Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Fitness Ball - Using It 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.

Balancing on the fitness ball helps you work your stabilising muscles, creating a very high quality workout.

The fitness ball was first known as the "Pezzi Ball" and afterwards became known as the Swiss ball. The diameter of a fitness ball can be anywhere from 35 cm to 85 cm. It is fabricated from an elastic form of PVC to ensure strength enough to withstand the pressure.

Swiss balls were designed primarily for use with newborns and infants, then afterwards as a tool for physiotherapy, although it quickly developed a following in the fitness industry. Whilst they were never originally a part of the Pilates concept, these fitness balls have been enthusiastically adopted by the Pilates fraternity when people realised their actual potential and are now considered as an essential element in any Pilates programme.

Pilates is an excellent way to gain the toned and trim body you are craving and the fitness ball increases the intensity of core targeting exercises due to the balancing requirement. A fitness ball will make your muscles work extra hard because they are working to maintain stability, so you achieve a Pilates workout that is twice as effective with just a little more effort.

How does the fitness ball do this? It works on the micro stabilisers around your spine, strengthening the associated muscles and reducing the chances of future lower back pain. In turn, the strengthened muscles around the spine afford even more overall body strength " you can achieve extended workouts with less fatigue.

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!

Would you like more? You can add weights to the mix: 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 feel your overall strength increasing rapidly. With this method, you will feel your confidence explode as the weight you can lift grows.

The use of a fitness ball in Pilates requires careful attention to your form. Remember that using the ball increases the intensity of your workout dramatically. Allow yourself the freedom to complete a lower level of reps, maintaining perfect form. The stabiliser muscles will become stronger and you will soon discover that your fitness level has increased.

If you want to discover more about how a fitness ball can assist you in your Pilates workout or other exercise routines, visit the site. - 20897

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