How to get fit and healthy

Most people are looking for an effective equipment to get in to shape and lose weight. One of the options to consider is buying an exercise ball. It is also known as ‘Swiss ball’ which is constructed using elastic soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride) of diameter 35 to 85 centimeters and filled with air. It allows you build your abs, obtain stronger core muscles and improve balance and flexibility of your body. In 1900’s, the fitness balls were used by physical therapists to address neurological disorders of their patients.

If you’re new to the exercise ball, this post will help you learn how to do a variety of advanced balance ball exercises. But keep in mind that before you get into the exercises it is better to consult your family doctor if you have any injuries or health problems and if it is safe for you to use this kind of equipment.

Just like any other exercise, you have to warm up before ball training.

Back extension

Place your ball under your hip with the knees straight and stabilize yourself with your hands. Then extend your left arm and your right leg simultaneously, hold them for two seconds, and return to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg combination. Make sure that your head, neck, shoulders and back are in a straight position. This exercise helps you strengthen your lower back.

Abdominal rolls

Lie on the floor and bend your knees. Place the ball on your thighs and your hands on the ball. Lift your shoulder from the floor and roll the ball to the top of your knees, then go back to the starting position. Try to support your back as far as possible. It strengthens your abs and provides trunk stability.

Balanced pushups

Place your hands on top of the ball and your body should be at a 45-degree angle with the floor, by balancing yourself on the tips of your toes. Bend your elbows and lower your upper body to a few inches from the ball then push yourself back to the starting position. This exercise will improve your balance by strengthening and shaping up most important muscle groups in your body.

Seated wall roll

Stand with your back to a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, and place the ball between the wall and your lower back. Roll the ball along your back, until you come to a sitting position a few inches above the ground level. Rise slowly and return to the starting position. Seated wall roll will strengthen your leg muscles and back.

Elevated pushups

Place the front of your knees on the ball and your hands flat on the floor. Look down at the floor and lower your face to within a few inches of it, then go back to the starting position. It offers the benefits of weight lifting, stretching and cardio vascular training all in one exercise.

With each New Year comes the determination to begin exercising. Perhaps even you made a promise to add more exercise into your day. If your efforts at exercising are not going as well as you had planned, take a look at these tips. They might help get you back on track.

Tip #1 – Do Something You Enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym peddling away on a stationary bike. It doesn’t mean you have to spend money on exercise gadgets you will likely never use, either. Anything you do to get your body moving is going to be better than doing nothing. Walking is an easy exercise that you can do just about anywhere, in any climate. Bike riding, dancing, gardening, weight lifting, swimming, playing a favorite sport, house cleaning and even playing in the yard with your children are just some of the ways you can add exercise into your daily routine.

Tip #2 – Schedule Time for Exercise

As you would a meeting or a doctor appointment, sometimes the only way to make time to exercise is to put it on your daily schedule. We’ve all got busy lives and we’re often so busy taking care of others that we never seem to make time for ourselves. Once exercise becomes part of your daily To-Do list, you’re more likely to do it. Some people have only a certain time during the day available for exercise while others will have to vary the time each day. Some people need a nudge and for them, exercising with a friend is a good solution. Choose whichever way works best for you. Just remember to actually go and do it!

Tip #3 – Remember that Exercise Can Energize

Even though you might feel too tired to exercise, give it a try anyway. You might be surprised to find how energized you feel while you’re at it and afterwards, when you’re finished. Exercise is a great stress-reliever too and if you know anything about stress, you know that it is one of the body’s biggest energy-sappers.

Tip #4 – Don’t be Afraid to Mix it up

Like anything that is done over and over again, exercise can become mundane. When you get bored with exercising, you’re less likely to keep at it. To keep from getting bored with your workout routine, change it. If you’re tired of walking, try cycling. If you’re into weight lifting, try alternating this with cardiovascular exercises throughout the week. Go bowling or play a game of tennis once in a while, and if you find you enjoy these types of activities, join up with a team.

Tip #5 – Always Begin by Warming up

Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, it is very important that you begin each session by warming up your muscles. Stretching helps prevent damage to muscle tissue and it gets your blood flowing. It gets your heart pumping, too. Just five minutes is all it takes to get your exercise session off to a good start.

Gary Ruplinger is a featured writer for Visit our site for more exercise tips and be sure to check out our natural health forum.

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