The women's fitness blog

Following up on a previous post covering a few beginner gym ball exercises, I'd like to focus on the swiss ball again, as we continue our series of exercise guides. This time, I'll focus on upper body exercises using the swiss ball.

Upper body swiss ball exercises

Most traditional upper body exercises can be performed on the gym ball to add an extra degree of difficulty. This includes all dumbell exercises, as well as most stretching exercises. Bodyweight exercises (where you work against gravity) are also commonly used to help core strength and flexibility. Lets look three key upper body exercises.

1 - Exercise ball tricep dips
This exercise works your forearms and back. Let's have a look at the right posture:


Main technique

• Squat down with your back to the ball
  
  
• Place your hands on the ball. They should be pointing just slightly off of straight forward, and should be shoulder width apart. Your arms should be straight.
  
  
• Bend your elbows up behind you and lower your butt towards the ground. Don't sit down.
  

• Hold your position at the bottom of the motion for a few seconds.
  
  
• Push yourself back up using your arms until you are back in the starting position.

• Perform 10 repetition, for 3-4 sets.

Variations

• You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by putting yout feet up on a bench rather than having them flat on the floor.

2 - Exercise ball push up
This again works your arms. It's also great for your chest. Let's have a look at the technique:


Main technique

• Assume the traditional pushup position, with your legs on the ball.
  
  
• You can vary the degree of difficulty by adjusting where your legs are on the ball. To increase the difficulty, move forward, so that your shins are resting on the ball. Alternatively, move yourself onto your quads (upper legs) to decrease the difficulty.
  
  
• Place your hands directly below your shoulders at a comfortable width.
  

• Keep your back straight - don't let your lower back sag downwards.
  
  
• Lower your head to the floor, maintaining a straight posture - let your feet point to the sky.

• Pause at the bottom for a few seconds before returning to the start

• Perform 10-15 repetition, for 3-4 sets, depending on what you feel comfortable with.

Variations

• Only leave your feet on the ball to make this exercise even more challenging.
• Use push-up bars to allow a greater range of motion and enhance toning and muscle development.

3 - Exercise ball dumbbell press
This is just like a traditional dumbell press, except there's no bench, so your core muscles are forced to balance you - this causes hundreds of tiny contractions per second, which really helps to tone your upper body. It also works your arms and shoulders:


Main technique

• Rest yor shoulders comfortably on the ball, with your feet flat on the ground.
  
  
• In the starting position, you should be holding the dumbbells level with your head, with your palms facing inwards.
  
  
• With a smooth motion, push the dumbells upwards, simultaneously rotating your arms so that you end the movement with your palms facing forwards (see picture above).
  

• Don't lock out your elbows; instead, you should slowly and smoothly return the dumbbells to the starting position without pausing.
  
  
• Repeat this 12 times (choose a weight that will allow you to do it 12 times). Do 4 sets of 12.

Variations

• Increase the weight of the dumbbells when you fee that your usual weight has become to easy.
• Do pyramid sets - do your normal weight for 12 reps; then use the next heaviest weight for 10 reps; then the next weight for 8 reps, and so on...

That's all for now. Next time, I'll show you some swiss ball exercises for the trunk (abdominals, back and core muscles). Please try these upper body exercises, and let me know your thoughts in the comments, as well as what other exercises you'd like to get more information on. Enjoy!

Labels: exercise ball, Exercises

There is a lot of coverage in fitness magazines today about working out with an exercise ball (a.k.a. "Swiss Ball", "Gym Ball"). Given this, you may have wondered what all the fuss is about and what benefits you can experience by incorporating a swiss ball into your exercise routine. In this article, I'll aim to explain the swiss ball, along with some exercises you can use it for.

The Swiss Ball was invented for use in physiotherapy and sports medicine; particularly during the rehabilitation of patients with lower back pain and abdominal muscle injuries. You can't miss it - it's a large, inflated, rubber ball around 25-35 inches across.

Today, personal trainers and fitness enthusiants have realised the fitness benefits of an exercise ball, causing it to become a common part of many physical fitness programs.

Why has it become so popular?

In the main, this is because the exercise ball helps to strengthen the trunk muscles in the core of the body. Training the core muscles adds strength to the limbs and trunk, which helps balance, posture and endurance. It also keeps the body flexible, and provides support for the spine and lower back, helping to alleviate presure in this area - an area prone to injury.

"Why a ball?" you may ask. Well, the overall effectiveness of using a swiss ball for strengthening and conditioning your core lies in it's round shape. This shape creates instability during your workout, which your body (mainly your core muscles) must work hard to compensate for. In other words, your body's core muscles react to the instability caused by the ball to keep you balanced. Over time, your body will improve the strength of your trunk muscles as it learns to rely on your them for balance and flexibility.

Using a ball as part of your fitness routine can include a wide range of difficulty levels from easy to moderate to difficult - each level requiries progressively more support from the core muscles.

If you'd like to give the exercise ball a try, here are a few tried-and-tested techniques to get you started:

1) Squat and Lift

Begin this exercise standing with good posture, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the exercise ball in both hands, with a hand on either side of the ball.

With your weight on the balls (front) of your feet, bend both knees (as if you are going to sit) so that you are squatting slightly. Stick your bottom out slightly as you do this, to maintain your balance as you slowly lower the ball in front of you. Your back should be relatively straight throughout this.

Slowly straighten your legs to a standing position as you lift the ball up to shoulder height again.

Once you have straightened up completely, slowly raise the ball above your head and then slowly lower it to shoulder height again.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times. Do three sets with 1 minute of rest in between

2) Hip Extension

Lie on your back on the floor with your feet on the exercise ball.

Slowly lift your hips up off the floor as you squeeze your butt and tighten your abdominal muscles.

Continue to lift your body off the floor until your body is in a straight line.

Hold this position for a few seconds and lower your hips smoothly.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times. Do three or four sets, with a minute of rest in between.

3) Lunges

Place the exercise ball on the floor and stand with your back towards it, with your feet together and your hand on your hips.

Place one foot on the ball behind you.

Slowly bend your standing knee, ensuring that your knee doesn't go forward past your toes.

Try to maintain normal posture - don't lean forward as you bend your knee.

Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times, for four sets, alternating your feet each set.


These exercises are just a taster of what you can do with the swiss ball. There are so many exercises you can do on the exercise ball that you'll never be bored. You can also develop your own routines if you find this helpful. Be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes before getting started - this should include stretching your legs (hamstrings, quadriceps, calves).

Used properly, the exercise ball will increase your overall strength, fitness and flexibility if you make it a regular part of your exercise routine. You can even use it at home. No matter what your fitness level is, give the fitness ball a try. You'll be surprised to see how rewarding it can be.

Labels: Exercise, exercise ball, fitness, muscle ache, muscle pain, toning