, is information you want to know about choosing the right-sized ball, about ball quality, about inflating the ball, proper body position, the drawing in manoeuvre, tips for the care and storage of your ball, and other considerations...

Choosing the right-sized exercise ball

Stability balls come in different sizes. The ‘size’ refers to the circumference of the ball, often measured in centimetres, and is typically dependent on body height.

Small - 45 cm (18 in.)..........For people up to 4 ft 10 in.
Medium - 55 cm (22 in.).......For people 4 ft 10 in. to 5 ft 5 in.
Large - 65 cm (26 in.)..........For people 5 ft 5 in. to 6 ft.
X-Large - 75 cm (30 in.).......For people 6 ft to 6 ft 5 in.
XX-Large - 85 cm (33 in.).....For people over 6 ft 5 in.

The general recommendation is that when you sit on the ball with feet flat on the floor, your thighs should be parallel to the ground.

If you get the chance, it’s always best to try the ball before buying.

This is because regardless of your body height, some people have proportionally longer or shorter limbs. Two people of the same height can have different leg lengths causing their knees and hips to be greater or lesser than 90 degrees to the floor when seated on the ball.

The size of the ball is just a general recommendation.

Personally, when we do train with a swiss ball, I'll train my client with different-sized physio balls for different exercises even though their height never changes.

A word about inflating the stability ball

Balance has everything to do with your ability to maintain your centre of mass (COM) over the base of support. When you change your base of support, you change the degree of difficulty.

For example, when you stand with your feet close together it is easier to push you off balance than if your feet are shoulder-width apart, or wider.

Therefore, by increasing your base of support you effectively decrease the challenge of balance, and vice-versa.

If you’re having the ball inflated at the store, it is likely the salesperson will ask you how 'firm' you want it.

Whether you’re inflating the ball yourself or someone else is doing it for you- you may want to consider your level of skill and ability first.

Inflating the ball more will make it more 'firm' or 'lively'.

This will reduce the amount of surface in contact with the ground, effectively reducing your base of support.

Inflating the ball slightly less will increase the contact surface giving you a greater base of support.

Thus, beginners may wish to start with a less 'firm' ball whereas more advanced individuals may want a 'firmer' ball.

Continue on to Part 2 Fitness ball fundamentals to learn about exercise ball quality, proper body position, the drawing in manoeuvre, and other fitness ball tips...

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