SWISS BALL TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS

INTRODUCTION

In most gyms in the U.S.A. Swiss balls are now these days are as common as treadmills and dumbbells. However Swiss balls are a quite new addition to the health and fitness industry. Swiss balls are not the magic exercise tool to obtain the perfect physique but they are an excellent way to improve balance and strength and will provide challenge and variety to an exercise regime. As part of a general fitness program including aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility exercises the Swiss ball can help you obtain a physical condition that will encourage good sporting performance, help you perform your job with greater proficiency and improve general quality of life. This small booklet has been developed to aid you to get the most out of your Swiss ball and ultimately achieve better Core strength’ and ‘functional stability’. By training your core strength you can reduce chance of injury, and can in fact help you perform better in all areas of exercise and daily living.

What is “Core Stability?”

The superficial and deep musculature found in the front, side and back of the hips and torso is referred to by fitness experts as the “core”. Core stability is being able to control the movements and actions of these muscles, and is thus the fundamental principle of core stability training. Knowledge of the muscles and the movements that they cause is important in understanding the exercises described in this booklet. The ability to control the pelvis and position it in the best position for certain movements provides better and more effective force application by the arms and legs. The core muscle group is said to need three key qualities; they need to have an appropriate ability to lengthen (stretch) (in particular the hip flexors and hamstrings), they need to be sufficiently strong, and they need to have the ability to be activated when needed and in an appropriate sequence with other muscles. Thus these three qualities are the foundation of designing a “core strength training program”.

Core Stability Training

An appropriate core training program consists of a wide variety of exercises and can in fact not only include a Swiss ball but such things as medicine balls, rubber-bands and of course weight training equipment found in most gyms. Many of you that have been doing weight room training in the past are already using your core but not in an isolated way. Many of the tasks we do in our daily lives works on our core strength like climbing a rope, digging a hole and shoveling dirt and lifting heavy boxes. Below are the important aspects of a core strength training program.

1. Variation

2. Appropriate exercises for your level

3. Exercises should include those that require the torso to twist, flexion and extension, and some isometric (no movement) muscle action.

4. If you are doing core strength exercises to enhance sport performance then sport specific exercises should be included.

Unfortunately research has not proven that core stability training directly improves performance but sport experts see significant benefits gained from this type of training both in terms of injury prevention and rehabilitation and for improving sporting ability.

Choosing the right Swiss ball

Which Ball?

With the explosion in Swiss ball use as a training tool there are now many models of Swiss balls. They range from a fairly basic and inexpensive model to a more expensive anti-burst model. The model you choose should be based upon your budget and your anticipated use. Some of the cheaper models can quickly lose their shape and be easily punctured, while the anti-burst balls do not appear to provide a sufficient increase in benefits from the mid-range balls to justify their higher price.

Size and Shape and inflation

Swiss balls come in many different sizes (55-95cm) and it is very important to purchase a ball size that best matches your height and weight. Most individuals of average height should use the 65cm size Swiss ball. Shorter individuals and those taller may require a 55cm and 75cm ball respectively. However a perfect way to check your perfect Swiss ball size is to sit down on the ball with your feet planted flat on the floor. The angle of your knee joint should be 90 degrees, see picture one below for illustration. However something to watch out for is that there will be slight variations in ball size when it is inflated. When inflating you’re my suggestion is to use a compressor as it is difficult to gain sufficient pressure when using a hand-pump. It is important to inflate the ball to its certain size, but you need to understand the firmer the ball the more difficult many of the exercises will become (with a few exceptions).

Swiss ball don’ts

It is not a good idea to kick or bounce, leave it in direct sunlight as this will cause your ball to lose its shape more quickly. Please never use your ball near sharp objects.

Basic Training principles

To construct your own program or understand some of the theories behind the construction of this and the other manuals it is important for us to give you some basic training principles.

Principle of individuality

This Principle basically tells us that everybody has a different genetic makeup and thus adapts, and may benefits from exercise differently, so in many ways this should dictate the decisions concerning training differently for each individual to maximise your results.

Principle of specificity

This principle simply states that training must follow from a very general training program like the ones found here in this manual to very specific training like that found in the advanced manual. The principle of Specificity also implies that to become better at a particular exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill. So in order to be a good runner, you must run. Therefore to benefit your core most you must do specific exercises but if we are training your core for a specific sport then as you get more advanced then you need to include some specific exercises.

Principle of progressive overload

This principle is probably one of the most important and implies that for you to improve and benefit from a training program you must overload (train) to stress your muscles and nervous system greater than the normal stress or load. Once the body has adapted then a different stimulus is required to continue the improvements. However there is an optimal level of training that should be achieved, and an optimal timeframe for this overload to occur. Training should not be increased too slowly or improvement is unlikely. Training that is increased too rapidly will result in injury or muscle damage. Exercising above the target zone is counterproductive and can be dangerous. The Principle also makes us realize the need for proper rest and recovery. Continual stress on the body and constant overload will result in exhaustion (staleness) and injury. You should not and can not train hard everyday. Doing so will lead to overtraining and a great deal of physical and psychological damage will result.

Principle of Disuse

This Principle implies that you need to “use it or lose it.” This simply means that your muscles and benefits from exercise deteriorate with disuse. It is important to find a balance between stress and rest. There must be periods of low intensity between periods of high intensity to allow for recovery.

Principle of periodisation

Periodisation is the process of varying a training program at regular time intervals to bring about optimal gains in physical performance. The goal of periodising an exercise program is to optimize training during short (e.g., weeks, months) as well as long periods of time (e.g., years, a life time, or an athletic career).

Principle of hard/easy

You will not become a better athlete by doing the same training regimen every day. Athletes train by taking hard workouts on one day, feeling sore on the next, and not taking another hard workout until the muscles stop feeling sore. If you want to become stronger or faster or increase your endurance, you have to exercise hard or long enough to make your muscles burn. Then your muscles will be sore for one or more days. If you try to exercise hard when your muscles are damaged, you will tear them and the muscles will weaken and can often lead to injury. However if you wait for the soreness to disappear, your muscles will be stronger than they were before your intense workout. As you continue to take stressful workouts only after the soreness disappears, you will become progressively stronger and faster and have greater exercise benefits. Athletes in most sports train once or twice a day in their sports, but they do not exercise intensely more often than every 48 hours.

Constructing your Swiss ball program

If you currently participate in a weight lifting program then you can include some of the following Swiss ball exercises as merely a training supplement. We would suggest including 2-4 Swiss ball exercises at the end of a resistance training session, as a short session later on the same day as your gym session, or on a completely another day. In these situations we suggest that the selection of exercises be altered every 5-6 sessions to develop a better overall level of balance and proficiency. If you are undertaking a split strength training program then you can select Swiss ball exercises that match the muscle groups that you are training in that gym session.

If it is your aim to use the Swiss ball as a stand alone exercise program then we would suggest following the sample programs suggested on this site. As with any strength program it is important to follow the fundamental principle of progression.