Stability Ball

angieskia
angieskia Posts: 152 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just got a Stabilty Ball w/dvd today but I'm not sure how to list it here @ MFP. Does anyone here have an idea? You know it's the big ball you can sit on, put your feet on, and your core is working at all times just to remain balanced. Thanx in Advanced for any help you may be able to give.

Replies

  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
    I fall off mine and expend calories getting back up again :-)

    Seriously though, sitting on one of these all day instead of an office chair is probably good for core and posture, but I don't think it would count much toward burned calories?

    I'd love to know too though.
  • KarenJean81
    KarenJean81 Posts: 117 Member
    Did you look for it under strength training? When I was in physical therapy thats what I was always on one for.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Depends what this workout involves. If it is simply balancing on it then it will be SFA cals burnt but good for overall core strength. If you are doing things like feet on ball pushups, feet on ball twists, crunches where you pass the ball from feet to hands then you will work up a sweat and burn some cals. Either get a HRM to be accurate or judge honestly how hard you were working and log it as maybe circuit training?
  • angieskia
    angieskia Posts: 152 Member
    I decided to you Google "Stability Ball Calories Burned" and this website did Have it. http://www.fitbalancedhealthy.com/calculators/caloriesburned_calc.php. It asks for your weight so at least it's fairly accurat. The Only problem was that it didn't let you choose the intensity. For 30min it gave about 33cals/10min so When I 1st start out I'll subtract the 33 . The stability ball came with an Exercise Video but the Website only said Body/Balance Ball.
    So here's what I'll do. I'll Claim 65Cals for 30min then look up light/low impact calesthenics and enter 15min instead of 30. Goron as for sitting on it all I don't see why you couldn't accept the calories from the site I mentioned above. There was no workout/aerobics attached to the end of "Body/Balance Ball". If you start eating those calories and not losing weight though then I'd start taking a smaller calorie burn credit but at least you'll have a general idea.
  • angieskia
    angieskia Posts: 152 Member
    OK I looked up Calisthenics. Here's What I got from Wikpedia : "Calisthenics are a form of dynamic exercise consisting of a variety of simple, often rhythmical, movements, generally using minimal equipment or apparatus." So Should I Just Assume that the Stability ball is the FORM of Apparatus and only LOG 20 minutes of Calisthenics?
  • elloradannon
    elloradannon Posts: 111
    I use mine as a desk chair at work... then I can sneak some crunches and lunges or squats in at lunch time :-) I figure every little bit helps.
  • mostlysingle
    mostlysingle Posts: 3 Member
    Old discussion but using an exercise ball absolutely counts as physical exercise.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,118 Member
    mostlysingle wrote: »
    Old discussion but using an exercise ball absolutely counts as physical exercise.

    If you do calisthenics with one, it counts as calisthenics. If you just sit on it, that's a fine thing, but it doesn't burn any significant number of calories. (Calorie burn isn't the only reason to do exercise of course. It isn't even a very important reason to do exercise, in the grand scheme of things, IMO.)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    @mostlysingle

    It's a piece of equipment and not an exercise - log the exercise you do using the ball.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited July 2020
    angieskia wrote: »
    I just got a Stabilty Ball w/dvd today but I'm not sure how to list it here @ MFP. Does anyone here have an idea? You know it's the big ball you can sit on, put your feet on, and your core is working at all times just to remain balanced. Thanx in Advanced for any help you may be able to give.

    If you use the stability ball in an exercise routine, you log the routine. Usually this will be either pilates or somen sort of circuit, which are the most common type of workouts with a stability ball. If you use the stability ball as a chair, obviously there is nothing to log.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited July 2020
    Calisthenics or whatever is definitely not sitting. Sitting on the ball is what you do for a few seconds between sets to catch your breath and relax. If you are already doing bodyweight exercises, like planks, bridges, push-ups, squats, jacknives etc, then when you have masterd bodyweight routines and are no longer challenged, you add the stability ball. If you have no experience with these types of exercise, I cannot even imagine what the ball will help with, i.e. if you cannot do planks or push ups on the floor easily, you definietely should not even attempt adding a ball in there. I know it is a very trendy piece of equipment, but this does not mean you can actually use it correctly just by sitting on it or doing a few crunches, this is nto where its value comes from. When most people involved in bodyweight trainign say they benefit from a ball, they mean somethign like this:
    https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-gym-160463040.jpg
    Do not attempt any of those, if you first are not comfortable with the on the floor versions, and with very good form.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,118 Member
    LKArgh wrote: »
    Calisthenics or whatever is definitely not sitting. Sitting on the ball is what you do for a few seconds between sets to catch your breath and relax. If you are already doing bodyweight exercises, like planks, bridges, push-ups, squats, jacknives etc, then when you have masterd bodyweight routines and are no longer challenged, you add the stability ball. If you have no experience with these types of exercise, I cannot even imagine what the ball will help with, i.e. if you cannot do planks or push ups on the floor easily, you definietely should not even attempt adding a ball in there. I know it is a very trendy piece of equipment, but this does not mean you can actually use it correctly just by sitting on it or doing a few crunches, this is nto where its value comes from. When most people involved in bodyweight trainign say they benefit from a ball, they mean somethign like this:
    https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-gym-160463040.jpg
    Do not attempt any of those, if you first are not comfortable with the on the floor versions, and with very good form.

