Fitball or gymnastic ball is an invariable sports equipment of each gym, in which fitness classes are held. It is also called a Swiss or fitness ball. This large balloon does not just take its place in the gym, but is an excellent simulator for developing strength, maintaining balance, and endurance of the cardiovascular system.
Elastic and large fitballs are great for performing a variety of exercises, restoring shape after getting injured due to the ability to reduce tension in the muscles and spine. It all depends on how to use such a sports equipment. Fitness balls are especially popular among those who want to lose weight, maintain themselves in great shape. You can practice the Swiss ball both in the gym and at home.
Content
- 1 What should be a fitball "> 2 How to deal with a fitball?
- 3 Complex exercises on fitball
- 3.1 Exercises on the gym ball for the lower body
- 3.2 Exercises on the gym ball for the upper body
- 3.3 Fitball exercises for back and abs
What should fitball be like?
This projectile is most effective with the right size. Gymnastic balls are produced in three diameter variations:
- small in 55 cm;
- medium at 65 cm;
- large at 75 cm.
The first are for people whose height is 149-164, the second - 164-171, and the third - 180 centimeters and above.
To choose the right Swiss ball, you need to sit on top of it. If the hips with the knees form a right angle with respect to the floor surface, then the projectile is ideally sized.
How to deal with fitball?
There are many exercises that allow you to lose weight and maintain muscle tone. The main thing is to take into account the fact that some of them require the use of a fitball with different diameters - larger or smaller. To get the most out of it, you need to pick up balls of the appropriate size.
The level of physical fitness directly affects the number of sets and reps. The best option is to perform for each exercise 3-5 sets of 10-20 repetitions for each. You can increase the load after a few workouts. If there are no problems with the training, then the pace is chosen correctly.
A set of exercises on fitball
The proposed program is designed in such a way that allows you to work out all muscle groups of the body.
Exercise on the gym ball for the lower body
1 - Squats with a gymnastic ball over your head
A simple and familiar exercise for many, the effectiveness of which is enhanced by the use of a fitness ball. It works great on the muscles of the legs and arms.
Do the usual squat, but raising your hands up with the fitball sandwiched between your palms. Be sure to involve the deltoid muscle group, shoulders in the work. Watch your torso. It should be vertical.
Do at least 10-15 push-ups.
2 - Squats against the wall
An effective quadriceps strength exercise consisting in creating resistance through fitball.
Stand with your back to the wall at a distance of one meter, place your feet at shoulder level. Position the ball between the wall and lower back, and then lower yourself gently. In the lower position, the knees should be bent at right angles. Crouching, climb back up.
Repeat the same action 10-15 times.
Watch the position of the fitball. During squats, he is transferred to the shoulder blades, which allows for support of the back.
3 - Squats with a fitness ball between the knees
Designed to work out the lower back, the inner thighs, which is one of the most problematic areas.
Standing straight, place a fitball between your legs. Its center should be in the knees. The ball must not touch the surface of the floor. Go down until your knees form a right angle, while squeezing and holding the fitball. Hold at the extreme point of seconds for 30-45.
Recommendation: Maximum efficiency from such squats allows you to get a fitball of a larger diameter, that is, one whose dimensions are larger than that of a perfectly suitable ball. Only such a shell will give the necessary load on the hips. If it is difficult to maintain balance, at first it is permissible to use a support as a wall or chair.
4 - Hip Fitball Exercise
Exercise works in three directions at once.
Lie on the floor surface, arms extended along the torso, putting heels and calves on the fitball. Lift up your hips, lifting yourself off the floor with your abdominals and buttocks. Use your hands to maintain balance.
After exhaling, without removing the feet from the fitball, pull the knees towards the hips. Hold in the adopted position for a couple of seconds, inhale and straighten your legs.
Make sure that the buttocks are up and working to the maximum.
The number of repetitions should be brought to 10-12.
5 - Slow and deep squats
They contribute to strengthening and maintaining the tone of the legs, abs, arms.
Extend both hands with a fitball in front of your face. Get down, doing a squat, while moving the ball to the left, holding it a little higher above the left foot. Inhale three times slowly, go up.
To make the exercise as effective as possible, keep your hands strictly in front of the body, and squat as low as possible.
The optimal number of repetitions performed in one approach is considered to be at least 10-15 squats.
6 - Lunges with a fitball
Train the ability to maintain balance.
Stand with your back to the ball, put your foot on it so that the sole looks up. With your free foot, step 15 centimeters forward, bend both knees. Control the position of the front leg. She should fully rest on her foot, not just her fingers. If it is difficult to immediately achieve the desired result, you can use the support in the form of a railing or a chair.
Repeat such deep lunges should be 8-10 times on each leg. When physical fitness allows, more can be done.
7 - Reverse hyperextension
Performing this exercise helps tone the buttock muscles.
Lie on your fitball with your chest. The toes and hands rest on the floor. Drive forward a bit until your arms are level with your shoulder girdle and your hips are not touching the surface of the ball.
Engage your abdominal muscles and closed legs. To do this, raise straight legs so that they are flush with the body. Try to stay at the extreme point as long as possible.
The number of repetitions, equal to 12-15 times, must be done in one approach, without rising from the ball.
Exercise on the gym ball for the upper body
This part of the complex perfectly complements the first seven exercises, helps maintain the shape of the upper body.
8 - Push-ups with fitball
Much more complicated than usual, but also much more effective. The main thing is to master the execution technique.
