The Exercise Ball
I love this piece of equipment because it's cheap and so versatile. Not only can you use it for exercises, it can be a piece of furniture. One of my co-workers uses an exercise ball as a chair to help build core strength while sitting at her desk. (If you do this, make sure you don't let your back slouch forward as this doesn't help your core and it hurts your back.)
An exercise ball can be found at most discount department stores (i.e. Target, K-Mart, Walmart) as well as sporting goods stores. They run about $25. They come in different sizes according to your height. If you are average, I'd suggest a 24 inch ball.
As far as exercises, you can add a core workout to most of your normal free weight exercises just by performing those exercises while sitting or balancing on an exercise ball.
Add a little zest to your push-ups by balancing your legs on the ball rather than on the floor.
The exercise ball is great for abdominal work. You get the extra range of motion by stretching backwards on the ball.
If you are a senior citizen or have balance issues, you can start out by placing the exercise ball on a stand. This will help stabilize the ball until your balance improves.
There are websites that have workouts for exercise balls. One that I've found helpful is exerciseballworkouts.net. It's free and has videos to show the exercises.
Exercise balls add a fun dimension to any workout. The only downside is storage, unless you get it in a color to match your decor.
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