Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Fitness Ball Use in Pilates

By Julia Channel

Searching for fast results? Combining a fitness ball with your Pilates workout will help you reach that goal while you are having a good time.

The fitness ball elevates you and works stabilizing muscles like no other exercise.

The fitness ball, first named "Pezzi Ball," was later referred to as the "Swiss ball." The diameter of the ball is around 35 to 85 cm. It is made of an elastic that can handle the pressure of your body, known as PVC.

Swiss balls, first designed to be used with babies, later became a physiotherapy tool, and then quickly became popular in the fitness industry. Although they've never originally been part of the Pilates fitness concept, the Pilates fraternity eagerly adopted these fitness balls when people realized their actual potential.

You can get that trim tight body you have been yearning for by doing Pilates, and using the fitness ball will increase the intensity of these exercises because you need to use your core muscles to balance yourself. When you add a fitness ball to the equation, you are giving your workout a big boost. The ball causes you to constantly use deep muscles to maintain your balance. This gives you a Pilates workout that packs twice the punch.

Exactly what does a fitness ball add to your workout? A fitness ball strengthens the small muscles around your spine. They are known as micro stabilisers. This toning strengthens the musculature and helps prevent back injury and pain. When you strengthen the muscles around your spine, it gives you more body strength in general. When you achieve that, you can do more challenging workouts without getting tired.

The fitness ball conditions both your abdominal and your back muscles.

Using a fitness ball allows you to reduce how many humdrum repetitive exercises you do by spicing up your work out. Forget that hard floor and say hello to some extra bounce!

Looking for more? You can add weights to the equation: just take care that you choose a much lower weight than for a usual routine, because the combination of stabilising and weights intensifies the workout. You will soon be able to lift even greater weights using this method as your overall strength increases.

It is vital that when you are using a fitness ball in Pilates that you keep good form. The ball makes a normal workout that much more intense, so keep this in mind. Allow yourself the freedom to complete a lower level of reps, maintaining perfect form. The stabilizer muscles will gain strength and in next to no time you will find that you are well past your original fitness levels!

Visit this web site to learn more on how a fitness ball can improve your Pilates routine and other exercise programs. - 16003

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