Back exercises on a fitball are a universal therapeutic and preventive complex that can be mastered by people of any age and any level of physical fitness. A fitball, as a sports equipment, is a large gymnastic ball with a diameter of 45 cm to 95 cm.
On top it is made of durable elastic polyvinyl chloride or latex, and inside it is filled with air. Initially, the fitball was intended exclusively for the rehabilitation of patients who had suffered injuries or spinal surgeries. Over time, exercise balls began to be used for fitness in order to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Fitball quickly gained popularity among pregnant women and young mothers. In the first case, training with a ball helps prepare for childbirth, in the second, it contributes to the harmonious physical development of the child. Exercises on an elastic ball are also successfully practiced in “Health Groups” created for people of advanced age.
What are the benefits of training with a fitball?
Regular sports activities allow you to restore, maintain or improve physical fitness. In particular, gymnastics with fitball helps:
- straighten your posture;
- strengthen skeletal muscles and myocardium;
- lose extra pounds;
- get rid of muscle hypertonicity;
- pump up your abdominal muscles;
- improve the coordinated functioning of the muscular system (coordination).
Exercises on a gymnastic ball “accelerate” blood and lymph flow, stimulate metabolic processes in tissues, and normalize pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. To improve your health, you can attend organized classes in medical institutions and fitness centers or train at home.
Important! Before using a fitball at home on your own, you must examine your spine and consult with a physical therapy doctor.
What is the effect of exercises for the back on a fitball?
The gymnastic ball forces you to keep your muscles in constant tension so as not to lose your balance. Exercises with it get rid of excess fat, tone muscles and develop flexibility. By changing body position, it is easy to vary the load. The more the fitball is inflated, the greater the tension in the muscles. Dumbbells are used for deep muscle development.
Before you start exercising, decide on the size. Back exercise balls come in different diameters - 40-95 cm in round and oval shapes. Sit on the sphere and control the position of your knees. If they form a right angle, the equipment is selected correctly.
Read more about choosing a fitball →
Who should exercise with fitball?
As a preventive measure for spinal diseases, training with a ball will be useful for absolutely everyone. First of all, such classes are recommended for spinal curvatures (kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis) and osteochondrosis, as well as for other disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
In addition, exercise therapy with a fitball is indicated:
- for women during the perinatal period to relieve the lumbar muscles;
- for children with muscle hypertonicity to relax skeletal muscles;
- for people leading a sedentary lifestyle, to maintain muscle activity and restore blood circulation.
A set of exercises on the ball is selected individually, depending on the specific goal, age and physical capabilities of the person.
Back strengthening tactics
Before we talk about how to exercise on a fitball, what exercises there are for this, and how to do them, let’s look at one point.
Strengthening your back consists of two components: working with the abs and working with the back muscles.
The vertical position of the body is maintained due to the balanced tension of the abdominal and back muscles. If one side is stronger than the other, there will certainly be poor posture, chronic stoop, and headaches.
To prevent all this from happening, your back needs to be trained in parallel with your abs. Both can be strengthened with a fitness ball.
Who should not train on the ball?
Lower back exercisers
Exercise therapy with a gymnastic ball is contraindicated for diseases such as:
- intervertebral hernia;
- sclerosis;
- malignant and benign tumors of vertebral structures.
The development of a special training plan using sports equipment is required after injuries and spinal surgeries. Cardiology patients need extreme caution when handling the ball. Severe cardiac pathologies are a contraindication to exercise.
What types of fitballs are there?
There are several types of elastic gymnastic balls:
- Balls with handles (“horns”) to maintain balance. Special handles help prevent falling from the machine. These exercise balls are more suitable for children and the elderly.
- Regular smooth fitballs of round shape. The most popular option for exercise therapy.
- Balls with soft spikes. They do not slip on the floor, and at the same time act as sports equipment and a massager.
- Large oval balls. They have increased stability; their surface can be smooth or rough (with spikes for massage).
