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FIT BALL

YOU CAN’T BEAT THE VERSALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAINING WITH A FIT BALL OR STABILITY BALL

As a nation we are becoming more sedentary - everything from elevators to computers, even drive-through food outlets, has made our life physically easier. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a significant decline in the amount of physical activity we undertake, which in turn has very negative effects on our health. Physical activity is one of the three most important elements of a healthy lifestyle (the other two being good eating habits and stress management).

While many people are aware of the benefits gained from exercising regularly, a significant percentage of the Indian population does not participate in any form of physical activity. Some of the reasons given for this are: do not like the idea of sport/exercise, find exercise boring, have poor access to sporting clubs &/or gyms or do not feel comfortable exercising in front of others.

This is where fit ball or stability ball comes into action. It is such a simple concept, yet using the Fit ball is a safe and very effective exercise tool. This method is far from being a fad and is guaranteed to provide an enjoyable exercise alternative for both young and old, catering for the occasional home user to the elite athlete.

According to a poll or top personal trainers by IDEA personal trainer magazine (5-03) in “Tricks of the Trade”. When asked what equipment do you consider essential for trainers to use the clients? All the trainers quoted included the Fit ball as one of the top tool. The Fit ball (or 'Swiss Ball' as it was commonly known as when first introduced) originated in Europe. In the 1960's, therapists in Switzerland used balls as a tool in the area of physical rehabilitation. Techniques were designed to aid in therapy for children with neurological problems.

The techniques have evolved and the client group has expanded to include adults with mobility problems, people with back injuries, the fitness industry, pregnant women, seniors, the classroom and even in the workplace.
The 'FIT BALL' and STABILITY BALL' variety have a matte finish and are soft and comfortable to lie on. The balls have a weight tolerance of 300kg, and the PVC used for making the balls is of Burst Resistant Quality and latex free and with different sizes and colors.
Core/Spinal Stabilizers is the buzzword attached to the ball. For those of you who are new to using the ball, the core stabilizers are deep abdominal muscles that partially wrap around the spine. They are not obvious to the eye like the "6-pack" you can see, but they play a very important role in good posture and back care.

So apart from being effective, versatile and safe to use as part of your exercise program, the Fit ball has a huge role to play in injury prevention. Back pain is a growing problem in India and is linked with our increasingly sedentary lifestyle and the use of computers at school and work. Balls are good to sit on as an alternative, back-friendly seat, so that you are training the deep muscles on a daily basis.

Core/Spinal Stabilization refers to the interaction of deep spinal muscles (quadratus lumborum, internal oblique deep fibers, transversus abdominus, multifidus.) which support the spine during our normal daily activity.


	The more visible muscles, rectus abdominus, internal and external obloquies, all contribute to the highly regarded "6-pack", however they do not support the spine during sport or work. It is only when training is carried out in an unstable environment, such as on the ball, that the deep core stabilizers are brought into play. The stabilizers are strengthened in a very functional manner, ready to provide a strong platform for the wide range of movement needed in sport and daily life.
	Many trainers and fitness professionals have now realized the important role that core stabilizers play in preventing injury, improving posture and appearance and they are incorporating exercises for this important muscle group into training or fitness programmes.
The best method of improving core stability is to train in an unstable environment. So at the heart of the Fit ball concept is the ball's instability and mobility. Fit ball is a dynamic tool. Performing traditional exercises (e.g. biceps curls) on the ball call in the deep stabilizers, resulting in training of both the biceps and the postural muscles. This has an overflow effect on posture and contributes to injury prevention in everyday life. Using the ball's mobility allows you to do excellent stretches and increase flexibility.
The ball encourages automatic alignment of the spine. Ball movements make changes in posture and co-activate abdominal and back muscles to stay in balance.

FIT BALL is an excellent tool for people of all ages and abilities to address and improve :
	Aerobic capacity
	Stretching
	Strengthening
	Relaxation
	Balance
	Co-ordination
	Postural Control
	Sensory Integration.
Fit ball for all
The most important aspect of exercising the core stabilizers is PREVENTION. Fit ball is the tool that can prevent sport and back injuries across a wide fitness and age range. For adults and children, whether at work, the health club, or school, strengthening your core stabilizing is easy, simply by using a big, round ball.
The simplest way of using the Fit ball for prevention of back injury is to use it as a chair, commonly known as 'Active Sitting.' Active sitting is a practical way of incorporating core stabilization into daily life. There are many benefits in utilizing Fit balls as seat: decreased back strain, improved concentration and better posture.
Long-term endurance training of spinal stabilizers will work towards the prevention of postural problems, back pain and sport injuries. For employers, a small investment in preventative back care will reap large rewards.
Fit ball is amazingly versatile - small balls are available for primary school-age children and Fit ball is the fun ball in a circuit class for kids.
The children themselves can devise a range of activities for balance, strength, mobility co-ordination and movement-to-music. The teacher can adapt these activities to cater for a wide range of abilities and interests.
The same benefits of improved postural awareness and core strength apply to children, with additional benefits of increased co-operation between class members, a boost in self esteem, and heightened interest in their own level of fitness.The elderly are able to safely sit and exercise on a Fit ball, and can achieve valuable improvements in mobility and balance reactions.
	As physiotherapists discovered 30 years ago, balls are the ideal tool for re-education of balance, strength and posture.
The fitness works personal training accreditation workshop is a means of ensuring that Fit ball practitioners are educated adequately in ball principles, ball safety and how to modify exercises to suit all levels of expertise. They are run, taught and presented regularly at FITNESS KING GYM liberty road and accredited by REP’S (REGISTER OF EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS)
Because Fit ball concentrates on deep postural muscles as well as training the visible abdominals, biceps and hamstrings, training with the Fit ball will help you look terrific as well as have you fit where it counts - on the inside.