Place the fitball in front of you, lie on top of it so that the core muscles are on the top of the ball, and your arms and legs touch the surface of the floor. Rearranging your arms, move forward until the lower legs lie on the ball. The body should not bend, but remain straight. Having fixed this position, do push-ups, lowering so that the forearms are parallel to the floor. Get up
We must try to do at least 8-10 push-ups. If preparation allows, you can do a lot.
9 - Stand “lying on the gymnastic ball”
A great exercise that allows you to turn an ordinary stance due to the ability to hold a position on an unstable fitball into a real workout for the muscles of the arms and shoulders.
The easy option involves focusing the elbows with the forearms on the gymnastic ball, and the complicated one is performed with straightened hands. First, there is one elongated leg behind, and then take a step back to put the second.
Achieving maximum results allows holding the position for up to 30 seconds in each approach.
10 - Rolling out the gym ball
Performing this exercise involves both core muscles and arms.
Place the fitball on the floor, and yourself kneel behind him, with your palms on the top of the ball. Push the shell in front of you. Stop when the triceps are on the balloon and the legs move apart at the knees. The movement is carried out due to the dense muscles of the core, “pushing” the body forward.
No need to try to do many repetitions right away. The main thing is to observe the correct technique. For the first time, 10 repetitions is enough.
If excessive pressure is applied to your knees, use a yoga mat or lay an ordinary towel.
11 - Hyperextension
This exercise is aimed at strengthening the spinal muscles.
The abdomen and hips are on the fitball, and the straight legs are behind the projectile. To maintain balance, grab the ball with your hands. If the legs slip, you can rest them against the wall. Raise your chest as high as possible, place your palms on the back of your head. Hold this position and return to the starting position.
Such lifts must be repeated 12-15 times.
12 - Triceps Pushups
Allow you to strengthen and tone the triceps.
Sitting on top of the fitball, legs spread across the width of the shoulders, bend at a right angle at the knees. Put your hands on the ball and slowly move them so that they protrude a few centimeters forward. The correct position is indicated by the fact that the arms support the body, and the heels are located on the floor. Using triceps, lower your hands a few centimeters down, return to the starting point.
Perform from 10 to 15 push-ups, keeping your back straight, involving the muscles of the press.
13 - The Wedge
A sufficiently complex and advanced exercise to work out the press. It not only strengthens the muscles on the stomach, but also makes you sweat pretty.
The wedge is performed from eight positions similar to the exercise, that is, as for push-ups, but the lower legs, not the fingers, are placed on the fitball. Feet must be straightened. The implementation itself consists in pulling the legs to the chest with the transfer of emphasis from the legs to the fingers. The result is the formation of a kind of wedge.
The correct execution is controlled by the absence of any deflection in the back, the curvature of the toes relative to the fitball. The general position of the body is similar to that which is taken when doing push-ups.
Exercise is difficult enough, but gives an excellent result. The main thing is to try not only to master it, but also to perform at least 5-8 repetitions per approach.
Fitball exercises for back and abs
14 - Corner
Aimed at working out the abdominal press.
Lying on your back, put ankles on the fitball. Stretch your arms to your legs while lifting your torso up, but not lifting your hips off the floor. Correct execution involves the formation of a likeness of the Latin letter "V" or the symbol "tick". When you reach the end point, count to yourself up to five, and then slowly descend.
The optimal number of repetitions of this corner is 6-10.
15 - Jumping
Give an energy boost of vigor!
Sit on top of the ball, tighten your abs, put your feet on the floor. Raising your knees up and then down again, try to jump as high as possible.
The optimal duration of jumps is considered to be from two to five minutes. This allows you to maintain the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle at least until the middle of the training, which makes jumping ideal for warming up.
16 - To the press
Perfectly strengthens the abdominal muscles.
Take a prone position. Arms and legs extended. Take a fitball with your hands, lift it above your head, and then, gradually raising your limbs, move the ball to your legs, placing it between your ankles. Only the hips and buttocks should touch the floor. Slowly lower your arms and legs without releasing the ball.
The optimal number of repetitions is 6-10 times.
17 - Bending the knees
Take a position similar to the one from which push-ups are performed. Straighten your arms. Keep your palms under your shoulders and your toes abut against the surface of the ball. Pull your knees toward your chest until they are at your hips, and then return to your starting position.
Repeat from 10 to 15 bends.
18 - Knees
They work well on problem areas.
Place the ball in front of an object that cannot be moved, or the weight trainer if you are in the gym. Lie on the fitness ball with your back and shoulders touching it. Grasp the treadmill or any other object, legs pressed against each other. Flex the abdominal muscles, bring the knees to the chest, helping to maintain balance with your hands. Make at least 10-15 repetitions in order to properly develop the press.
When the exercise has already been mastered, you can proceed to the use of free weight.
19 - Step into the sky
It works oblique muscles of the press.
You need to sit on the fitball, bring your legs together, and then gradually move them to the right, and your hands to the left. Next, return to the starting position.
Perform at least 12-15 turns on each side. Technique does not really matter. The main thing is to give all your best.
20 - Stretching inclinations
Will be a great completion of the training.
Stand, legs apart shoulder width apart, fitball in arms above head. The back should be straight, and the muscles of the press are tense. Move the ball to the outside first of one and then the other leg.
Perform at least 10-15 inclines on each side. Most importantly, remember that between the slopes you must definitely return to the center position.
