Exercise Ball Pilates - Why Use One? | Health & Fitness Information and Resources

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Exercise Ball Pilates - Why Use One?

Friday, November 7th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

A Pilates Exercise Ball is an exercise ball with dimensions of 55 cm, 65 cm, and 75 cm. The different sizes are geared toward people of different heights. Idealy when sitting on the ball your thigh bone should be parallel with the floor.

The ball is made of a soft PVC polymer and has been around since the early 60s. An Italian plastics manufacturer by the name of Aquilino Cosani perfected the process for making the puncture resistant balls. They are commonly referred to as Swiss balls even though they were originally created in Italy and known as Pezzi balls. The conversion came when a British physician began using them in therapy for newborns in Switzerland. The applications expanded to physical therapy at the Physical Therapy School in Basel Switzerland, therefore when the practice came to the United States the balls were referred to as Swiss. It would not be long before the benefit of using these balls in exercise was obvious.

With so much equipment to pick from on a daily basis, you may be curious why you would want something as easy as a ball. This is an excellent question and the answer is for core strengthening. The act of balancing on the ball during exercise increases your core strength.

Remember your core is the center of your body and thereby an essential area to exercise. The core controls your posture and a strong one allows you to have a better balance and alignment. All your other movements are governed by the core therefore possessing a strong core will assist you in your workouts. That is why you should build a strong core and the Pilates exercise ball is perfect for doing just that. When you exercise on the unstable surface of a Pilates exercise ball your body must engage more muscles to keep you balanced. Over time, the back and abdominal muscles become stronger due to being challenged by the ball.

If your looking for a cheap way to help make your workouts more challenging and enjoyable then you need look no further than a Pilates Exercise Ball.

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