Fit-ball Introduction E-Book

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Grange Physiotherapy Caring for your Health & Lifestyle 8 Grange Drive Cooloongup WA 6168 P: (08) 9592 2059 F: (08) 9592 9114 www.grangephysiotherapy.com.au Fit-ball Introduction E-Book INDEX: 1.

1 Grange Physiotherapy Caring for your Health & Lifestyle 8 Grange Drive Cooloongup WA 6168 P: (08) F: (08) Fit-ball Introduction E-Book INDEX: 1. Introduction 2. Getting started 3. Beginners trunk exercises 4. Leg Work 5. Arm Work 6. Progression exercises 7. Cool Down 8. Putting it all together 9. Commonly Asked Questions Experienced Staff On-site Gym Same Day Appointments Fast Efficient Service Guaranteed

Introduction to Fit Ball Exercising: Enter the exciting world of the fit ball.

The Fit ball is a unique concept that is taking the world by storm. It has versatility so that you can utilize all aspects of the body and train to your best potential.

There are a huge number of exercises available to do on the fit ball, but this E-Book with only deal with introductory exercises for the beginner.

Use a pump adapter with a bike pump, or utilise your local petrol station tyre pump to inflate your ball so that it is very firm.

2 Introduction to Fit Ball Exercising: Enter the exciting world of the fit ball. Designed to deal with all your fitness needs and enable you to exercise to your potential, at home or at work, regardless of the weather. The Fit ball is a unique concept that is taking the world by storm. It has versatility so that you can utilize all aspects of the body and train to your best potential. It also enables you to work important trunk muscles, which are vital for the maintenance of your spine. There are a huge number of exercises available to do on the fit ball, but this E-Book with only deal with introductory exercises for the beginner. Getting Started You first need to ensure that your ball is ready for use. Use a pump adapter with a bike pump, or utilise your local petrol station tyre pump to inflate your ball so that it is very firm. Initially you may need to pump the ball, leave 24 hours and then top it up a little. Fit-balls are designed to be antiburst, and once pumped up should retain their firmness for a minimum of 4-6 weeks. They may need a little more air every so often depending on usage. Once your ball is ready, you will need to prepare yourself for exercise. Wear loose comfortable clothing. Sports shoes are optional. Start your warm up with approximately 5 minutes or so of light aerobic work, such as walking, step work, squats. Once you are starting to feel warm, proceed with warm up stretches. The basic ones are: Calf stretches 1 and 2 Quad stretches Hamstring

3 Hip adductor stretches Shoulder behind neck stretch Shoulder across chest stretch Shoulder behind back stretch Trunk rotation stretch Hold all stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds and perform at least 2 repetitions of each stretch. Now, you are ready to start on your fit-ball

Beginners Trunk Exercises A) Ball Sitting-abdominal work Sit on your ball and feel the movement. Spend some time just practising to balance on your ball.

Breathing should occur down near your belly button. Don t pull in the muscles around the middle abdomen. These should remain fairly relaxed in this position.

4 Beginners Trunk Exercises A) Ball Sitting-abdominal work Sit on your ball and feel the movement. Spend some time just practising to balance on your ball. Now in this position gently draw in the lower abdominal muscles. These are below your hip bones on each side of the abdomen. Try to breathe properly whilst doing this exercise. Breathing should occur down near your belly button. Don t pull in the muscles around the middle abdomen. These should remain fairly relaxed in this position. Practice this deep abdominal tightening for short second periods. As you become better at this exercise you should try to incorporate it into all your ball exercises. Remember you cannot hold your breathe while doing this exercise as you will need to sustain the gentle contraction for longer and longer periods. B) Ball Sitting-Abdomen and back work Progress on from the above exercise, by imagining the belly button is being drawn towards your low back. The tummy should not move, but you may feel the lower back muscles tighten slightly. These muscles support and stabilise your back and are important for movement. So now you should have your low abdomen and low back muscles creating a muscular corset around your trunk which will give you a stable base for movements. The beginner s exercises should be continued in all the following exercises. They will give you stability and support and help to ensure the exercises are being done correctly. These above exercises are vital if you suffer from back pain. They may initially be difficult to do and may need some practice. Should you have difficulty with them you may wish to contact your nearest physiotherapist, and arrange some private tuition, or join a local class. Your physiotherapist should be able to help you find these classes.

Slow lifts maintaining your trunk muscles also strengthen your balance and coordination. Start with your legs together and then move then apart as you get used to the exercise.

