Stability Balls for training

[pinhead]

Seen a lot of people using these at the gym. They say it helps strengthen the core muscles of the body.

Does anyone here use these? Any recommended exercises?

[Praetorian]

Seen a lot of people using these at the gym. They say it helps strengthen the core muscles of the body.

Does anyone here use these? Any recommended exercises?

They are great for rehab work. They were never designed for developing core strength. they have become the most widely misused piece of equipment in the gym mostly becausse of inexperienced uneducated personal trainers.
You wan to strengthen the core...try deadlifts and full squats.
P

[natenator]

rehab is where it's at.

Although, back in the day when I was active in competitive sports (football and hockey) we used similar things a lot in our training to develop better balance. Didn't care about core strength as Praetorian said, we got that through heavy deads, squats, hang cleans, etc but for balance work it was very helpful.

I think its too bad that trainers and people take exercises that are generally intended for athletes and push them onto joe gym guy who's just looking to get back into shape or look/feel better. You can do that with a standard bodybuilding program and cardio. No need for extreme exercises!

[tex]

^^ what they said ^^

[faller]

I agree, they are over used at my gym as well.

[warlock]

They are great tool but for sure not the solution for all ailments.

Good for challenging balance, activating deep muscles of abdominal wall and stabilizers in general.

I use them when I am bored and want to do "cool" stuff.

My suggestion: do your regular heavy lifting and use them during your deloading phase for added variety.

[varking]

Very gay .... I hate those things

[BAM]

^^ what he said

[natenator]

Very gay .... I hate those things
not gay at all if used for how they were intended.

Willing to bet the sport specific exercises that are performed on a stability ball you couldn't do to save your life.

People also think sissy squats are gay yet they are effective for their intended purpose.

[BigWheel]

I like to heavy DB presses on the ball as it is very easy on my rotor cuff. I usually use it for crunches too.

[Ritch]

I pretty much only use the swiss ball for ab training. This whole core bullshit is advocated by today`s new age pencil neck faggot trainers who are clueless when it comes to real life training. As stated in this thread, doing deadlifts, squats and free weights is more than enough to work the stabalizers. When someone tell me this crap, I say "o.k. then destabalize me, if you can" I think it can be a good tool for athletes or circuss people but for bodybuilders, not much. If you were strapped for cash and wanted to buy something versatile for a home gym to bail you out from time to time it could be of valure. Acutally pullovers are much, much more comfortable doing of a swiss ball.

[BAM]

not gay at all if used for how they were intended.

Willing to bet the sport specific exercises that are performed on a stability ball you couldn't do to save your life.

People also think sissy squats are gay yet they are effective for their intended purpose.

What about hoola-hoops?

[jsv22]

They are great for rehab work. They were never designed for developing core strength. they have become the most widely misused piece of equipment in the gym mostly becausse of inexperienced uneducated personal trainers.
You wan to strengthen the core...try deadlifts and full squats.
P

great answer, i agree 100%
even within the rehab scene i think they are overused quite a bit

-jsv

[pinhead]

Thanks for the replies.

[varking]

not gay at all if used for how they were intended.

Willing to bet the sport specific exercises that are performed on a stability ball you couldn't do to save your life.

People also think sissy squats are gay yet they are effective for their intended purpose.

Yaya whatever for girls and gay guys hahah just jokin but they are just not my thing...

[BAM]

I bet sex on a fitness ball would be pretty good.

[Dk]

i like to overload the bar and balance it on my leg quad with it bent up at a 90 degree angle and do squats on the ball only using my right leg.

Everyone knows the harder it is the balance, the more ripped your abs will become.







..Wow i hate those fkin balls

[Gettin'r'round]

I like doing DB presses on a ball. A neat movement (Poliquin) is to do a flat DB press on a ball, then stick your arse down and lower the DB (you'll be in an incline), thereby overloading the upper pecs. I also like streching the pecs by lying on the ball and arms straight out with a light DB. I don't think this is the greatest for the bicep tendon but it loosens up the pecs.

[drdnj]

Any of the tricky "new wave" BS exercise you see going on in the gym is a result of personal trainers trying to bamboozle their clients into thinking they have "SPECIAL EXERCISES" up their sleeve. This keeps the mystery going and the personal trainers busy.
Unfortunately for them we all know that good old fashioned WORK is what builds strength.

[Boulderer77]

.

