Gymnastik Ball

Advantages: Fun but Effective!
Disadvantages: None

A new approach to fitness which is currently sweeping through the gyms and health clubs is the Gym ball, otherwise known as Swiss balls, exercise balls and body balls. WHAT IS A GYM BALL? ************************* Gym balls are manufactured in anti-burst materials and can take a maximum weight of 400 kilograms or 880 lbs. The balls are available in four basic sizes and should be purchased according to your body height. Ball size 53 cm for people ...
...people from 5'4" to 5'10"; a 75 cm size for people from 5'11" to 6'4" in height; and a 85 cm size for people of 6'5" and over. I am 5' 9" and use the 65 cm size with no problems at all. Most gym balls come ready supplied with a pump for inflating, but otherwise you would have to buy your own. Even with the purpose built pump they are hard work to pump up for the first time and this can take quite a while. Fortunately once they are inflated all you ... Read review

Advantages: STRENGTHEN CORE STABILITY MUSCLES
Disadvantages: NONE

The gymnastic ball is a great way of exercising at home. When you first buy a ball it will come deflated usually in a box depending where you purchase it. Included in the box will be a pump so that you can inflate the ball. They are made of a thick smooth vinyl and come in a variety of colours and are strong enough to hold a weight up to 850 lbs. I know many people who use their ball as a seat either at their desk or just to sit and watch TV on. ...
...depending on your size and height you need to make sure you purchase the right size for you. SIZING ~~~~~~ 4'4" to 5'3" 53cm 4'11" to 6'0" 65cm 5'8" to 6'7" 75cm 6'3" and over 85cm THE BALL -------------- I first came across this ball a number of years ago when doing Pilates. The main point of using a ball is to improve your core stability and strengthen your back muscles. The core stability muscles are the muscles that make up the abdominal ... Read review

Advantages: Versatile and fun
Disadvantages: Frequently fall off it when you're a newbie

These squishy rubber balls, that look disturbingly similar to Space Hoppers (but without the ears and manic grin), can help make your muscles stronger, especially your tummy, bum and thighs, improve your balance, make you more flexible and can help you in your quest to a flat stomach. They’re also tremendous fun to use. Also known as Swiss balls, physiotherapy balls or fitness balls, they range in price from £10-£40 and come in different sizes to ...
...a pump. Sometimes they have to be bought separately but I managed to get mine included in the pack (Bourne Fitness Ball bought from TK Maxx). Once you’ve pumped the thing up – a workout in itself – you’re ready to go. Mine came with an exercise chart but if your doesn’t, you can find charts, books, videos and DVDs on the Internet or the health and fitness section of a book or video shop. The basic idea is that you do exercises such as stomach crunches ... Read review

Advantages: Not just good for your spine, but fun too!
Disadvantages: Doesn't fit through my doors when fully inflated, so can't move it from room to room.

I'm writing this bouncing up and down on a gym ball (not advisable if you're also drinking tea...). I've had a gym ball for about a year at least now, and it's great. I use it to sit at my home computer. It's meant to be great for your spine, because you have to constantly adjust your posture rather than slumping. It's also great fun to bounce up and down on! You can get some that have a frame and a built-in back rest, although these aren't quite ...
...bit uncomfortable if you sit on it all day, as you do need something to slump against sometimes, so i recommend (and the manufacturers do i think) that you switch to a normal chair for short time periods if you feel like this (i no longer do really). For me, as a coccydynia sufferer (painful coccyx, which means it hurts when i sit down cos i'm putting pressure on my coccyx), it's a godsend. It's the most comfortable seat ever for me, and i've tried ... Read review

Advantages: Great workout
Disadvantages: ????Not found any????

Overall View: This ball is great. I originally got it to work out and get fit, but I have also found that it helps to stop my back aching, as I often get back ache, and it is also very comfortable for just sitting around on. Ease of use: The ball is very easy to use, as you can use it in lots of different ways, for lots of different things. You will need to get some sort of foot pump, as it doesn't come with one, and there is no way that you ...
...with an instruction sheet which gives you approximately 10 different excercises to do with the ball. These are all very simple to follow, and have diagrams to help explain them. The information sheet also says that the ball can be used as a seat when working at your computer etc. Personally I don't think that I could use the ball for that as I like to have a back support when at the computer. I do often just lounge around on the ball though. As ... Read review