5 Leg Work Whilst sitting on the ball gently lift individual legs off the floor. The makes your trunk muscles work hard to stabilise the body. If necessary place the ball in a corner of the room initially to make this a little easier. As you improve, move away from the corner. Slow lifts maintaining your trunk muscles also strengthen your balance and coordination. Start with your legs together and then move then apart as you get used to the exercise. As you progress you can gradually add small wrap around weights around the ankles. Arm Work Gentle arm lifts while sitting on the ball will help strengthen your trunk stabilisers and tone the muscles in your arms. You can gradually add weights and do a variety of arm movements. Progression Exercises Once you have grasped the basic concepts of the ball and how it works you can start to progress various exercises and try new things. For example you can use the ball: In Sitting using small weights to lift and work the chest and shoulder muscles. Or try lifting opposite arms and legs while holding small weights.

In standing- try squatting at a wall with the ball supporting your back.

strong and maintaining a straight line from shoulder to knee.

This exercise is harder the further you roll out, and if you lift your

6 In standing- try squatting at a wall with the ball supporting your back. In Kneeling- Try rolling the ball away from you keeping your abdominals strong and maintaining a straight line from shoulder to knee. Roll as far as you can and then back again. This exercise is harder the further you roll out, and if you lift your feet from the floor. While lying over the ball lift opposite arm and leg and hold for 30 seconds, before changing sides.

have a straight line between the feet and shoulders.

7 Lying on Back work - Lying on the floor with your feet or calves on the ball, roll the ball away from you until you have a straight line between the feet and shoulders. Keep the abdominals strong! These are just a few examples. The list is endless.

Cool Down The Cool Down consists of gentle stretches and light aerobic work. The stretches are important for maintaining good muscle length, which reduces the risk of injury.

8 Cool Down The Cool Down consists of gentle stretches and light aerobic work. The stretches are important for maintaining good muscle length, which reduces the risk of injury. The light aerobic work is to help release any lactic acid in your muscles, which may give you muscle soreness. Putting it all together Once you feel comfortable with a large range of exercises write down a daily fit ball program. Include a warm up and Cool down, and also allow yourself to vary the program so you don t become bored. An example may be: Warm up Trunk work Arm work Leg work Combined Leg/arm work Standing fit ball work Floor fit ball work Cool Down - 5 minutes step work -Stretches (as listed above) -sitting on ball -sitting on ball -sitting on ball -sitting on ball -squats at wall -Bridging-feet on ball -tummy work over ball -Rolls out in kneeling -Stretches (as listed above) -5 minutes walking If you find it difficult to put together a fit ball program on your own, ask your local physiotherapist to give you assistance to get you started.

9 Commonly asked questions: Will the fit ball help me to lose weight? In order to lose weight you must expend more energy than you are taking in. In this way the fit ball may assist in helping you to lose weight by toning up the muscles. However weight loss usually needs to be accompanied by both a change in diet and an increase in aerobic activity, such as bike riding, walking, swimming or jogging. This activity needs to be maintained for 15 minutes or more. You can tell if the activity has become aerobic because you will start to puff or become short of breath. Try to maintain this slight shortness of breath for a minimum of 15 minutes. The more aerobic exercise you do the more weight you will lose. Can I become sore using the fit ball? The answer to this is a definite YES! Because you are using muscles that may not have been used for a while, it is common to experience some initial body soreness especially when introducing new exercises. Progress slowly and cautiously, and don t add in too many new exercises in any one session. Soreness may last for hours after exercise. If it lasts for any longer then you have definitely overdone it and may need to back off some of the exercises. Will the fit ball aggravate any other injuries that I may have? There is always a risk that certain exercises may aggravate other injuries you may have. Progress cautiously with your fit ball work and stay away from any exercises that cause pain or discomfort. Should you have any queries ask your local Physiotherapist for advice. If you are unsure visit your local physiotherapist and ask them to design an individual program, which will suit your needs. They should be able to show you alternate exercises that will not aggravate your existing injuries. Can I use the fit ball for other activities apart from exercising? Fit Balls make great seats! You can use it at your home computer or dining room table. It will encourage good stimulation for the postural muscles. Be careful not to slouch on it. Try to maintain good posture for short periods and rest when you fatigue. Most work environments do not encourage fit balls as they tend to roll all over the place and can be a hazard.

10 We hope you have enjoyed this E-Book on Introductory exercises with your fit ball. For more information and exercise progression, talk to the staff at Grange Physiotherapy in Rockingham. We offer a range of classes incorporating fit-ball work and have an on-site gym. We can assist in designing an exercise program focusing on your individual needs which you can do either under supervision or independently. Happy Exercising! Libby Jamieson Sports Physiotherapist Grange Physiotherapy 8 Grange Drive Cooloongup WA 6168 P: (08) F: (08) E: admin@grangephysiotherapy.com.au

This Manual is copyright under the Berne Convention. In terms of the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 no part of this leaflet may be reproduced or

Basic Ball Exercise Manual Train your Core This Manual is copyright under the Berne Convention. In terms of the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 no part of this leaflet may be reproduced or transmitted in any