Exercise Ball Exercises

An exercise ball can be a good way to lose weight and achieve the sweat of a workout without straining your back on the hard gym floor, or wear the soles of your shoes out as you thump and jump away on your aerobic workout. When joined to a balanced diet, exercises with other workout accessories and using other workout methods and techniques, and good sleep, exercise ball exercises can make you physically fit.

Exercise ball exercises are not without their risk. Because some exercise balls are not well designed or pumped well enough with air, some exercise ball exercises can actually strain the muscles of your lower back, or even lead to lactic acid accumulation in the muscles of your arms and legs. Without dumbbells or other equipment to add to the resistance that your muscles should encounter, exercise ball exercises can be useless.

If you are taking up exercise ball exercises for the first time, consult with your trainer on the proper techniques to undertake. Do not over-stretch your muscles or strain your arms by using dumbbells that are heavier than those that you are used to. Before engaging in exercise ball exercises, stretch your muscles and go through your warm-ups first. This can keep the exercise ball exercises from straining your muscles unnecessarily.

When you are finished with your exercise ball exercises, do stretches and cool down exercises. The exercise ball is meant to lessen the impact of hard surfaces on your body, but using it also means that you are stretching your muscles more and exerting more effort in carrying your exercises out.

Here are a few exercise ball exercises that you might want to use as you start working out on your exercise ball. You can do lunges to firm up your hamstring and thigh muscles. Prop the ball against a wall, and stand a few feet away from it. Place one of your feet on the ball, then bend your front knee and hips forward, then toward the ground. Keep your knees behind your toes, and keep your back straight. As you press your body forward, contract your hamstring muscles. Bring your body back up to its original position, then switch legs for another lunge.

Continue your exercise ball exercises with push ups. Place your toes on the ball for support, then lay your hands flat upon the floor, with the distance between them wider than that of your shoulders. Keep your abdominals contracted, straighten your back, then bend your elbows forward. Carry our lower torso down, but stop when your elbows are arched at a ninety degree angle. Do not go any farther or you can risk straining the muscles of your arms and lower back.

Push yourself back up and repeat the push ups. If you feel uncomfortable using your toes, then place your shins on the ball and repeat the pushups. If this strains your back, then use your knees to prop yourself onto the ball. Pushups can be dangerous if you have lower back problems, however, so do not do them if you constantly feel back pain.

End this set of exercise ball exercises by placing the ball against a wall, then turning your back on it. Allow the surface of the ball to barely touch the back of your legs. Lean slightly against the ball, then slowly bend your knees. Lower your body onto the ground without losing contact with the ball, then stop if your knees place your thighs and legs at right angles to each other. Hold this position, then push yourself back up.

With more exercises on the ball, you can certainly lose weight and increase your resistance. Remember to do your workouts with caution, and to enjoy every minute of your exercise. If you equal your exercise to fun, the exercise ball will be your best friend.