When attending organized classes, a physical therapy doctor or fitness trainer will help you choose a suitable ball. The choice of ball depends not only on the shape and additional functions. The size of the fitball is of great importance for the comfort and benefits of training. It must match the height of the person training.
size table
| Human height (in cm) | more than 180 | 170-180 | 160-170 | 150-160 | up to 150 |
| Ball diameter (in cm) | 85-95 | 65-75 | 65 | 55 | 45 |
Note: A ball that is too large will not allow you to rest your full foot on the floor, which will result in an incorrect load on the muscles.
Insurance and safety issues
The ball is a round thing, it rolls on the floor. Accordingly, you can fall from it. For some, this fall will be just a funny event, but for others it will be a reason to go to the doctor.
Therefore, for elderly people and those who are not confident in themselves, it is better to use insurance. Anyone can insure. Just ask him to lightly hold your feet, for example.
The fitball relieves stress from your back. This is a huge plus of working on your back with a hernia. Since the load is removed, the pain syndrome is also relieved.
With a hernia, even hyperextension can lead to pain of varying degrees. On a fitball this is not felt so acutely.
Examples of exercises
Exercises with a ball for the spine are performed in different positions:
- lying on your stomach, chest or back on a fitball;
- sitting on a ball;
- using the ball as a support for the legs or arms;
- catching the ball with your feet or hands.
The full gymnastic complex includes more than 15 exercises with constant changes in body position relative to the equipment.
Ball under belly
The exercise is called “Swing”. Lying on a fitball, you need to take turns raising your arms and legs, maintaining balance. Duration of execution – 4-6 minutes.
"Swing"
Back on the ball
"Relaxation". The position is extremely simple: the ball under your back, hands behind your head, legs bent at the knees and resting on the floor. While swinging on the fitball, try to relax. Execution time – 5-8 minutes.
"Relaxation"
Supporting your feet on the ball
With your feet on the ball, bend your arms at the elbows. Alternately sliding your feet along the ball, try to roll it first to the right, then to the left. It is important that only the lower body is worked. Perform 4-8 times.
Exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the lower back
Hyperextension
The most effective and popular exercise that helps relieve muscle spasms in the back. Place the fitball under your stomach and place your feet firmly on the floor. Clasp your hands behind your head, spread your elbows to the sides.
Stretch your body as straight as possible, but do not bend back at the lower back. Freeze in this position for 5 seconds, then relax for 5-10 seconds. Repeat alternating tension and relaxation for 3 minutes.
Hyperextension on a fitball
Flexible spine complex
For such training you need the most elastic fitball. There are three main exercises:
- Sitting on a gymnastic ball with a straight back, sway back and forth. Then make circular movements with your lower body. Next, jump on the ball. Perform for 5-7 minutes.
- Sit on the fitball, spread your arms to the sides. Raise your leg straight, trying to maintain body balance. Leaning on one leg, jump on the apparatus several times. Perform 10 times, then change legs and continue.
- Get on your knees, then lower your buttocks onto your heels. Place your hands on the ball. As you exhale, roll the ball as far as possible, straightening your back. At the entrance - take the starting position. Execution time – 5 minutes.
You need to do gymnastics at a leisurely pace, focusing on your feelings.
How to cool down
After completing the exercises, you need to do a proper cool-down, which should end each workout. So, a hitch:
- Lie on the floor, arms to the sides, palms down . The legs should be in an elevated position, so they need to be placed on a fitball;
- You must remain in this position for 6-8 minutes . Breathe smoothly so that the body can relax;
- now slowly remove your feet from the ball and bend your knees . In this position, the abdominal and back muscles should be as relaxed as possible. This is good for the lower back. Stay still for another 10 minutes;
- rise carefully . Now you can begin your daily activities. Make a new habit - end each workout with a gymnastic ball with such a cool-down.
Proper cool down after exercise is very important
All experts agree that regular exercise with a gymnastic ball is an excellent way to strengthen the back muscles, get rid of pain and develop body flexibility . In addition, this activity will charge you with positive energy for the whole day.