    Welllll . . . I think that's a little extreme. There are some fairly beginner-friendly things that can be done with a stability ball. Examples: Seated hip circles on the ball, ball passing (similar to #4 in your chart, but remaining with torso on the floor rather than jacknifing), bodyweight squats with back against ball and ball against wall, leg press on ball, etc.

    I'm not saying these are necessarily the most beneficial exercises a beginner can do out of the whole universe of possible exercises, and these might be out of reach for some, but for an average person they're not going to be extreme or dangerous.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    LKArgh wrote: »
    Calisthenics or whatever is definitely not sitting. Sitting on the ball is what you do for a few seconds between sets to catch your breath and relax. If you are already doing bodyweight exercises, like planks, bridges, push-ups, squats, jacknives etc, then when you have masterd bodyweight routines and are no longer challenged, you add the stability ball. If you have no experience with these types of exercise, I cannot even imagine what the ball will help with, i.e. if you cannot do planks or push ups on the floor easily, you definietely should not even attempt adding a ball in there. I know it is a very trendy piece of equipment, but this does not mean you can actually use it correctly just by sitting on it or doing a few crunches, this is nto where its value comes from. When most people involved in bodyweight trainign say they benefit from a ball, they mean somethign like this:
    https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-gym-160463040.jpg
    Do not attempt any of those, if you first are not comfortable with the on the floor versions, and with very good form.

    Welllll . . . I think that's a little extreme. There are some fairly beginner-friendly things that can be done with a stability ball. Examples: Seated hip circles on the ball, ball passing (similar to #4 in your chart, but remaining with torso on the floor rather than jacknifing), bodyweight squats with back against ball and ball against wall, leg press on ball, etc.

    I'm not saying these are necessarily the most beneficial exercises a beginner can do out of the whole universe of possible exercises, and these might be out of reach for some, but for an average person they're not going to be extreme or dangerous.

    I aboslutely agree there are very easy stability ball routines, it is after all even used for mild exercise routines for people with disabilities. But most people figure out they will just sit on the ball or do somethign very simple with it, like hip circles, and get the awesome results they have heard others having. Which is not going to happen. I have been doing pilates for years and newbies often skip the mat classes because "they are for old ladies" and instead joing the swiss ball classes because they have heard "the ball is awesome for abs". Ten minutes later they seem amazed that they can actually not do a single exercise, they leave, and never return ...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,118 Member
    LKArgh wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    LKArgh wrote: »
    Calisthenics or whatever is definitely not sitting. Sitting on the ball is what you do for a few seconds between sets to catch your breath and relax. If you are already doing bodyweight exercises, like planks, bridges, push-ups, squats, jacknives etc, then when you have masterd bodyweight routines and are no longer challenged, you add the stability ball. If you have no experience with these types of exercise, I cannot even imagine what the ball will help with, i.e. if you cannot do planks or push ups on the floor easily, you definietely should not even attempt adding a ball in there. I know it is a very trendy piece of equipment, but this does not mean you can actually use it correctly just by sitting on it or doing a few crunches, this is nto where its value comes from. When most people involved in bodyweight trainign say they benefit from a ball, they mean somethign like this:
    https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-exercise-ball-workout-set-idea-body-health-training-gym-160463040.jpg
    Do not attempt any of those, if you first are not comfortable with the on the floor versions, and with very good form.

    Welllll . . . I think that's a little extreme. There are some fairly beginner-friendly things that can be done with a stability ball. Examples: Seated hip circles on the ball, ball passing (similar to #4 in your chart, but remaining with torso on the floor rather than jacknifing), bodyweight squats with back against ball and ball against wall, leg press on ball, etc.

    I'm not saying these are necessarily the most beneficial exercises a beginner can do out of the whole universe of possible exercises, and these might be out of reach for some, but for an average person they're not going to be extreme or dangerous.

    I aboslutely agree there are very easy stability ball routines, it is after all even used for mild exercise routines for people with disabilities. But most people figure out they will just sit on the ball or do somethign very simple with it, like hip circles, and get the awesome results they have heard others having. Which is not going to happen. I have been doing pilates for years and newbies often skip the mat classes because "they are for old ladies" and instead joing the swiss ball classes because they have heard "the ball is awesome for abs". Ten minutes later they seem amazed that they can actually not do a single exercise, they leave, and never return ...

    Likewise, I 100% agree with that. (Please note my cranky "just sitting isn't a calorie-burner" comment earlier in the thread - I didn't say it, but sitting is also not a fitness game-changer . . . even with added hip circles. ;) ).

    I just don't want people to think that if they're having fun and successfully using a ball in some beginner stuff, that they're inherently and absolutely wasting their time. As always, what matters is that the exercise be achievable, but slightly (manageably) challenging . . . and ideally, enjoyable, besides. :)

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