Improve Posture
with Fitness Balls
Fitness balls, also called gymnastic balls, are an effective tool for flexibility training. They should be burst resistant and have enough softness. They are great to correct posture and increase abdominal strength. It is important to get a burst resistant ball, if you are using it for therapy on your back. Burst resistance is even more important, if you will be using weights while exercising.
Exercises can be easy or very difficult. There are a great number of exercises that can be performed, which benefit all fitness levels. It might be best to buy an exercise instruction booklet to make sure that you do exercises correctly.
Ball kits are available that will help in your exercise program. These kits contain a ball, a pump and either a handbook or an exercise video. There are various videos available for:
- abdominal and back exercise
- total body workout
- muscle toning and strengthening exercises
Price for these kits is about $30-55. Price range for a ball is about $15-50.
Basic safety guidelines:
- Do not exercise near stairs.
- If the ball is damaged, do not use it.
- Be careful not to get too close to sharp edges.
The size of the exercise ball you should use depends on your height. Use this table to choose a comfortable size:
6' or taller - 75 cm (29")
5'6" to 5'11" - 65 cm (25")
4'11" to 5'5" - 55 cm (21")
under 4'10" - 42 cm (16")
Sample of exercises:
Lower Back
Go down on your knees and place your upper body over the top of the ball. With your hands behind your head, lift your chest up until your back is straight. Repeat this 10-15 times.
Hip Exercise
Sit on the ball and move your hips from side to side. Keep a good posture with a straight back. Do this for 1-2 minutes.
Balance on Ball
Sit on the ball with a straight back. Put one foot on the ball. Lift the other foot of the floor and put it also on the ball. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds and repeat about 10-15 times.
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