Updated 20/11/2020

A stability ball is a versatile and dynamic workout tool that you should seriously consider including in your workout routine.

You can incorporate a stability ball in nearly any type of workout to challenge your body and take your fitness, particularly your core stability, to the next level.

Stability balls can be a bit tricky to start with as you learn to get your balance, but you’ll quickly find them to be simple, lightweight and great for balance, core, and muscle isolation.

Other than that, stability balls are fun, and here are 7 reasons you should incorporate them into your workout routine!

Stability Ball Benefits

1. Body Weight

Body weight workouts are useful mentally and physically since you’re basically working against your own body weight. From planks, push-ups, dips and mountain climbers, most workout routines can incorporate a stability ball and improve the results.

As an example of stability ball benefits, mountain climbers, when combined with a stability ball, can relieve tension in your shoulders and arms, helping you to pay more attention to core movement.

2. Strengthens Your Core

It’s time to swap your exercise bench with a stability ball! Pretty much any workout that you perform on a bench can be done on a stability ball, making it more challenging and hence more rewarding. These include rows, dumbbell presses and bicep curls.

As you perform all these, you will also be strengthening your core because you have to constantly use your core muscles to maintain stability.

3. Improve Your Flexibility

Using a stability ball regularly during your workout routine can improve your flexibility. Even if the ball is not actually part of your workout routine, you can just use it to stretch and warm up your muscles before workout commences.

This reduces the risk of injury while keeping your joints and muscles functioning optimally.

4. Improve Your Balance

It’s not referred to as a stability ball for no reason; even just sitting on a stability ball engages your stabiliser muscles. Sitting on a stability ball requires the use of your back and abdominal muscles to maintain your balance on the ball. Incorporating an exercise ball into your routine can be beneficial for a healthy posture.

It is however critical that you maintain a proper alignment during any workout routine that involves a stability ball to prevent injury.

5. Back and spine health

Of all the 7 reasons to use a stability ball in your workout routine, this is probably the most common with physical therapists. The stability ball can be very useful if you have back problems as it supports your lower back when you stretch and exercise.

This is the same reason chiropractors and physical therapists often recommend using the stability ball for workouts.

6. Cardio Burn

Incorporating a stability ball in your cardio workouts is an effective way to up your heart rate. Given that the stability balls are lightweight, you can easily incorporate them in a number of fast-paced movements to boost your burn.

Planks, wood chops and around the world exercises using stability balls are quite intense and create fun while keeping your energised and upbeat.

7. Aid in Sports Performance

If you’re a sports enthusiast, you will appreciate how the inherently unstable and soft surface of the exercise ball activates your core structure, strengthens your core muscles, improves proprioception (body awareness as it moves in space), balance, coordination, and posture.

These skills directly translate to improved fitness and sports performance as well as better protection against injury.

Bottom line

As you can see, incorporating a stability ball in your workout routine comes with many health benefits. You will be able to strengthen your core, improve your balance, coordination, and flexibility, and relieve some complications related to your back and spin.

A stability ball is lightweight, soft, easy to maneuver, and probably the most fun exercise equipment you’re ever going to use.