[Dozer1980]

I see them being used all the time when im at the gym as well seems to be good for non-impact stuff i was talking to a older dude like 65 range and he was in there working on his golf swing as the ones in our gym have different weights to them. i use a real small ball to do extended push ups for a stretch works great, i put a 12" one under one hand the other hand on the floor and do a few sets then switch hands gives a wicked stretch. Call me gay but i love em lol

[Danger]

Don't forget that doing your exercises in the power rack actually increases the effectiveness of the bosu/stability ball.

[faller]

Don't forget that doing your exercises in the power rack actually increases the effectiveness of the bosu/stability ball.

They'll have to wait till i'm done my curl's in there first.. :D

[waderow]

i hate those faggoty balls. take them to the aerobics room if you need them and stay away from the iron.

why are you doing push-ups dozer? what for?

[Dozer1980]

Just for a good warm up and stretch bro b-4 i start it really works well for me.

[St]

I bet sex on a fitness ball would be pretty good.

Ya i bet i see many lady's bending over them.:lick

[Dozer1980]

lol actually its tricky st

[tiramisu]

I've got a stability ball down here in the dungeon. My boss used it for crunches for a few months. Now I use it as a foot stool.

I have a collection of things I should put for sale on craigslist:
- stability ball.
- 2 - 35 pounds bumpers ( I don't know why anyone needs this weight 25+10 works fine)
- 2- 15 pound bumpers ( I have 10 pounders and 5 pound technique plates)
- 4 - 45 pound bumpers I need to swap out for 55 pounders ( I should have known better)
- 500 pounds of metal weights I don't use anymore since I switched to bumpers

- I haven't given up on my dumbbells yet. While I haven't used them in well over a year I will definitely use them once I build an adequate strength base.


- on the other hand I love my lifting platform, free-spotter, and flat bench and bumpers.
- I don't use the treadmill or bike enough but cardio season is rearing it's ugly head as I type.

I'd like to get a concept 2, and ghd and a rack with band pegs before I die.

[apoc44mac]

I love stab balls. There are tons of people who have no clue how to use them, and yeah you see tons of retards on bosu balls doing the dumbest shit.

On the other hand they can be a huge boost for core stability and strength. Along with balance.

I've used em for the past 8 years almost and I can do pretty much any exercise on them (weighted). Not max weights or anything but Like 100lb squats using a db or bicep curls, tricep extensions etc... Doing all those standing on a ball pretty much makes me never have to do ab workouts cause they are absolutely destroyed.

So if you have the balance and you can use weights while standing on a ball it makes life soooooo much easier for ab workouts and your stabalizers get a ridiculous workout. Plus your balance keeps increasing.

Anyhow my 2cents

ApoC

[waderow]

dont forget to do your kagle exercises

[natenator]

I love stab balls. There are tons of people who have no clue how to use them, and yeah you see tons of retards on bosu balls doing the dumbest shit.

On the other hand they can be a huge boost for core stability and strength. Along with balance.

I've used em for the past 8 years almost and I can do pretty much any exercise on them (weighted). Not max weights or anything but Like 100lb squats using a db or bicep curls, tricep extensions etc... Doing all those standing on a ball pretty much makes me never have to do ab workouts cause they are absolutely destroyed.

So if you have the balance and you can use weights while standing on a ball it makes life soooooo much easier for ab workouts and your stabalizers get a ridiculous workout. Plus your balance keeps increasing.

Anyhow my 2cents

ApoC
you are a ****ing fag if you are using them are your primary workout and it's not for sport specific training.

I'll match my 500+lb squats against your faggoty girl ball squats. I betcha within a month or so I'd be able to work myself up to the point of being able to do squats on a ball but I bet my life that in 2 months you couldn't work yourself up to 500lb squats from the floor.

Know what else is great for core strength? Heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges and good mornings.

[Danger]

Know what else is great for core strength? Heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges and good mornings.

Exactly! I see no reason for direct ab work unless you have identified core strength as a limiting factor in the deadlift/squat; and even then there are so many better options than standing on a ball...

I've always found the people balancing on balls are also the people who think deadlifts will hurt their back and squats will hurt their knees...

[waderow]

i just dont want the damn faggoty balls in front of me, or infront of the shit i need to access (i.e. dumbell rack, power rack)


last night there was a guy doing sit ups on one, and had his feet planted under the dumbells. then the fag goes and puts the ball against the wall, and pushes his head into it and does a neck work out... LOL

[apoc44mac]

you are a ****ing fag if you are using them are your primary workout and it's not for sport specific training.

I'll match my 500+lb squats against your faggoty girl ball squats. I betcha within a month or so I'd be able to work myself up to the point of being able to do squats on a ball but I bet my life that in 2 months you couldn't work yourself up to 500lb squats from the floor.

