Ultimate Exercise Ball Guide

Posted by Ashely S on Dec 07, 2018

Ultimate Exercise Ball Guide

Posted by Ashley S.

Whether you’re eight years old or 80, you can exercise and literally have a ball. Exercise balls are one of the most adaptable and least dangerous pieces of equipment to work with, provided you know how to use them properly.

In this quick guide, we answer all the questions you have about this simple but effective workout aid, including how to go about choosing an exercise ball.

What is an Exercise Ball?

Exercise balls are made from inflatable plastic that’s hard to puncture and, generally range in diameter from 35 and 85 cm.

Exercise balls were popularly used for physical conditioning in Switzerland, which is why they’re sometimes called Swiss balls.

WHAT ARE THEIR BENEFITS?

People choose exercise balls for workouts because they’re a great means of toning and sculpting muscles, attaining core strength and improving posture.

Your body has to balance and react to the instability of the ball, with the result that your chest, abdominal, back and hip muscles are actively engaged. When core muscles strengthen, your balance and coordination will improve and so will your lumbar, or lower back, mobility. The activity also increases blood flow to your back and joints.

Exercise balls are also helpful for doing movements where you need flexible support such as post-injury rehabilitation. You can target muscles that regular sit-ups don’t effectively impact, which is why these unfussy spheres have also become popular with elite athletes.

WHAT SIZE BALL TO BUY?

For your own safety and for the efficacy of the workout, the most important thing to consider when choosing an exercise ball size is your height.

When you stand next to the ball, it should reach your knees or slightly above. You want your bent legs to easily form a right angle when sitting so that your thighs are parallel to the floor.

If you’re shorter than 5 feet, go with an 18 inch (45 cm) diameter
If you’re between 5 feet and 5 ft 7, you're going to want a ball that is 22 inches (55 cm) in diameter
Between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot-1, we’re talking a 65 cm diameter
For the really tall folks, a 75 cm ball should do the trick

Mini exercise balls can withstand 600 lbs of pressure. But at around 9 inches, they're also perfect for the more delicate task of ballet barre exercises.

When choosing an exercise ball, remember that the larger the ball the less intense the workout. That’s why you’ll often see older people, or those out of shape, using balls on the bigger end of the spectrum.

Deflating the ball to slightly reduce the air pressure also reduces the intensity of the workout.

Exercise Balls at Work?

PROS

Exercise balls flatten out with your weight making them surprisingly more stable than expected.
You need to find your center of gravity, a neutral positioning of the spine where your upper body is balanced on a stable pelvic base. That helps relieve pressure on the spine, reducing and relieving back pain.
Short periods of ball sitting will help strengthen your core and balance.

CONS

Long periods of ball sitting will not be comfortable for those without the core strength to sustain correct posture for extended periods.
Upper body strain because balls have no armrests.
There’s a lack of supporting scientific evidence to show that choosing an exercise ball to sit on instead of a chair has any significant benefits.

BOUNCING ON AN EXERCISE BALL?

Bouncing on an exercise ball engages your core because you need to stay upright and balanced. Bouncing is one way to do pelvic rotations which promote better circulation in your spine.

To bounce correctly, you need to plant your feet on the ground hip distance apart, sit up nice and tall, and pull your belly button in. Let your feet lift off the floor when you’re bouncing up, and switch up your arm movements because bouncing alone won’t give you a well-rounded workout.

USING BEYOND SITING & BOUNCING?

Fun fact - pregnant women often choose exercise balls to support their extra weight during prenatal workouts. And their use doesn’t end there – they can also be used as a birthing aid to help with contractions during delivery.

For everyone else, they are used for stretching joints, for yoga and pilates, for strength training and more.

Many of the exercises you do, such as squats, frog jumps, and push-ups, can incorporate the unstable surface of the ball for better muscle engagement.

Push-ups on an exercise ball improve trunk strength, making you more resistant to certain injuries.

Choosing an Exercise Ball Workout Routine

Routines vary in difficulty. Many people start off being quite inflexible. With consistent usage and conditioning, this will change gradually.

The firsts steps usually include pelvic rotation exercises where you rock back-and-forth or side-to-side. You can also make circles. You start in the pelvic tilt position, then slowly move your weight around clockwise a few times, then counterclockwise.

After accomplishing the basics, there are countless ways that you can utilize a ball to treat areas you are most concerned about. It’s best you consult a qualified professional before attempting any complex movements, especially if you have a spine condition. Falls are possible and we want to avoid them.

PRECAUTIONS

Don’t use these balls if doing so causes you pain.
Fully engaging muscle groups often leads to fatigue much sooner than you were anticipating, so keep routines short when first starting out.
Execute movements in a controlled manner and speed, or they might have the opposite effect to what you were hoping, and cause you harm.

We hope this breakdown has shown you what you need to think about when choosing an exercise ball and what you’re likely to gain from using one.

As a low-cost, super-versatile tool, exercise balls can be a fixture of at-home routines, allowing you to achieve full body workouts in your own bedroom. And at the gym, they can add a different and interesting element to your solo or partnered workout sessions.

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