Stability Ball
A stability ball is similar to an exercise ball or yoga ball but there are still many differences. A stability ball is as it says, as it is much more stable than the alternatives. With a stability ball you can perform a number of exercises and can even incorporate free weights with those exercises as well. You even have the option of buying a half of a stability ball which helps a lot for footwork and stability while standing.
Many of the exercises you perform on an exercise ball or yoga ball are done on a stability ball. However, there are a few more intense exercises that should only be done with a stability ball for safety reasons. One example of this would be barbell squats while standing on the ball. This is a very advanced exercise that should include a spotter and should only be done if you are at that experience level.
Design
A stability ball is similar to an exercise ball, yoga ball, or even a kid's ball but it is designed to be much more stable. The material used to create a stability ball is lightweight. However, the ball is still very sturdy. The stability ball is designed to be able to hold your full body weight while sitting on it and moving in various directions and angles.
The way the stability ball is designed will allow you to perform various exercises without worrying about the ball interfering with your form. You can also perform free weight exercises on top of body weight exercises with the stability ball.
Benefits
Most of the benefits of using a stability ball relate to the complex design of it. The ball works along with your body and will allow you to improve your balance, posture, and more. You do not necessarily have to be performing any exercises on the stability ball either. You could simply use the ball as a chair for a period of time to improve your posture. However, the benefits of using the stability ball for various exercises make it worthwhile.
You have the ability to workout with a stability ball at your difficulty level. If you are slightly out of shape and not very flexible there are still many exercises you can do. On the other hand, if you want to perform advanced exercises the possibilities are limitless when using a stability ball.
Exercises
There are hundreds of different exercises that you can perform with an exercise ball. In many cases you are just using the stability ball as a chair, bench, or similar platform. If you would like to simply use the stability ball for stability exercises then there are three main difficulty levels to choose from. They are as listed below.
Beginner – these exercises will just require you to sit on the stability ball in a certain position. There will not be a lot of resistance and this will mostly work on your posture.
Intermediate – these exercises require you to have your legs spread a bit. This will add to the resistance and make the exercise more difficult.
Expert – these exercises require you to sit in a certain position while the stability ball is moving. These exercises will require you to move with the ball as well so the resistance level is extremely high.
Of course, these are just the basic exercises that can be done with a stability ball. There are hundreds of different exercises (and variations of exercises) that can be done with a stability ball. If you use your imagination you could probably create a few new exercises as well. If you are interested in adding a stability ball to your daily fitness program then it would be recommended to purchase one. You should also get a DVD that displays various stability ball exercises.
