| If you haven't bought a stability ball for your home gym | | | | The correct size ball is determined by your height. |
| yet you need to. Adding stability ball training to your | | | | Here's a size guide to help you figure out which ball will |
| exercise routines is an excellent choice. | | | | work best for you. |
| Everybody from physical therapists to exercise | | | | 4'8" and under: 45 centimeter |
| coaches rave about them. Stability balls are not a fad | | | | 4'8" to 5'3": 55 centimeter |
| that will fade away like so many other exercise | | | | 5'3" to 6'0": 65 centimeter |
| gadgets out there. They are here to stay and for | | | | 6'0" and taller: 75 centimeter |
| good reason. | | | | If you have family members of varying heights who |
| What is a Stability Ball? | | | | want to do stability-ball workouts then you may have |
| A stability ball is an inflatable rubber ball made of soft | | | | to purchase more than one ball. A ball that is too small |
| elastic PVC. They are inflated with air to a diameter of | | | | or too large makes exercising awkward and at times |
| approximately 14 to 36 inches. The larger ones look a | | | | dangerous. |
| little like a beach ball. Size is about the only difference | | | | 7 Reasons To Add Stability-Ball Training To Your |
| between them. | | | | Home Gym |
| I happen to use the term "stability-ball" when talking | | | | 1. Improves core strength: The hot topic these days is |
| about this ball but there are many other names it goes | | | | core strength. Nothing improves core strength faster |
| by:abs-ball, balance-ball, body-ball, exercise-ball, | | | | or better than stability balls. |
| fitness-ball, gym-ball, physioball, pilates-ball, Pezzi-ball, | | | | 2. Improves balance: Any exercise you perform on a |
| Pezzi Gymnastikball, sports-ball, Swiss-ball, therapy-ball, | | | | balance ball requires the use of more muscles to |
| workout-ball, or Yoga-ball | | | | maintain balance. This is especially good as we age |
| Don't confuse stability ball with medicine ball. A | | | | because we tend to lose our balancing skills over the |
| medicine ball is closer to the size of a basketball and | | | | years. |
| heavier than a stability-ball. | | | | 3. Improves coordination: It takes more coordination to |
| A Brief History of the Stability Ball | | | | do dumbbell presses on a stability ball than on a flat |
| -- Designed in Italy in the 1960?s by Aquilino Cosani, a | | | | bench. |
| plastics engineer. The ball was called a Gymnastik and | | | | 4. Improves exercise comfort: Fitness balls are more |
| originally sold as a toy to children. | | | | comfortable than exercising on the flat floor. |
| -- European physical therapists repurposed the ball | | | | 5. Enhances your exercises: Stability balls produce |
| from a toy to a therapy tool to aid in rehabilitation. | | | | instability which doubles the benefits of your workout |
| -- American physical therapists discovered the benefits | | | | because of all the balancing muscles that are |
| of the balls while visiting physical therapy clinics in | | | | activated. |
| Switzerland. They brought their new-found knowledge | | | | 6. Improves workout fun: Because of its bounciness it |
| home and dubbed the balls "Swiss Balls". | | | | makes exercising more fun. |
| -- In the 1990?s the American fitness industry heard | | | | 7. Workout bench substitute: A stability-ball works very |
| about the physical therapy benefits of stability-balls and | | | | well as an inexpensive substitute for a flat bench. |
| repurposed the balls to be used in all manner of fitness | | | | Conclusion |
| and strength training routines. | | | | Whether your fitness goals are modest, to get a little |
| -- Today everybody and his brother sells stability-balls, | | | | stronger and more toned up, or if your goal is to get |
| books and training dvd's. | | | | massively muscular, adding stability ball training to your |
| Get the Correct Size | | | | home gym workout routines is a smart choice. |