Balancing Your Workout with a Stability Ball

A Stability Ball is a great exercise tool that improves:

• Balance
• Flexibility
• Strength

First, make sure that you get the correct size ball for your height:

• Under 5’7”- 55 centimeters
• 5’7” and over - 65 centimeters

Sit on the ball properly:

• Good posture, shoulders back and down
• Legs at a wide stance, hip distance apart
• Legs form a right angle at the knee

Balance

• Just sitting on the ball is an exercise in balance
• Sit on the ball and lift one knee at a time
• Sit on the ball and extend one leg at a time
• Combine these two movements, lift the knee then extend the leg

Flexibility

• Back stretch - stand with legs hip distance apart, knees bent, place the ball on the thighs, hug the ball.
• Back and shoulder stretch - with the ball on the floor, kneel on the floor with hands on top of the ball, sit back toward the heels

Strength

• Ball push-up - lie on top of the ball face down,  walk out with hands to form a right angle with the floor, cross ankles, bend elbows and lower self to the floor leading with the chest, press up
• Ball squats - place ball on the wall, place ball on lower back, walk feet out so that knees form a right angle when lowering, roll down to a seated position and back up.

Stability balls can be found at sporting goods stores, discount stores, and in catalogs.

This is just the beginning of what you can do with a stability ball! Have fun!