Abdominal Ball ExercisesA fit and healthy body is now the priority for both men and women. While people who are grossly overweight may resort to precedures like liposuction, etc., there are millions who are taking the route of diets and other fitness programs to lose weight and get a gorgeous figure. Today women are also undergoing treatment for losing flab around the facial areas like the chin, which result in adding to their overall beauty. In short, weight reduction is the topmost priority for all those who are aiming for a fit body. Abdominal ball exercises form part of a weight loss and fitness program, which has become very popular in recent times. With the curent focus now more geared towards strengthening the abdominal muscles, this exercising equipment has become successful due to its multiple benefits some of which are mentioned below: - More than exercising with dumbells and weight machines, abdominal ball exercises, especially doing the abdominal curl ups, can actually double the pressure exerted on the abdominal muscles. Exercising with this ball helps you to strenghtens the muscles of your abdomen, legs, hip and back. On the other hand, when you work with bench or dumbells, there are only specific muscles which would get the focus. - There is no problem for location when you do exercises using balls. You do not need a gym or transfer the equipment some where else to do your exercises. This can be done at any time in the comfort of your home or wherever you are. You have the flexibility to deflate the ball and take it anywhere you want. - One reason why the exercising ball has become popular with women is because this not only saves them from taking fat reduction injections, they can carry on with their weight loss goals while watching their favorite TV program or listening to the latest music too. - Cost-effective, user-friendly and flexible to use,these balls can be used by anyone no matter what age. - Because it does no weigh as much as dumbells or barbells, you feel comfortable to use it repeatedly. Thus the entire process of losing weight and developing muscles is hastened. The intensity of the exercises which you do remain constant and never gets too strenuous. - Though the name includes 'abdominal', the exercises with the balls focus on the other parts of the body too, making this a general fitness development option. So what are the different types of abdominal ball exercises which can be done? Before you start doing any of these, you must remember that usually all abdominal exercises focus on strengthening the abdominal muscles, especially the rectus abdominus, which in common terms is known as the 'six pack' area. The exercises also work on the oblique muscles. Here are two of the most popular exercises with the balls: Abdominal Curl: This is a very easy exercise which produces great results. Here you have to lie on the exercise ball and ensure that your knees are at 90 degree to the rest of your leg. The rest of the body is positioned parallel to the floor. In this position, you have to lift your shoulders upwards. Make sure that your hips do not bend while you are doing this. This exercise is popularly known as the 'six pack' exercise and it tones the rectus abdominus as well as muscles of the transverse abdominus and obliques. After you have completed this successfully, you should return to the strarting position. Abdominal roll-ups: This exercise would give you the experience of a workout and would result in overall strengthening the entire abdominal area. Here you have to kneel and position the ball in front of you. Then lie on top of the ball. The next step is to reach out so that your hands touch the floor, as you roll the ball towards your thighs. After this step,you haveto walk on your hands till the ball reaches your shin area. Ensure that your abdomen is in a tight position and your shoulders are correctly aligned with your hands. From here you pull the ball forward towards the legs while bending your knees towards the chest, as the ball rolls beneath you till the knees tough the chest. After completing the first run, you have to roll back to the starting position. While there are several other types of abdominal ball exercises, the two given above are perhaps the most popular of them all. So if you are aiming for the 'six pack' abs which you have so long admired in celeb figures seen on magazine covers, you know what to do and how to do it. |