The Beeble Test: The Swiss Ball
The Swiss Ball aka Exercise ball, Gym ball, Pilates ball, Sports ball, Fitness ball, Stability ball, Therapy ball, Yoga ball, Balance ball, Body ball and to some just that big inflatable ball thingy.
What’s it good for
A lot of people I see in the gym still use this as an ab cruncher to tone up those tummy muscles and that is about it. This is indeed the aim of the Swiss ball: to focus on our core which involves our stomach and back muscles, but it is so much more than just an over hyped fancy ab cruncher. It allows the user to strengthen all the small stabilizing muscles throughout the body as well as the bigger better known muscles.
How does it work?
Well it doesn’t require batteries but it does need complete concentration. Being round it doesn’t like to stay still and this is what makes it work. By constantly moving under your body weight it requires a certain amount of skill and control to keep it still. If you move one way the ball automatically wants to move in the opposite direction. It is then down to your muscle control to prevent you landing in a heap on the floor.
Why do you need to be good at balancing on a ball?
A very good question: it is not as though we have a lot of people wanting to join the circus and for most of us, in our daily lives, we only walk on relatively flat surfaces. So surely it is just another gimmick that really has no functional benefits to our daily lives? Well no, it actually has much more to offer. You see, when used properly it can help improve posture which is essential in our daily lives as more and more of us are stuck in front of the computer slouching and typing (sit up! – Beeble). By putting ourselves through more than we would face in normal day to day life we prepare our bodies to be able to cope and face most physical things that life wants to throw at us. You see it’s not just about being fit enough to run to catch the bus, it is the ability to catch yourself before you fall or improving your proprioception (awareness of the space around you) so that you never trip in the first place. Last, but not least, if you do suffer an injury it can be used to aid your recovery. Some injuries result in ligament or tendon damage often leaving a permanent weakness in the area affected. By using the ball you can train the muscles to react more quickly helping to eliminate the weakness and make the area less prone to further injuries.
What exercises are there to do on it?
There are more exercises for this equipment than any other I know. So I am not even going to start to mention them but if you are interested then please view our Swiss Ball Exercises as it shows a few of the exercises available. There is at least one exercise for every single major muscle in you body, especially if you combine them with a set of dumbbells. This is one of its major advantages especially for home training; it really doesn’t take up that much room, especially when deflated, and so you can have that full gym workout now at home.
Beeble’s Impression
It takes a lot to impress Beeble and in this case the Swiss Ball has done pretty well. It is another piece of equipment that should be in all gyms and to be honest probably is now (it has been around long enough). However it is not all plus points for the Swiss Ball. I have some bad points and the main one is that it has been built up on this huge hype that has blown it from obscurity to world dominance in no time (an over inflated ego – Beeble). For one it has been over used, the majority of the exercises that can be performed on it are more gimmicky than useful for us. One of the exercises is to use it instead of your chair at your desk. It is supposed to stop you slouching. Well I have tried it personally and I can guarantee that it is very easy to slouch on a Swiss ball. That is just one example there are many others where the benefits of doing a particular exercise is no more beneficial than if you were doing the exercise without the Swiss ball. You could probably narrow the useful and beneficial exercises down to about 20 at an estimate. My advice is to use it in combination with a good exercise routine involving cardiovascular and weight machines and equipment. It can be very beneficial in its place but let’s take it off its pedestal and don’t give it preferential treatment.
Advantages
Disadvantages
If you have any questions on the Swiss ball or need advice please leave a comment or contact us through the contact Beeble on the left menu.
