Sitting on a yoga ball may help you improve your posture and core strength. However, it is important to choose the correct size yoga ball for you.
Sculpt your obliques by rolling your body over the ball and reaching your arms to touch the floor or mat beside the ball. Perform 15 reps on each side.
It Strengthens Your Core Muscles
Adding a yoga ball to exercise routines forces your core muscles to work harder to maintain balance and stability. A yoga ball, also known as a fitness or exercise ball, is filled with air and can be found at most gyms and sports stores.
The most common use of a yoga ball is for core strength exercises. These exercises can strengthen your back, abdominal and hip muscles, and improve your balance, flexibility and spinal rotational strength.
One of the best core strengthening exercises is the plank saw, which sculpts your lower ab muscles. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and put your hands on the back edge of a yoga exercise ball. Push the ball out, balancing on your forearms in plank position. Then roll the ball back toward your body.
It’s important to use the correct size of yoga ball, as over-inflating can cause the balls to pop or burst. You can check the pressure by locating the air valve, which is usually a plastic plug near the ball’s inflation point.
It Relieves Back Pain
Many fitness and health experts believe that a yoga ball chair can help relieve back pain. It’s important to have your healthcare provider’s approval before incorporating a yoga exercise ball into your home workout routine.
To use a yoga exercise ball, position your chest and stomach on the yoga ball and support yourself with your feet on the ground. Your knees should be slightly bent and your spine should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
Using a yoga exercise ball as a desk chair may feel uncomfortable at first, but as your muscles adjust, you’ll begin to feel the positive effects on your back and core. Reid cautions that sitting on a yoga ball all day at work can cause fatigue in the muscles that hold you upright, so it’s best to sit for only a couple of hours. The best yoga balls are made of heavy, thick PVC with anti-burst features.
It Stabilizes Your Core Muscles
The big, round bounce ball that sits in the corner of your gym isn’t there for fun and games. Also known as a stability ball, it is a powerful tool for strengthening your core and improving balance.
Strong core muscles provide the stability you need for your body to move in any direction without losing balance. They also protect your back from overuse and injury, which improves posture and prevents slouching that leads to lower-back pain.
You can train your core with basic exercises that involve the yoga exercise ball, such as side planks for 15-30 seconds and plank saws to sculpt the lower abs. The yoga ball adds instability to your bodyweight workouts, which increases muscle recruitment and turns on the core stabilizers. The only other requirement is that you have a stable spot to set up your ball. A bouncy exercise ball can work in a pinch, but it’s best to invest in one designed for the specific exercise you’ll be performing.
It Helps You Restore Your Energy Balance
A yoga ball is a great way to train your core muscles as you sit on it. This is why it’s used by chiropractors and physical therapists for back pain therapy. The ball also helps you balance your energy by promoting good posture and strengthening your abdominal muscles.
To perform a yoga ball twist, position the ball so that your upper body is resting on top of it and hold your hands above your chest. Then, rotate your torso to one side and back again, doing 15 reps each time. This exercise strengthens your obliques, which are the large muscles on the sides of your abdomen.
In addition to helping you build your core muscles and improve your posture, the yoga ball can also help you burn more calories than sitting in a regular chair. However, it is important to choose the right ball for your needs and to follow proper safety precautions. A quality fitness ball should be able to support your weight while exercising, retain air, and deflate slowly if punctured.