Exercise balls are all the rage and for good reason. They may, in fact, be the single most effective fitness device on the market today. Inexpensive to purchase, easy and fun to use, they are particularly suited to helping you shed excess fat and develop awesome abs. Their proper use will benefit your entire body but. Most importantly, they will strengthen your core muscles. Routines to incorporate in your exercise ball workouts are nearly unlimited and can be very specific in which part of the body they target.
Exercise balls, also commonly known as stability balls or fitness balls, can be found almost anywhere and are not expensive to buy. They run anywhere from about $20 to as much as $50 or more. The more expensive ones will usually come with extras, such as instructional videos. Basically, it’s simply a large, inflatable rubber ball made to support a weight of up to half a ton.
Getting the right size ball is important and it depends on your size. Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the ground. With the right size, your knees should form a 90-degree angle. If not, change to a different sized ball.
Now that you’ve got your ball, what can you do with it? If yours didn’t come with an instructional video and you’re not inclined to go to a gym or a personal trainer who can teach you the correct way to use it, then go to the Internet. There are numerous sites available online which can teach you not only what exercises to do but how to do them and what results you can expect. Many include very descriptive pictures you can follow and some even have how-to videos you can watch to help you along.
A fitness ball is most beneficial in developing your core. Your core includes the muscle groups at the center of your body, the torso. This is your center of gravity. Included are the muscles in front and to the sides of your stomach, commonly referred to as the ‘abs’. Back muscles, shoulder muscles and certain neck muscles also help make up the core. Working on these muscles will benefit your entire body, since this is where all body movements originate.
Because a fitness ball is round, just the act of sitting on it starts to work your core muscles. These muscles will flex and contract automatically in response to the natural tendency to roll off the ball and fall over. There are almost an unlimited number of exercises that can be performed with the aid of an exercise ball.
It’s also nice to have specific exercises that target specific areas. Trunk extension works the back. Crunches target the abs. Bent knee bridge helps the hamstrings and buttocks. Superman works the upper, lower and middle back.
The best recommendation is to get a ball and get started, even if it’s only sitting on it while watching TV. Better yet, go online and visit one of the many sites full of exercise ball workouts. They work. In no time you should experience significant fat loss and start to see the flat abs you’ve been wanting to attain. Go for it!
It will be great fun working out when you begin using the exercise ball workouts today! Easy routines that will help you to meet your goals using exercise ball workouts.