When I begin working with a client in their home, the first piece of equipment I tell them to buy is a Swiss ball or Stability Ball.  The presence of the Swiss Ball is everywhere.  We find them in large public gyms, private personal training studios, physical therapy offices, corporate board rooms, etc.  There are many great benefits of making a stability ball a part of your fitness routine, especially if you are working out at home.  Let me take you through some of the reasons why I think Stability Balls are so great to have in your home!

They are inexpensive-  Not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend on home exercise equipment.  Stability Balls typically cost less than $50 each.  There are some brands that run more expensive, but the average cost amongst all brands is very reasonable.  If they are used on an appropriate surface and are well taken care of, they do not need to be replaced often. 

They do not take up much space and are easy to store-  When it comes to home training, this is an important factor for many people.  If you have limited space to work out in, a ball can be easily moved and tucked out of sight.  They are lightweight so there is little stress over moving the ball on a regular basis.  You can do most of the exercises you do on a bench on a ball.  And there are great exercises you can do with a ball that you cannot do with a bench.  So a Swiss Ball is a great way to go.

Swiss Balls/Stability Balls are great for core training-  Training on a stability ball is great for developing the core of your body.  Your core consists of the muscles of the back, abdominals, and the muscles that attach to the back and abdominals such as the hip flexor muscles.  These core muscles stabilize and support you body during movement.  Without a strong core, you may be at risk for back injury, balance problems, reduced performance during sports, and a decreased ability to perform daily tasks with ease.   

Swiss Balls/Stability Balls exercises create muscle integration- When you work on a stability ball, you do not use just one part of the body at a time.  Multiple muscles of the body work together to help stabilize your body on the ball during an exercise.  This concept of muscle integration is so important that I wrote another article entirely on this concept.  Feel free to check it out to learn more. 

Posture Improvement-  Weak muscles of the body are muscles that are not getting used on a regular basis.  When important muscles of the body get neglected, posture problems can develop which may lead to back , neck, shoulder, hip, or knee troubles.  In addition, when certain muscles get overused and are not stretched out on a regular basis, this can also lead to altered posture and potential injury.  The use of a stability ball can help with both of these scenarios.  Neglected muscles are easily recruited when using a stability ball because they have to be in order to maintain balance on the ball and perform the exercise correctly.  Forcing the body to recruit these neglected muscles helps to improve natural alignment and posture from your neck down to your toes.  Additionally, a stability ball can also be used in your flexibility program to stretch many parts of the body.  I meet very few people who spend enough time stretching after a workout.  It is quick and easy to grab your stability ball and move through a variety of stretches that will help maintain good posture. 

With all this in mind, we are moving on to more exciting things in our series of home workouts.  This workout we are adding a Stability Ball into our program.  This program is a great place to begin if you have never used a stability Ball in your workouts or is you are just implementing a workout program into your lifestyle. 

The video below contains the following exercises:

1. Ball Cobra- Hold 30 seconds
2. Ball Quadruped- Hold 20 seconds per side
3. Ball Hamstring Curl- 15 repetitions
4. Ball Push Up- 15 repetitions
5. Ball Squat and Hold- 15 repetitions, hold until you collapse!

*Thanks again to Julieanna Hever for helping me with this workout.  If anyone is looking for great nutrition advice to go along with their new fitness program, Julieanna is a great resource.  Julieanna is Registered Dietician who offers in home counseling, online counseling, lectures, presentations, and more.  Please check out her website to learn more! 

 The same guidelines apply as the last video workout.  They are as follows:

1.  Complete 2-3 sets of each exercise

2.  Move through the exercises in a circuit training format (one right after the other with no rest in between)

3.  Make sure you are breathing.  Exhale through the exertion (or the hardest part of the exercise)

4.  Control is important.  Use a 2:2 count to ensure you are not rushing through your exercises.  That means you should count 2 seconds on both the concentric and eccentric portion of the exercise.

5.  Have water readily available so you continue to hydrate during your workout.

6.  If you begin to feel faint, lightheaded, dizzy or nauseous, discontinue the workout and consult a physician.

7.  If you are new to exercise and are under the care of a physician for a condition that requires continual medical care, please consult your doctor prior to beginning this program. 

8.  HAVE FUN!!!

 You can also check out Jon's Ball ebook!