Look around any gym and you’ll see them bouncing around, and it seems like everyone wants to give it a try. Look, exercise ball exercises look like fun. Too many routines, too often make the approach “no pain, no gain” and bore us to tears in the process, but the fun isn’t just a bonus.
Your exercise routine is only good if you actually use it, and you’re much more likely to if you’re having fun. Mental stimulation and variety can be a big part of a successful training program and exercise ball exercises seem to be able to provide this.
But do exercise ball exercises really work or is that bundle of fun just a distraction from the serious business of getting results? Let’s consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of using them.
advantages
The exercise ball gives you the ability to add a new twist to old exercises and even try some new ones.
The novelty factor
The ball can turn a monotonous exercise into something new so you can re-engage your brain while working your body from new angles. Variety can help you stick with a routine instead of giving up.
they are low cost
There is a lot of expensive exercise equipment that you could spend a lot of money on. An exercise ball is not one of them.
You can focus on stability and core strength.
It’s not called a stability ball for nothing. To maintain your balance, you must constantly adapt and adjust to maintain a balanced platform from which to perform the exercise. This stimulates the brain and body by putting a new challenge on the stabilizing muscles.
The promise is better coordination and core strength, meaning better functionality, better posture, and a firmer, flatter stomach.
The cons of the exercise ball
The need for supervision
To learn and perform the exercises correctly and safely, you will probably need supervision or at least instruction. That will probably cost you money. It’s worth it?
Danger
Lose your balance and you could crash!
loss of focus
Struggling to keep your balance can detract from the actual exercise you’re doing, which means you get less out of it. One of the principles of body design is knowing where to focus your energy, if all your focus is on not falling over, what about which muscles the exercise should target?
Space
Big bouncing balls are fun, but they take up more than their fair share of space. At home you have to find a place to put it away, at the gym you may find yourself struggling to find a place to exercise.
You don’t need a ball to work your core
Seriously, hours of constant work are not the key to a slim, flat stomach. It’s the right eating plan and a little bit of the right kind of exercise. Core is a buzzword and sells a lot of PT sessions, but you can get more with less work.
So, there are the pros and cons of the exercise ball. Should you use it? Up to you. The most important thing is to be safe and find a form of exercise that you enjoy that is also effective and efficient. When you do, you’ll be having fun whether you’re wearing one or not.
