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Basics of Fitness and How to Best Stabilize Your Workout Program

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Workouts aren’t just for muscle building and cardiovascular fitness these days. New workout trends are sprouting up everywhere, whether it is an innovating fitness tool or a popular workout regimen.

One exercise technique that is often forgotten is stability. Adding a stability component (stability ball) to your workout routine is cost-effective, simple, and extremely important. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer, David Williams explains why.

What is it?
Before jumping into the various benefits of a stability ball, it’s important to explore its origin. The stability ball is an assorted-sized exercise ball used to add instability to a workout, therefore improving stability after practice. The three common diameter ranges are: 45 centimeters, 55 centimeters, and 65 centimeters. The taller the user, the bigger the stability ball size.

Full-Body Workout
The stability ball offers the best stabilizing exercise, and it will work most every muscle for a full-body workout. You can use it alone, or use it as a tool to the rest of your workout, even at the office. Below are a few exercise ideas for an upper-body, core, lower-body, and desk workout:

Upper-Body
Push-ups (Arms)
This ball is perfect for a more challenging push-up. Place both hands on the ball and level your body out as you would for a normal push-up. Make sure your shoulders are above your hands. For added stability, try placing the ball against a wall.

Chest Dumbbell Press (Chest/Arms)
Sit straight on the ball and roll forwards until the ball is between your shoulders and your head. Keep your hips in line with your spine and start with a dumbbell in each hand over your head. Bring your arms down until your elbows are flexed at 90 degrees and repeat for a chest dumbbell press.

Core
Planks (Abdominals)
Place your forearms on the ball with your spine parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute and repeat. If you are doing the exercise correctly, your core will keep your spine in line.

Lower-body
Squat (Quadriceps and Glutes)
Place the ball against a nearby wall and align your body with your back against the ball. Squat down until your knees are flexed to a 90 degree angle. Repeat for a stabilizing thigh and glute exercise.

At the Desk
For those individuals spending hours during the day sitting at a computer, it is easy for your posture to get out of line. For an added posture boost, inflate a large stability ball and use it as your chair. Without the extra back support of a chair, try practicing keeping your back in line and shoulders pushed back.

Mimicking Every Day
The advantages of using a stability ball are endless. Obviously, you are adding an important stability component to your normal exercise routine. Why is this a significant component? When exercising, you should always try to incorporate moves that mimic real life. In everyday, real life, the older we get, the more unstable we become. Practicing your stability strength is a must.

The next time you are at the gym, office, or at home, take into consideration a stability ball. It’s an inexpensive and perfect way to utilize most every muscle in your body and get an added stability and balancing workout included.

For more information about Cooper Fitness Center, click here or call 972.233.4832.