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A Total Body Swiss
Ball Workout: Part 1
{As written for the Italian Publication—“Olympian
Magazine."}
By Joe Dowdell, CSCS, C.H.E.K. Practitioner
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Introduction
----The Swiss Ball offers us unlimited
possibilities in our evaluation, treatment and exercise programming
for healthy individuals as well as those with disabilities. It’s
versatility is unmatched by any other piece of equipment in the
gym. But, before we can discuss the Swiss Ball workout that I’ve
designed below, let’s quickly outline the evolution of the
Swiss Ball and the benefits of incorporating its use into your training
routine.
History
----The Swiss Ball originated in 1963
when an Italian manufacturer, Mr. Aquilino Cosani, started producing
toys made of vinyl instead of rubber. Mr. Cosani developed a special
technique for manufacturing these large colorful balls, later known
as Gymnastik™ or Gymnic™ balls, and began selling them
throughout Europe.
----Shortly thereafter, an English Physiotherapist
named Mary Quinton discovered these Gymnastik™ balls while
in Bern, Switzerland and began integrating them into her intervention
treatment programs for newborns and infants. Subsequently, Ms. Quinton
introduced these Gymnastik™ balls to her mentor’s—the
Bobath’s—and they began using them in England in their
rehabilitation programs.
----But, it wasn’t until Dr. Susan
Klein-Vogelbach, the founding director of the PT school in Basel,
Switzerland, was introduced to these balls that their use with the
adult population had its origin. She was the first individual to
utilize these balls with the adult population, particularly with
those individuals having orthopedic &/or other medical problems.
----Despite their Italian origin, it
was the American Physical Therapists who eventually coined the term
“Swiss Balls” because these therapists witnessed their
use while visiting several of the PT clinics in Switzerland. But,
it was the Bobaths who were largely responsible for introducing
the use of the “Swiss Ball” to the United States. In 1989,
a physical therapist named Joanne Posner-Mayer began instructing
US therapists on the neurological, orthopedic and fitness applications
of the Swiss Ball. Today, athletic trainers, strength coaches, personal
trainers and physical therapists use the Swiss Ball in their fitness
and rehab programs, which they have designed for their athletes,
patients and the general fitness population.
Benefits
----So, now that we’ve briefly
discussed the history of the Swiss Ball, there are few other things
that we should shed some light on in order to make sure that we
fully understand the proper use and benefit of Swiss Ball training.
{See figure 1}.
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Flexibility Stability
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Mobility Strength
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Balance Circulation
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Agility
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Posture Sensory
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Coordination Motor
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Perception
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Control Aerobic
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Capacity
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Figure 1: Factors that can be improved
through Stability Ball Training
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----By adding Swiss Ball training into
your regimen, you will not only be strengthening your Prime Movers,
but you will be actively targeting and improving your ability to
recruit your neutralizer and stabilizer musculature. Since training
with a Swiss Ball puts us in an unstable environment compared to
a machine-based training program, we will be forcing ourselves to
recruit our stabilizing musculature—particularly around our
joints. Therefore, it is easy to see why Swiss Ball training is
beneficial to any population because of its high carryover to function.
Cautions and other Considerations
----Before performing any exercise with
a Swiss Ball, there are several things that we should take into
consideration. First of all, you should always make sure that your
Swiss Ball is properly inflated. The ball should be firmly inflated
and care should be taken to follow the directions that accompany
the ball. Second, make sure that you have the correct size Swiss
Ball. The best way to determine that you are using the appropriate
ball is to first sit on top of the ball. Then, look to see that
your thighs are parallel or slightly above parallel to the floor.
Next, make sure the exercise surface is firm and non-slip. In addition,
before performing an exercise, always check to make sure that you
have enough room to properly execute the exercise. Furthermore,
make sure that the floor is clear of any debris that could possibly
damage the ball.
----Another important factor to consider
is to make sure you should regularly clean the ball with an anti-bacterial
soap and water. But, you must allow it enough time to dry completely
before using it. Some other safety conditions that one must be aware
of when training with a Swiss Ball are the following:
* Always wear proper clothes when training
with a Swiss Ball.
* Avoid wearing slippery pants, shorts or tops.
* Make sure you wear sneakers with rubber soles.
Finally, if you are going to weight train in conjunction with using
the Swiss Ball, then you must make sure that you only use a DuraBall
Pro Swiss Ball. These balls are designed specifically for the purpose
of weight training. They are also the preferred Swiss Ball of world
renowned Strength Coaches—Charles Poliquin and Paul Chek—because
they have an anti-burst system. The DuraBall Pro can be purchased
directly from Durabodies {877-387-2263}
References
Carriere, Beate, The Swiss Ball: Theory, Basic
Exercises and Clinical Application. Springer-Verlag, 1965. ISBN
#: 3-540-61144-4.
Chek, Paul. Advanced Swiss Ball Training for Rehabilitation Seminar.
2000.
Chek, Paul, Program Design Course. 1995.
Chek, Paul, Swiss Ball Training Course. 1996.
Poliquin, Charles, Advanced Strength Coach Theory Certification.
1996.
Posner-Mayer PT, Joanne, Swiss Ball Applications for Orthopedic
and Sports Medicine. Ball Dynamics International. 1995. ISBN #:
0-9645341-4-2.
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