What Are Yoga Balls?
Some other names for yoga balls are stability balls, exercise balls, and Swiss balls. They are big, flexible workout balls that are usually made of stable materials like PVC. Yoga balls were first used in physical therapy and recovery. Now they’re popular in yoga and exercise routines in general. Their main job is to make the surface unsteady so that the user has to work their core muscles and keep their balance.
These useful tools come in different sizes, so people can pick one that fits their body type and workout needs. When you work out with a yoga ball, you can improve your core strength, balance, and flexibility while also trying out more poses and moves.
What Are the Uses of Yoga Balls?
The many ways to use an exercise ball cover a range of levels of difficulty, and people with back pain can feel the benefits at all levels. The back and stomach muscles need the same basic support whether they are just sitting on an exercise ball or doing regular physical exercise routines.
The exercise ball can be used for many things to help with low back pain, such as:
- Find a balance position for your back.
- Learn good posture.
- Increase lower back mobility.
- Build strength in your abs and back.
- Enhance your balance and stability.
- Improve the balance and strength of your core muscles as a whole.
- Learn how to lift properly.
Introduction to Using a Yoga Ball
People often say that the best way to start working out on a ball is to just sit on one for 30 minutes a day and bounce lightly while constantly finding and keeping your balance on it.
Another good first step on the exercise ball is to get your lower back into a neutral (lordotic) position.
- Slightly slouch on the exercise ball and round your lower and upper back.
- Start bouncing on the exercise ball slowly.
- Let your body find the straightened position on its own. This will help you stay steady while you continue to bounce on the exercise ball.
In this balanced pose on the exercise ball, the upper body is solid on a pelvic base. This is also known as the center of gravity. In this neutral stance position, even a small change will cause the center of gravity to shift, and you will need to make an adjustment to stay on the exercise ball. To keep this normal, steady position, the stomach muscles have to work the whole time.
What Is the Best Size of Yoga Balls?
Choosing the right exercise ball size is important for getting the most out of your workouts with an exercise ball. Physical therapists, exercise coaches, and other professionals have come up with a list of rules to follow when choosing the right size exercise ball because they can’t always meet with you in person.
When you’re sitting up straight on an exercise ball:
- Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your weight should be spread out evenly.
- Knees should be level or slightly lower than the pelvis, making an angle of 90 degrees or more between the hips and knees.
- Thighs should be flat on the ground or slightly pointing down.
- The body shouldn’t lean in any way to keep it balanced.
- The pelvis, shoulders, and ears should all be in a straight line.
- Bouncing up and down lightly will usually produce this alignment.
- Most exercise balls come in five different sizes across the middle.
- Because of this, each of these sizes is used for people with different body types.
Keep in mind that height is not the only thing that determines the size of a ball. Weight is another important thing to think about because workout balls are flexible and offer resistance.
If your normal body weight is proportionate to your height, here is a general rule for how tall you should be to get the right size exercise ball:
| Exercise ball diameter | Person’s height |
|---|---|
| 45 cm | 5′ and under |
| 55 cm | 5’1″– 5’8″ |
| 65 cm | 5’9″– 6’2″ |
| 75 cm | 6’3″– 6’7″ |
| 85 cm | 6’8″ and taller |
People whose height to weight ratio is higher than average should try using the next bigger exercise ball size to keep the 90-degree rule. Sitting on the ball will make it smaller if the ratio is higher than average. You should also remember that most exercise ball sizes can be changed in some way. If the hips and knees are not at right angles, air can be let out to make up for it, and the same goes for the other way around.
Keep in mind that the exercise ball will lose air pressure when you let go of the air in it. The ball will be more stable as it flattens out because it will have a bigger touch area with the body and the resistant surface. This means that activities that help you stay stable and balance will get easier and less effective.
Exercise balls also lose pressure over time because they stretch out from being used a lot. So, as the ball gets older, it might need more air. Adding too much air to the exercise ball, on the other hand, will make it harder to balance and stay stable because the touch area will shrink.
Why Do Yoga Balls Pop?
Yoga balls can pop due to several reasons:
- Overinflation: Inflating a yoga ball beyond its recommended capacity increases the risk of it bursting. This happens when the internal pressure becomes too great for the material to withstand.
- Material Quality: Balls made from low-quality or untreated PVC are more prone to popping, especially under significant weight or repeated use.
- Sharp Objects: Using a yoga ball in an area where there are sharp objects or rough surfaces can lead to punctures or tears.
- Aging and Wear: Over time, even high-quality yoga balls can weaken due to repeated use and exposure to environmental factors like heat and humidity.
- Overuse or Heavy Weight: Excessive use, especially involving dynamic or high-impact exercises, can strain the material. Yoga balls are typically designed to handle a certain weight limit, and exceeding this can cause them to burst.
- Improper Care: Not following guidelines for storage and use, such as keeping the ball away from extreme temperatures, can compromise its durability and make it more likely to pop.
Conclusion
Adding yoga balls to your exercise or yoga routine is a great way to improve your core strength, balance, and flexibility. Picking the right size and being careful will help you get the most out of them and keep you safe. If you add a yoga ball to your routine, you’ll enjoy the extra challenge and better physical gains it gives you.
Whether you’ve been doing yoga for a long time or are just starting out, yoga balls can make your health journey more fun and useful.
Read More: Why Yoga is Useful?
