Pilates with fitball basics and tips

Pilates performed using a fitball, works out many muscles groups from a strong central point using correct breathing techniques, concentration, balance, soft and fluid movements. Combining the best of the east and west gymnastics, you may tone and strengthen your muscles, getting to relax as well.

The exercises with this ball are safe, fun, effective, don't stress and can be performed almost anywhere. The ball isn't expensive, is light, resistant and portable.

The benefits of using a fitball for exercising

The biggest advantage is that it has a stable base so that muscles work harder and you develop other abilities. Just by sitting in the ball, you start being aware of your strength and posture.

If you perform pilates with the ball at first, you'll maybe find yourself feeling strange using it, but with time, your movements will be more fluid and easy and of course you'll enhance your fitness, strength and resistance.

By using the ball too, you increase your subconscious perception of the environment, increasing your balance and motor abilities.

The pilates exercises with the ball help you to reduce stress, because you work mentally too. The stretching exercises help you to relax and if you concentrate, and make a good breathing technique, you feel even more relaxed.

Fortunately almost anyone can practice exercises with the fitball, no matter if you're fit or not.

Some basic terms

Type of Movements.

+ Flexion: bending a limb or spine.

+ Stretching: stretch a limb or spine.

+ Abduction: movement away from the center of the body.

+ Adduction: movement from outside to the center of the body.

+ Rotation: Rotate the body from its axis.

In order to keep control:

1) Breath correctly. When using the fitball, lay down with your stomach looking to the ceiling, flex your knees and place the ball in the chest. Roll it to your stomach, close your eyes and inspire slowly through the nose. Hold your breath some seconds and expire through your mouth. See how the ball elevates and goes down by using your abdominal muscles.

2) When you need to raise, for example if you're laying down, separate from the floor, vertebrae by vertebrae. Same thing applies when you're going to lay down. Do it slowly.

3) Concentrate in every move, do it slowly and feel your body. Muscles heat up and stretch naturally. If you feel pain, you could be doing the exercise wrong.

First steps

Sometimes you can use other materials besides the ball:

+ Dumbbells (some you can hold, if you don't have any, try some tin cans or any other object you can hold and lift). Do not use them if you're pregnant, have a back injury or you're a beginner.

+ Ankle weights.- Find some you can easily adjust.

+ A rug or pad will help to protect your spine and prevents any pain.

First, you'll need to choose the fitball size:

A ball too small or too big might make the pilates exercises more difficult. Measure your arm from the shoulder to the tip of your fingers and try the ball. Most balls can sustain without problem up to 300 kgs (660 pounds).

To sit in the ball, be sure your knees and hips make an angle of 90° or a little more.

Safety considerations

+ Start every exercise close to something you can hold on to. It will help you with your balance if needed. If you're pregnant, it will be better and safer for you.

+ Don't try exercises if you think you won't be able to perform it or get some help.

+ Stop if you feel dizzy, you get tired or you become breathless.

+ Hold your hair if you have it long.

+ Choose a surface that avoids sliding and that's clear of objects.

+ Don´t use accessories that could punch the ball.

+ Try to relax always before exercising and then heat up.

+ As an objective, try to perform every exercise at least 5 times, and remember the quality of the movements is very important, not the amount. Once you feel stronger, you may increase the number of times you repeat each exercise.

+ If you exercise at night, don't go to sleep right away after the exercises, enjoy a shower and relax a little, it will help you to rest better.

Pilates exercises with a fitball are enjoyable and produce great results, try to be constant maybe trying 2 or 3 times per week or as a complement to the physical activities that you choose.

Thanks for reading, come back soon, as I'll be adding some workouts using the fitball very soon!

Abdominal exercises using a fitball

Pilates training method is good during pregnancy and other stages of life.

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