{"id":903,"date":"2001-09-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2001-09-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/fitness-fitness-ball-basics-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-rolling\/"},"modified":"2001-09-10T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2001-09-10T00:00:00","slug":"fitness-fitness-ball-basics-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-rolling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/fitness-fitness-ball-basics-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-rolling\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitness Ball Basics: Everything You Need to Know to Get Rolling"},"content":{"rendered":"
IstockphotoYou've seen them: big rubber balls that look like they belong on a playground rather than in the gym. But don't be fooled, stability balls are a serious training tool and their wobble factor can spice up a tired routine.<\/p>\n
A recent survey from the IDEA, the health & fitness association for fitness professionals, found that 71 percent fitness facilities surveyed nationwide were offering stability ball-based classes. You can check out the schedule at a club near you to join one of these classes. Or order a ball along with a workout video to do at home. Before you start, brush up on your ball basics.<\/p>\n
What a stability ball is Why you should use one<\/strong>
<\/strong>A stability ball, also known as a Swiss ball, Resist-a-ball, fit ball, balance ball and body ball is a people-sized, inflated rubber ball. It's strong enough to sit, lie and do push-ups on.<\/p>\n
The rock-and-roll element challenges your muscles more effectively than simply performing a similar exercise on a stable surface like a gym mat. You can perform most upper and lower body weight moves and stretches on the ball—from seated biceps curls to ab crunches to back stretches. Sitting or lying on the unsteady ball engages core ab, leg and back muscles that you might not use if you didn't need to stabilize yourself during the move. Plus, the slope of the ball provides support while you work in a bigger range of motion. So if you lean back on the ball, you get a deeper stretch than if you were just flat on a mat.<\/p>\n