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What do you think of the Swiss Ball for core training?
By Christina | January 27, 2008
I have been a Fitness Trainer for 21 years and there are few pieces of equipment that I have used throughout my sessions and the years. Once I learned of the stability ball I jumped on it (literally) and still do. The swiss ball or stability ball, as I know it, was originally created as a tool to assist in physical therapy rehabilitation and has crossed over into the arena of exercise and fitness. New research has shown that the swiss ball makes core exercise 104% more effective. Swiss balls are portable, inexpensive, and versatile training tools. As an example of the effectiveness of the stability ball let’s look at the basic crunch.
A crunch is a modified sit up where you lift only your head, shoulders and arms slightly up off the mat and hold for a moment, then release. By using the ball you incorporate more muscle fibers which leads to greater strength, stability and muscle development. The condition which determines if this a more effective exercise than what you experience on the mat is where you place the ball. The ball placed under your shoulder blades will decrease the amount of work being done by the abdominals and the mat is more effective. The ball placed at the lower lumbar region craetes more range of motion as you lean back thus increasing the workload on the abdominals.
The stability/ swiss ball is not just for crunches. It can be used as a bench which increases instability and increases the use of stabilizer muscles. It can be used as a chair to help relieve pressure on the spine caused by sitting on a rigid surface. It can be used against the wall to maintain the spine in proper alignment for a squat. As I said in the beginning of this blog, the swiss ball is a versatile training aid which can be used for beginners, rehab patients and advanced level exercisers.
If you have not tried it, give it a shot. If you are not sure how to use it, consult a trained professional and give your workouts a new tool. After all, strength training and body adaptation are all about constantly changing the angles and methods so that the body does not adapt.
Topics: Fitness Fads, General |