Why You Need a Stability Ball

Stability balls are everywhere these days and every personal trainer I know is completely crazy about using these things with their clients. Why are we so in love with the stability ball? I love it because:

1. It's easy to use. Because you can use the ball as a weight bench, a place to sit and a support for so many exercises, you can move through exercises quickly without needing a lot of extra equipment.
2. It adds intensity. It's tough to make traditional moves (like chest presses or flies) more interesting, but using a ball instead of a bench immediately adds depth to these kinds of moves and engages more muscle groups.
3. It targets a variety of goals. Because the ball is an unstable surface, you work on those small, vital stability muscles of the legs and torso even while you're doing other things like strengthening the back in back extensions or the chest in pushups.
4. It has multiple uses. As mentioned above, you can use a ball as a weight bench or a support and you can also use it for stretching, yoga, Pilates and even sitting at your desk or in front of the TV.

And it's not just fitness experts who love the stability ball...scientists now know that using a stability ball can help with back problems in sedentary people. In a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, experts found that stability ball training does improve spinal stability, noting that this kind of training "might be beneficial to individuals who spend a good deal of time sitting (i.e., in corporate fitness programs) or for individuals who are prone to back pain and have been cleared to exercise."

If you haven't gotten on the ball yet, there's no better time than now. Below are some resources for how to choose an exercise ball along with a variety of workouts you can try at home.

• Choosing and Using an Exercise Ball
• Core Exercises on the Ball
• Exercise Ball Workout
• Abs, Hips & Thighs on the Ball