About the Bubnovsky system
An effective set of exercises with a fitball, developed by Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences S.M. Bubnovsky. This is a new technique called kinesitherapy, that is, movement treatment (“kinezis” - from the Greek movement, “therapy” - treatment).
According to Bubnovsky’s system, the spine and joints can be treated without surgery or medications. The author's technique is patented. She actively practices exercise therapy classes in many clinics that specialize in diseases of the musculoskeletal system. You can learn more about this training system on the Internet.
Examples of exercises for the back from the system of S. Bubnovsky
Training plan
If you want to achieve the maximum result from the training process, it is better to create an individual program taking into account your personal characteristics, goals and objectives. You can use and combine the above exercises. Take turns shifting your focus from one area to another.
In general, a ball session should consist of three main blocks:
1. Warm up. For warming up, it is better to use a traditional complex, which is universal regardless of the equipment used. Rotational movements and swings are used as a base; the duration of execution is 4-5 minutes. It is necessary to move from one area to another smoothly, carefully working and preparing each muscle group.
2. Exercises with a fitball.
This is the main block. You can perform it using a ready-made program, which is presented in the table. Everyone determines the frequency of exercise for themselves - it would be optimal to exercise 2-3 times a week so that the muscles have time to rest. No. Exercise Repeats per set Approaches 1 Squats with raised arms 20 3 2 Wall squats 20 3 3 Hip lifts 20 3 4 Bulgarian lunges 20 on each leg 3 on each leg 5 Hyperextension (regular or reverse) 20 1 6 Push-ups (regular or in the opposite direction) 10 3 7 Plank 30 sec-1 min 3 8 Reverse twists 15 3 9 Spire 20 1 10 Book 20 1 11 Knees to chest 20 1 12 Reverse roll 10 1 13 Side lunges 10 1 Stretch
. Experts recommend not to ignore stretching, as it allows you to relieve stress from muscle mass and relieve stress on the spine.
Basic rules for performing exercises on a gymnastic ball
Like any incorrect physical activity, gymnastics with a fitball can cause harm if you do not follow the safety rules:
- start with short workouts;
- master 2-3 exercises in one lesson, and not the whole complex at once;
- breathe correctly (deep smooth inhalation, slow exhalation);
- do not change the rhythm throughout the entire workout;
- do not make sudden movements;
- increase the load gradually.
Before starting classes, it is recommended to warm up your muscles a little. For this, a light warm-up is suitable, with which regular morning exercises begin.
Back care tips
If you have once encountered pain in your back, this should serve as some kind of signal for you to change your lifestyle. It is necessary to get rid of bad habits that negatively affect the body, in particular the lower back. You should start by following basic rules that will help change your life for the better.
Back pain is a reason to reconsider your lifestyle
Prevention of back pain, first of all, involves the following recommendations:
- you need to lift all the weights correctly - first sit down yourself, and then, firmly grasping the object, straighten your legs and stand with it. This rule applies to all types of weights;
- if you need to carry something heavy in bags, then try to distribute the weight evenly among the bags . With an equal distribution of weight on both hands, the likelihood of injuring your back is reduced;
- When washing your hair in the bathroom on straight legs, bending over is strictly not recommended . First, bend your knees slightly and then bend over;
- Try to always sleep on a hard mattress .
This will provide the spine with proper rest at night, since it has been in a tense state throughout the day; Optimal mattress firmness - while walking, your back should be straight . If you don’t notice any mistakes in yourself, then ask your loved ones or friends to watch you. Your back should be straight not only while walking, but even when you are sitting or standing;
- If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, then try to make time for regular exercise . It is enough to engage in any sport several times a week, be it swimming, running or the gym. If you have the opportunity to exercise on a fitball, that’s good, because such activities are great for preventing neck or back pain.
Rules for maintaining correct posture
Back pillow
There are certain situations in which sports are contraindicated, even for preventive purposes. First of all, we are talking about serious problems with the spine or severe pain in the lumbar region . It is also not recommended to do any exercise after recent surgery. But your attending physician will definitely inform you about this.