Exercise ball workouts are very popular and considered a great way to strengthen your core muscles. Also known as a swiss ball, balance ball and stability ball, they have found their way into most gyms, clinics and more recently the home. However, in my opinion, most routines using a ball are not utilising the best feature of the ball. Why? The sort of exercises done with a ball are variations of the usual movements that have been done without a ball for centuries.

Sit-ups, leg raises or extensor exercises are nothing new. The positions you can do them in using a ball does add a new dimension, but in effect they are the same. This is not to say an exercise ball routine is not beneficial, with a bit of imagination you can get far more from your ball workout.

Exercise Ball Workouts
To Challenge Your Body

The feature of your exercise ball that is different to anything else you could use for a fitness routine is its mobility and compressibility. To keep the ball still whilst doing an exercise with it does not make the most of its best feature. If you could use your ball whilst it moves, you will develop more than just your muscles. Learn to use your ball in a particular way and it will:

• develop your coordination

• improve your posture

• enhance your balance

• strengthen your postural muscles

• correct muscle imbalances

• relieve tension and stress

• be great fun!

You do not need to do a single situp, leg raise or adopt any other position that looks like one from the Karma Sutra to get the best results.

Try this one!

A great (and fun) routine to do with your ball is to just sit on it and lift your legs. Now every muscles in your body has to work together in a coordinated manner to keep your balance and prevent you from falling off it. You don't have to try too hard, you just have to let go and let your balance mechanisms, reflexes and muscles figure out the best way for you to maintain position. Don't panic or stiffen up and you may find your body can balance itself.

Your core and peripheral muscles (arms and legs) have to work together and get a great workout at the same time.

In addition to enhancing your coordination and balance functions, I see this simple routine as a great way to practise on of the most vital skills for sport and fitness developement - to be in the moment! This is not an immediately obvious skill but athletes who describe their most successfull performances use this term. If you can stop yourself reacting by stiffening your neck, shoulders or back when the ball starts to move under you and allow your body to coordinate itself, you are practising this vital ability.

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Want to ask a question? My view of what fitness means and how it can be attained is different to the conventional approach. If there is anything on this page that you would like to follow up please feel free to contact me

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