The State, Columbia, S.C.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Stability ball, Swiss Ball, physioball, Resist-A-Ball, exercise ball … call it what you will, those big round bouncy things have an edge over floormat exercises. They’re great for strengthening the body’s core, made up of the abdominal muscles, along with the back and hip muscles. Strengthening the core helps:

• Guard against strain and injury

• Improve balance, coordination and flexibility

Stability balls conform to the shape of the spine, supporting the back and reducing strain. Plus, using a stability ball gives a better workout than lying on the floor, because more muscles that are smaller and deeper have to spring into action to prevent the exerciser from falling off the ball.

“You are working out on an unbalanced surface, so you’re training your balance centers,” said Ludmila Cosio-Lima, an assistant professor in the Division of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science at the University of West Florida.

Cosio-Lima studied stability balls as part of her master’s degree from Springfield College in Massachusetts. The study – published in 2003 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research – found that among women doing conventional floor exercises during a five-week exercise program, those who used a stability ball improved torso balance and strength more than women who did the same exercises without a ball.

“I recommend using this kind of training for people who want to get a little fitter and want to be better in their daily life activities,” Cosio-Lima said.

But exercisers must use the balls carefully and with proper form to avoid harming themselves by rolling off the ball or straining the neck, said Malu Dawsey, manager of Ladies Choice Fitness Center in Columbia, S.C. Some stability ball exercises are fine for beginners, but others are only for the more advanced.

Ladies Choice allows clients to use balls only during one-on-one sessions with trainers, said Toni Goff, director of the Center’s two Columbia locations.

DO IT YOURSELF

Stability ball exercises

Curl: Start by sitting on top of the ball with the feet shoulder-width apart. Walk the feet forward until the lower back is pressed firmly into the ball. Put the fingers behind the temples, keeping the elbows wide. Lower the upper back and shoulders onto the ball. Next, lift the upper back and shoulders off the ball to about a 45-degree angle. Keep the hips anchored so the ball does not move. Lower the torso and repeat.

Oblique Curl: Same starting position as above. Lift the upper back and shoulders off the ball to a 45-degree angle while turning the torso to the left. Lower torso. Repeat and switch sides.

Reverse curl: Lie on your back on the floor with knees bent and legs on the ball.

The ball should be wedged between your bottom and calves. Use the heels to lift the ball off the floor, drawing your knees toward your chest. Lower to starting position and repeat.

Pike (advanced): Lie on the ball facedown and walk your hands out until your ankles are on the ball’s tip. Without bending the knees, draw the stability ball forward with the foot, lifting the hips as high as possible to form an upside-down V-shape.

SOURCE: Exercise instructions adapted from www.resistaball.com and www.paulfrediani.com

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Have A Ball

Picking the right ball is important – the taller you are, the bigger the ball you need. When you sit on the tip of the ball with your feet flat on the floor and your torso erect, the calves should form a 90-degree angle with the thighs.

Check It Out

The Fitness Ball Deck

“50 Exercises for Toning, Balance, and Building Core Strength” ($14.95, Chronicle Books)

This deck of toning techniques uses one simple and versatile tool – the fitness ball – and provides 50 ways to help tone and strengthen core stabilizers and maintain balance.

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