Exercise Ball Routine

The exercise ball routines are a nice way to work out at home. These balls are handy and unlike the expensive and heavy gym equipment, they don't require much storage space.

Working out or exercising is a need of time in today's hectic and fast-paced life. The different types of workouts range from simple stretching exercises to heavy muscle building routines. The use of exercise ball is gaining popularity since this tool is used to perform many different types of workouts.

The exercise ball, which is also known as 'Swiss ball', is made of soft and elastic Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and has a diameter of 14-34 inches. It is used in athletic training, physical therapy and other exercises.

There are many exercise ball workout routines which could be performed at home i.e., with minimum investment and in the least time. It is a better alternative to using heavy and expensive exercise equipment which cause inconvenience resulting from the extra space requirement.

The workout routine with exercise ball is given below. It would help in stretching and strength training of different muscles of the body.

Exercise Crunch Ball: It is a simple exercise performed while lying in a supine position on the ball. The arms should be in an extended position while the body draped over the ball. The hands need to be placed across the chest and then the body should be raised slowly starting from the head, neck, shoulders, chest till the spinal cord.

The abdominal muscles are used to raise the body upwards in this exercise. The body should be rested back to its original position by lowering it. Thus, one repetition of this abdominal exercise is completed. One can increase the number of repetitions gradually.

Low Back Extension: To perform this back exercise, one should first lie in the prone position with the lower chest and stomach resting on the ball. The knees are bent in this position and the feet placed on the ground. The hands are placed across the chest, after which the chest is raised and lowered repetitively.

Shoulder Press: The shoulder press is easy to perform and one has to sit upright on the ball with the knees bent and feet placed on the floor. Dumbbells should be held in both the hands with palms facing forward and at the ear level. The dumbbells should be raised towards the ceiling and the hands be extended fully. The hands should be moved in a parallel manner while performing the exercise.

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press: This dumbbell exercise is performed by placing the upper back of the body in a reclining position over the ball. The knees are bent while the hips drop down to the floor in this position.

The feet should be placed flat on the floor and dumbbells should be held in the hands in such a manner that they are aligned with the shoulders. The dumbbells should be lifted towards the ceiling and the lower arms must be maintained perpendicular to the ground.

Reverse Curl: In this exercise, one should lie back on the floor with arms placed beside the hips. The exercise ball should be placed between the shins and lifted towards the ceiling. About 8-10 repetitions of this exercise help in training the lower abdominal muscles of the body.

The ability of the body to respond to instability is enhanced by working out with the help of exercise ball. While exercising with the help of this ball, more and more muscles are involved in maintaining the balance of the body. Thus, the back and abdominal muscles grow strong over time.

It is possible to perform many different exercises with the help of a Swiss ball. Thus, one should incorporate the exercise ball routines in his daily schedule of workouts.