Fitness training with a Swiss ball includes many exercises but is based on a simple and unique principle, forcing the athlete to maintain his balance during static or dynamic exercises, despite the instability of the ball.
The aim of any kind of sports, and fitness training is to improve the athlete’s physical conditions, with the aim of improving health and performance, while avoiding injury that would hinder his or her progress by stopping training.
The reality of sports practice is a set of dynamic movement sequences, sometimes with contact from outside (football, boxing, volleyball, etc…), where the athlete’s stability will be challenged, and where he or she will have to find support points to stabilize himself or herself in order to carry out the right technical gesture, be efficient, and avoid injuries.
Various studies have proven the benefits of training with instability, as allowed by Swiss Ball, in order to recreate these situations of instability when carrying out specific exercises related to the athlete’s sporting and fitness training practice.
Core strength, posture, and stability; what are the gains and added value of training fitness with a Swiss Ball?
The main advantage of training fitness with a Swiss ball compared to training in “stable” conditions lies in the fact that whatever the fitness exercise, the Swiss ball makes greater use of the deep muscles, responsible for posture and stability, which maintain and support the athlete’s body, providing support points when carrying out movements and optimizing the transmission of the forces of the different muscular chains during a sporting gesture.
It will also be possible to consider prophylactic work to prevent injuries (see my article on sports injuries), such as the boxer’s shoulder, for example, by working on the ball, placing your hand on the ball to work on the shoulder and the rest of the body in the high plank position.
Which Swiss ball model to choose according to your size for your personal training?
All Swiss ball models are similar, the important thing is to choose the right size. The smallest people (less than 1.65 m) will choose a 55 cm diameter model; the biggest will choose a 65 cm model. Those over 1.85 m will take the 75 cm model.
During our personal fitness training session together in Berlin, I will provide you with the Swiss ball recommended for you, so you don’t need to organize any.
How can I include Swiss Ball in my personal fitness training?
The fitness exercises carried out on a Swiss ball allow the emphasis to be placed on working the deep muscles, responsible for posture and stability, in the different postures of the different exercises and is a complementary work that can be set up as a complement to your regular strength and endurance training.
You will be able to do almost all the exercises you are used to doing on a stable surface, being careful not to injure yourself; an “easy” exercise for your strength level on a stable surface will suddenly seem much more difficult once you have done it on a Fit ball!
Full body fitness workout with a Swiss ball:
Try to do each exercise for up to 40”, with 30” break in between each exercise, for at least 3 sets. Take 2′ to 3′ rest between the sets.
High Plank: hands on the ball, finger pointing towards the ground for less pressure on the wrists, respect the alignment hear, shoulder, hips, knees, feet
- Back plank: shoulders on the ball, try to get the heels touting each other, respect the alignment of ear, shoulder, hips, knees, feet
- Sitting: sit on the ball, try to get the feet off the ground and to stabilize, keep the back straight
- Laying: lay with your belly on the ball, try to get the hands and feet off the ground
- Kneeling: place your knees on the ball, respecting the alignment ear, shoulder, hips, knees, you can hold a wall to make the exercise easier
- Crunches: hands on the floor, feet on the ball, respect the alignment shoulder, hips, knees, feet, bring the feet close to your chest, and back to the starting position.
If you have some questions, feel free to get in touch with me, I will be happy to answer your questions and to plan your first personal fitness training workout with me in Berlin!
