Stability Ball Training

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Stability balls have become widely popular in the fitness community because they help improve balance during strength training. In order to acquire a better understanding of the use of the stability balls I performed a few exercises on them. The exercises are as follows: dumbbell chest press, dumbbell shoulder press, prone lying dumbbell row, dumbbell leg extension, dumbbell leg curl, dumbbell curl, dumbbell skull crusher, and the crunch. In every circumstance I came to the same conclusion that a significant amount of the weight had to be reduced in order to properly perform the exercise. This is because when an exercise is performed on a secured bench you have a huge base of support that allows you to focus most of your strength and power on a specified muscle. When you perform the same exercise on a ball your base of support is limited and the base of the ball is rounded having the tendency of rolling over. In order to compensate for these deviations more stabilizers have to contract isometric fashion as well as other core muscles. This takes away from the focus on the prime mover. This is necessary because stabilizers provide a firm base of support when there is little support to begin with. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on a person’s age or goals. The advantage is that it improves your balance by recruiting more core muscles that can improve your stability. Athletes such as hockey players should use stability balls so they won’t fall over as easily when checked. Stability balls are also useful because they allow for a fuller range of motion than most abdominal machines. Older adults can use stability balance to help with posture and balance; however extreme caution and observation should be taken. This is because they are more likely to have weaker core muscles thus increasing the threat of injury. I would not recommend the use of stability balls for powerlifters. They are not concerned with developing core muscles because their only goal is to lift as much weight as possible. Stability balls will take away from this. Stability balls definitely have their place in the fitness realm; however they do limit the amount of weight lifted.

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