05 Mar Five ways a stability ball can enhance your workout

Most people who have been to a gym recently have either seen a stability ball, aka exercise ball, or actually used one.
Many people may not know how many different ways an exercise ball can enhance their workout. Here are five reasons why they can help you get more fit.
1. Creates an unstable surface that can make even routine exercises more difficult to perform than if you were laying on the floor or a normal weight bench.
2. Can help improve strength by working muscles in different ways than you’re accustomed to. It can cause secondary stabilizing muscles to be called into action.
3. The unstable surface can help you improve balance and coordination over time.
4. The core muscles are worked much more than normally because your midsection plays a big role in balancing on the exercise ball.
5. Exercises that may seem routine, such as sit-ups, bench presses, shoulder presses, etc., can seem a lot different when performed using the exercise ball. This can also make exercising more fun because it’s a new type of challenge.
Bonus tip: For people who are new to exercising with an exercise ball, you may want to use a ball that is a little under inflated. It will be a little easier to balance on.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com