6 Core Fit Ball / Swiss Ball Exercises To Do At Home or The Office

One of the most under utlilised pieces of equipment to improve your sitting posture and strengthen your core is the humble fit ball (or Swiss ball). 

This cost effective piece of equipment is excellent for stimulating your deeper spinal muscles and provides a continual challenge to your spinal stabilisers just by sitting on it.

A fit ball will assist your body by continually making adjustments to the position of your spine to maintain balance.

Why Use a Fit Ball?

Even the best ergonomic chairs all have backrests, meaning you de-activate your postural muscles as soon as you lean back into it. Now where's the sense in that?

Using a fit ball might not seem like hard work at first, but you will be challenged.  If your core muscles are weak, they will fatigue very quickly. 

So it is important that you build up your tolerance to sitting on the ball at home or at work. 

How to Use Your Fit Ball

As a guide you can start with 15-20min blocks and then set goals to improve your endurance over time.  You should be able to on the ball for greater than two hours will out having to rest. 

Start slowly and eventually you might be able to substitute your ergonomic chair with a fit ball completely! 

Remember one size doesn't fit all.  As a guideline, the ball should be inflated enough so that your knees are just below your hips and your feet are flat on the ground. Your physio can provide advice for the correct size fit ball suited to your body.

Home Fit Ball / Swiss Ball Exercises for Beginners

The fit ball is a great partner for strengthening your core muscles at home.  Below I have developed a general level 1 program that I share with my clients who are beginning their journey to improve their core stability:-

Seated knee lifts        

Action – Sit up as tall as you can be on the ball.  Lift one foot from the floor approximately six inches from the floor and hold for three seconds.  Repeat to the other side. Ensure you are near a wall when first trying this as it requires good balance.

Cobra (back extensions)

Action – Position yourself so that your knees are on the floor and your tummy is on the ball.  With your hands under your chin and your elbows out, peel yourself from the ball and straighten your spine and hold for three seconds.  It helps to have your feet against a wall when performing this exercise.

Superman’s

Action – This exercise is a progression from the previous one.  The start position is slightly different.  You will have both feet touching the floor. Now, you lift both the leg and opposite arm whilst maintaining your balance and hold for three seconds.  Repeat on the other side.

Prone swimming kicks

Action – Position yourself well over the ball on your tummy so that your belly button is at the centre of the ball.  With the weight of your body supported by your arms and your legs straight so that your feet are clear from the floor, extend you hip one at a time and perform gentle swimming kicks on each side.

Lumbar rollouts

Action – The start position is exactly like the previous exercise, however this time you will keep your pelvis on the ground.  Roll the ball out to the side and allow your pelvis to rotate with it.  Not so far so at that your feet slip off the edge of the ball.  Use your core to roll the ball back again to the middle and then repeat to the other side.

Bridging

Action – Lay on your back with your feet up on the ball, your knees slightly bent and your arms out to 45 degrees with elbows straight.  Peel your tail bone from the floor and lift your pelvis up so that you are straight through lower back and hips.  Hold for three seconds at the top and then lower yourself down one vertebra at a time so that your tail is the last to touch.

Important things to note:

• Before prescribing these exercises to my clients, I teach proper technique for engaging the deeper core muscles.
• This program is a generalist guide for beginners to complete at home. It is important that you use correct technique to get the most out of these Swiss ball exercises.
• To learn proper core muscle engagement, how to do each exercise properly and which are most suited to your body’s needs, ask your physio they’ll be more than happy to assist you.  

 

Daniel Lee - Physiotherapist and Director, Back In Motion Semaphore

Daniel holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) and Masters of Physiotherapy. His particular interest is in treating headaches, neck pain and rehabilitating sports and occupational injuries sustained at work. Dan believes in the unique Results4Life® philosophy that underpins our clinical delivery of care. This means lifelong optimal health outcomes for our clients.

 

Reference list:

Get Yourself Back In Motion 2013 J. Smith