In this article, I am going to give you a better understanding of the origin of the exercise ball, the benefits of an exercise ball, and which ball is right for you. 

First off, for those of you that do not already know, the exercise ball has been called by a variety of other common names such as Stability Ball, Swiss Ball, Balance Ball, Fitness Ball, Physio Ball etc, but I will continue to address it as an Exercise Ball.

The exercise ball dates back to around 1960 when Italian toy maker Aquilino Cosani designed and sold the ball mainly in Europe and it was known as the Gymnastik Ball. It wasn’t until about 1980 that the exercise ball made it’s way to North America, being used for clinical rehabilitation. 

The exercise ball is now being used worldwide by many Chiropractors and Physical Therapists for clinical rehabilitation. Back pain is generally a result of weak or poor core stability muscles known as the Transverse Abdominus muscles. These muscles support and stabilize the spine and when they become weak, the results eventually lead to lower back pain. 

Due to the amazing effectiveness the exercise ball has on strengthening the core stability muscles, it has become very popular in the athletic sectors and has been incorporated into the programs of many personal trainers, physical education instructors, personal trainers and sports coaches. The exercise ball is currently one of the most popular pieces of fitness equipment on the market today because of all the options it makes available. 

You can incorporate an exercise ball into just about any fitness program. When you do add the ball to a basic fitness workout, you will start activating other muscles groups that do not normally respond. One important factor when purchasing an exercise ball is that not all balls are of the same quality, and depending on what type of fitness program you plan to start, will be an important influence on which ball you require. An Exercise Guide will help determine which ball is suitable for certain fitness programs. 

The Exercise Ball is unique because it activates the Transverse Abdominus muscles (core stability) in ways that no other piece of fitness equipment does. When you use an exercise ball you ultimately incorporate the use of the following among others…… 

a) The body’s own natural process to establish and restore balance.

b)     Various muscle systems at the same time.

c)      Neurologically induced muscular responses.

There are many benefits of and exercise ball to conventional fitness equipment. You can use the ball at home or at the gym. It is suitable for all ages and any level of fitness. The exercise ball is easily transportable and lightweight. An exercise ball is also quite inexpensive compared to other fitness equipment that would be required to get similar results. They are also virtually maintenance free other than having to put air into it.