Muscles

I have noticed a number of the trainers at my gym using these large rubber balls with clients. What are they for and how can they help me get fit? 

You're right - in the last 5 years, exercising with large, rubber balls has become the latest rage. You can walk into any fitness gym and find exercisers of all fitness levels throwing, sitting, lying or kneeling on balls. Even athletes in the National Basketball, Hockey and Football leagues are incorporating ball training in their workout regimes. By using an exercise ball instead of a traditional workout bench, you will work your trunk in almost every exercise helping to improve your balance, posture, body awareness, core strength and coordination.

Any exercise that you can do sitting or lying on a bench you can do positioned over an exercise ball in order to make it a much more advanced and effective exercise. If you decide you'd like to "Get on the Ball" here's a couple purchasing tips: 

• Types of balls - You can purchase a standard vinyl ball or an anti-burst ball. I recommend to all my clients that they purchase an anti-burst model because if the ball is punctured by something sharp like a pin, staple or rock, the ball will deflate slowly rather than explode. There have been a number of reported cases of individuals exercising on an exercise ball using heavy weights when the ball burst. You can imagine the safety hazard.
   
• Size of ball - The exercise balls come in a variety of sizes but in general, when seated on the ball, your knees should be even with or slightly below the hips.
   
• Inflating the exercise ball - There is an adapter included with the ball so that a standard bike pump can be used. 

Before getting started with any workout program using these balls play around with the exercise ball for a few days and get comfortable with your body movements on the ball. 

Here's a couple exercise ideas: 

1. Wall squats - Leaning back against the exercise ball, position the ball so that it is sandwiched between the wall and your lower back. Position your feet so that they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider with your feet pointed forward and your body weight equally distributed on all 4 corners of your feet. Now slowly squat downwards to a comfortable position or until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. As you return to the starting position, squeeze your gluteus (buttocks).
   
   Remember to keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise and maintain perfect posture. Repeat 13-20x. This is a great exercise for your quads (front thigh), hamstrings (back thigh), gluteus (buttocks) and adductor (inner thigh) muscles. It is similar to a Hack Squat machine but without the compressive forces on the spine making it ideal for those of you who are at risk for back pain or are osteroporotic. 
    
2. Low traps - Lay on your stomach over the exercise ball making sure to keep your abdominals contracted up and in throughout the entire exercise. Keep your back and neck in a neutral position and start with your arms extended overhead and your thumbs positioned towards the ceiling. Now slowly lift both arms upwards to a comfortable position. Try to set your shoulder blades throughout the exercise so that your shoulder blades are pulled downwards towards your feet. Perform 13-20 reps. This is a great exercise for the lower traps, a weak postural muscle. 
    
3. Chest press + Bridging - Start by sitting on the exercise ball while holding your hand-weights. Now slowly start to curl backwards and move your feet outwards until you are lying over the ball with your head, neck and shoulder blades comfortably supported on the ball. Your feet should be positioned right under your knees and your hips should be lifted up and square to the ceiling. By holding this position, you will be working your hamstrings (back of thigh), gluteus (buttocks) and your core (abs and back).
   
   Start with your arms extended upwards so that your wrists and elbows are directly above your shoulder with your thumbs facing each other. Now slowly lower the hand-weights so that your elbows travel out to the side. The movement finishes when your upper arm is parallel to the floor and your wrist is positioned right over your elbow. Note your elbow should not drop lower than your shoulder joint. Slowly return to the starting position. Keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise. Repeat 8-15x. The upper body movement will condition your chest and triceps. 
    
4. Hamstring curls - Lay on your back with your feet positioned on the exercise ball. With your arms at your side, slowly lift your hips and buttocks up towards the ceiling while contracting your gluteus (buttocks) and hamstrings (back of thigh) until your body weight is resting comfortably on your shoulder blades. Throughout the entire exercise, be sure to keep your hips square to the ceiling and your abdominals contracted. Now slowly curl the ball in towards your body while maintaining control and stability through your core area. Slowly curl out and in 13-20x. This is one of my most favorite exercises for hamstrings. 
    
5. Overhead shoulder press - Sit on the exercise ball making sure to sit perfectly upright on your sitting or butt bones. Your abdominals should be contracted, your chest lifted up and out and your shoulders back. Imagine that as you sit there is a rope extended from your head to the ceiling so that you sit as tall as you can. Once you are in this starting position, you can begin the exercise. Position both hand-weights beside your head with your elbows bent and your palms facing forwards. Your wrists should be positioned over top of your elbows so that your lower arm is perpendicular and your upper arm is parallel to the floor. Now slowly extend over your head rotating inwards to that by the time your arms are extended fully overhead, your palms face each other. Return to the starting position and repeat 8-15x. This exercise is great for your shoulders, triceps, and of course, your core. 
    
6. Inner thigh squeezes - Straddle the exercise ball from behind positioning your knees out to the side and underneath your hips. Your feet should be behind you with your toes touching the ground helping to maintain your balance. Keeping your abdominals contracted and maintaining perfect, upright posture, slowly squeeze your knees together contracting your adductors (inner thigh). Perform 13-20 reps. 
    
7. Crunches - Start by laying over the exercise ball on your back. Find a comfortable position with your low back supported on the ball. Tuck your chin in slightly, focusing your eyes at a 45 degree angle - avoid looking right up at the ceiling or directly at the opposite wall - this will help keep your neck in a neutral position. Holding a medicine ball in your arms, slowly curl up to a comfortable position and then slowly return to the starting position - make sure that your rib cage moves forward towards your hips. Keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise. Repeat 8-18x.