Whether you’re looking to stock up your home gym or wanting to try out a new piece of equipment at your local studio, you need to start using an exercise ball. Exercise balls will increase your range of motion, improve your spatial awareness and balance, and tone your core. At around $30, it’s an investment you won’t regret making and there are multiple uses for exercise balls both at the gym and in your daily life. Here’s how to use them.
Exercise balls can be used for your workout or as an office chair! While sitting on this unstable surface during your 9-5 job, you’ll be engaging your core and stabilizing muscles in your lower back so you keep good posture all day.
For exercise, start with a lighter ball and with time, move to a heavier ball. Your aim is to get lots of reps in and less weight.
The most popular exercise to do on a ball are crunches, and we suggest also trying planks, push-ups, and mountain climbers as well. Glute bridges or bridge hold can also be done on the ball and they’ll strengthen your midsection and you’ll have an increased range of motion which helps activate your glutes. These exercises can reduce lower back pain and injury because you’re working on strengthening your glutes which don’t get strong when you’re sitting all day.
Half balance balls, called Dome or Bosu Balls, strengthen your core the same way the classic balance balls do and you’ll have a wider range of exercises you can complete with them because the base is flat. You can also work on lower body exercises like lunges, squats, and toe taps with these balls.
