Get On the Ball

A stability ball is a great workout tool that’s easy to use and inexpensive to boot. You can buy one online or in most sporting goods stores. They come in small, medium and large, so make sure to buy the one that makes sense for your body size. Beginners might want to get a slightly larger ball, which will have a bigger base to provide more support. Performing moves on a stability ball will bring you more results than if you did them on solid ground. Because your body has to work extra hard to balance on top of the ball, you work your core muscles and stabilizer muscles in addition to the muscle you’re isolating. You can easily modify most standing exercises to work on a stability ball and make the exercise more challenging, such as performing biceps curls and shoulder presses while sitting on your ball. Your bouncy tool is also a great piece of equipment for toning your abs. By lying on your ball to do your crunches, you’ll force your abdominal muscles to act as stabilizers for your whole body, in addition to working them as you crunch up. If you’ve already completed your strength workout, you can use the ball for a variety of stretches and cool-down moves, too. Because the balls can be used for yoga, strength and cardio classes, they are becoming a common fixture at many gyms. So what are you waiting for? Get with the program and have a ball working out!