A Swiss Ball (also known as Thera Ball, Balance Ball and Stability Ball) is a very useful, dynamic and cost effective tool to utilize for many different types of exercises! It comes in a variety of sizes and can be inflated to your desired firmness. Here are a few great reasons people believe it to be so effective and we highly advise it to add versatility to your work out routines:
The Swiss ball recruits more muscle fibers for exercises:
Any time a Swiss ball is used for any type of exercise, the instability of the ball requires the use of many stabilizer muscles to support the action. This will definitely increase your balance, stability and strength around the core and joints. You will be building strength in muscles that you didn’t even know you are working!
The Swiss ball is very effective for crunches:
Any time you are doing crunches, you start in a pre-stretched position due to the contour of the ball and allow your abdominals to work through a full range of motion. Also, the instability of the ball works the oblique areas slightly and gives you an incredibly balanced 6 pack!
The Swiss ball is an amazing core development tool:
It forces your mid-section muscles to be constantly contracting when you are doing any exercise on the ball in order to maintain balance and stability even when you are focusing on other muscle groups.
The Swiss ball is great alternative to a bench:
When utilizing a Swiss ball instead of a traditional bench, it is usually a good idea to lighten up the weight to start. Try doing a chest press and/or a chest fly as well as a one arm dumbbell row. By using the ball, you will make strength gains in your core and stabilizers that will benefit you greatly when you return to the bench, allowing you to work with heavier weights confidently.
The Swiss ball helps develop the weaker side of your body:
Any time the ball is being used, it forces the weaker side of your body to work just as hard as the stronger side in order to keep balanced, therefore helping both sides of your body to be developed equally with better symmetry.
The Swiss ball can be utilized for advanced training techniques:
Feel free to get creative with the ball and try some of your own exercises to really give your body a shock and give it the variety it needs in order to effectively grow. One of my favorite Swiss ball exercises is to kneel on the ball with my feet right off the ground and do 12 Shoulder Lateral Raises, 12 Front Raises per side and 12 Shoulder Presses with 10-15lb dumbbells all in a row while balancing on the ball!!!
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