Fit Ball

[Chussen]

C'mon just for fun! Talk to me about the FIT BALL. What do you really think about it?

Do you use it?

 

[apiewithhoboliftingaroma]

Is this the same thing as a swiss ball?

I use it for some body weight stuff. Helps with balance and core.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

It can be good to sit on while resting between sets.

Some women on bodybuilding.com described another use for it, though perhaps that is not what people normally think of when they say "core strength."

 

[Zarkov]

My friends wife sits on one at her computer.She says it fixed all her back problems.She also often sits on it while watching the idiot box.

 

[Tekkerz]

Sometimes gimmicky 'non-threatening' things are needed to get novices moving, so often I'll include some pilates type fitball exercises when training specific populations such as elderly women (or frail young men ). The fact that these things might be looked down apon by hardcore metal movers shouldn't mean that they don't serve their purpose.

For example I picked up a fitball for $9 (yes nine dollars) at coles recently and am planning on giving it to my mother for xmas, with an exercise routine for her to go along with it, which I hope will be enough to motivate her to move more.

LOL and before you call me a cheapskate I just gave her a $500 dollar pair of earrings for her birthday last month so I think I can get away with something abit more budget for xmas...

 

[Kyle Aaron]

When you give it to your mother, make sure to tell her what the women at bb.com said about it

 

[Tekkerz]

LOL very funny, but knowing her she'd probably think about it without having to be told that other people already thought of it.

 

[NPR]

I think fit balls are a waste of time for training core strength. Try some front squats or overhead squats, now that will test your core.

 

[Mattias]

I do my abs on it, it´s great for that.

/Mattias

 

[SubCom]

i recently did flys and bench presses on the fit ball. It was a new type of hurt. give it a go for something different.

 

[Tekkerz]

I think fit balls are a waste of time for training core strength. Try some front squats or overhead squats, now that will test your core.

Speaking of squats actually I find that putting a fitball against a wall and having a person gently rest their back against it while they do (unweighted) squats is a good way to teach an un-coordinated person correct squatting technique.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

Really? But the movement's different, just as Smith machine squats are.

I guess if the person were really unco...?

 

[Tekkerz]

Really? But the movement's different, just as Smith machine squats are.

I guess if the person were really unco...?

Yeah I'm talking about older people especially, who are never going to squat with heavy weights but should be encouraged to do things such as wall squats and the fitball squat to strengthen their leg muscles without having to rely on isolation machines.

Then there was this one young guy who just could not squat properly no matter how many times I showed him he pretty much just kept bending forward at the waist like he was bowing or something, it was frustrating but eventually with the fitball he learned to squat with decent enough form to start loading him up with some weight.

 

[toasted]

fill it with water, just like a sandbag only the weight moves around constantly and you can put quite a bit of water in the large ones.