In the past couple of years the use of exercise balls in workouts has exploded. Advocates have found that the exercise ball increases the resistance of many of the exercises and it makes them more interesting. Muscle-headed guys may dismiss them as “just for the girls,” but they couldn’t be farther from the truth. The muscles from head to toe may be toned and given a good workout using a ball of the appropriate size.
The balls come in three regular sizes: 22 inch, 26 inch and 30 inch. When used, the ball should be well-filled with air and not spongy and soft. Other exercise gear is also recommended for exercise ball workouts: Floor mat, light dumbbells, ankle weights and a balance board. Equipped thus, a complete body workout is available. An exercise routine using the ball can be developed to suit your own needs and fitness level. There are online videos and charts that can assist in setting up an exercise ball program.
Some of the exercises that may be performed:
- Upper Body
- Wall Push-up
- Floor Push-up
- Reverse Push-up
- Triceps Dips
- Lower Body
- Squat
- Single-leg Squat
- Lunge
- Bridges
- Reverse Bridge
- Hamstring Curl
- Inner Thigh Ball Pass
- Trunk/Torso
- Ball Crunch
- Roll Away
- Side Crunch
- Back Extension
- Plank
- Reverse Plank
- Jackknife
- Ball Rotation
- Woodchop
For ease of tracking your workout, a chart of the exercises should be developed that shows the number of sets and the reps in each set. It is a good idea to divide the workout into three parts; upper body, lower body and torso. Alternate starting with different body parts to keep things interesting and to prevent you body from getting used to a routine. A typical week might be:
- Monday – Upper Body, Lower Body, Torso
- Tuesday – Cardio-Vascular exercises.
- Wednesday – Lower Body, Torso, Upper Body
- Thursday – Cardio-Vascular exercises
- Friday – Torso, Upper Body, Lower Body
- Weekend – rest
For the hardcore bodybuilder, the exercise ball may be used to augment a weight and circuit training routine by interspersing ball exercises with the iron-pumping. The ball routine could be used to warm-up and stretch the muscles before embarking on the weight training. Parts of the exercise ball routine could be used to warm and exercise those muscles on the days they are being rested from weights.
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