Know what else is great for core strength? Heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges and good mornings.

Never said it's primary, and it is sport specific, for football. I would take the bet about you not being able to do squats on a stab ball with 225 lbs in a month. 500lbs for me prob not, I train more for explosive strength. Max weights etc aren't really that that valuable. I'd rather be able to do jump squats with 275 for 12-15 reps rather than do 400lbs 1nce. It all depends what your goals are. If mine are stability/balance/explosive strength it makes sense. If I want to go for strength than yea 500lb squat would be great.

ApoC

[natenator]

Never said it's primary, and it is sport specific, for football. I would take the bet about you not being able to do squats on a stab ball with 225 lbs in a month. 500lbs for me prob not, I train more for explosive strength. Max weights etc aren't really that that valuable. I'd rather be able to do jump squats with 275 for 12-15 reps rather than do 400lbs 1nce. It all depends what your goals are. If mine are stability/balance/explosive strength it makes sense. If I want to go for strength than yea 500lb squat would be great.

ApoC
Played ball dude. MB for Western with a scholarship to PSU before I was injured.

We didn't have faggoty balls back then (14 years ago) but no one had any problems training for explosive strength back then. Powerlifting... ;)

When I am back home and during the winters, I'll pick up training with some old buds who are playing in the CFL (yeah yeah I know.. jokes about the CFL lol) and none of them use the faggoty balls in their training. Heavy, explosive PL style training still gets the job done. As well as Strongman training which is similar to PL training.

[waderow]

if i was in any working position (DL, OL, LB, FB) I would take the 500 pound squat over anything.

DB, WR, QB...the more dainty positions.... well, i would maybe take a look at faggoty balls, but still, i think i would be doing a lot of sprint training, hills etc. and very typical gym training, but perhaps not for so much mass. Like you said.... squat 275 at 12 vs 500 at 1.

[natenator]

if i was in any working position (DL, OL, LB, FB) I would take the 500 pound squat over anything.

DB, WR, QB...the more dainty positions.... well, i would maybe take a look at faggoty balls, but still, i think i would be doing a lot of sprint training, hills etc. and very typical gym training, but perhaps not for so much mass. Like you said.... squat 275 at 12 vs 500 at 1.
Ummm that 500lb squat is 8 reps. Not 1.

I don't go lower than 8 reps anymore - ever!

I would say the more danty positions as you call them (lol) would train more PL style for singles and doubles. They don't want size but they need the strength aspect which you can get from PL style training. Of course you still have your conditioning work but that's speed, agility and jump training.

[L3]

500 for 8 thats rheeeeeeetarted, is that off or on gear?

i feel like my left knee is cooked already and im not even doing 405 for reps yet :(... not on gear right now tho so 375 for 8 reps 2 sets is all i have the balls to do

[natenator]

500 for 8 thats rheeeeeeetarted, is that off or on gear?

i feel like my left knee is cooked already and im not even doing 405 for reps yet :(... not on gear right now tho so 375 for 8 reps 2 sets is all i have the balls to do
ON (these days). Back in school I was clean and still hitting 500 for reps. They say strength for men peak around 35-38 but **** me, the older I get the more injuries I get. How I can keep strength like that when I was younger is beyond me.

[waderow]

Ummm that 500lb squat is 8 reps. Not 1.

I don't go lower than 8 reps anymore - ever!

I would say the more danty positions as you call them (lol) would train more PL style for singles and doubles. They don't want size but they need the strength aspect which you can get from PL style training. Of course you still have your conditioning work but that's speed, agility and jump training.

youre a fricken ox man!

good for you bro!

[buildinthaskinnys]

you are a ****ing fag if you are using them are your primary workout and it's not for sport specific training.

I'll match my 500+lb squats against your faggoty girl ball squats. I betcha within a month or so I'd be able to work myself up to the point of being able to do squats on a ball but I bet my life that in 2 months you couldn't work yourself up to 500lb squats from the floor.

Know what else is great for core strength? Heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges and good mornings.

If you can do 500 lb squats, no make that only 400 lb squats for reps on a stability ball I will personally give you 100 dollars, but if you face plant or cant complete a full rep you must give me the money. now that I think about you said 500 lbs first so it would be better if you just did it like you said you would. that is the only way to appease the masses.

[Shortdave]

If you can do 500 lb squats, no make that only 400 lb squats for reps on a stability ball I will personally give you 100 dollars, but if you face plant or cant complete a full rep you must give me the money. now that I think about you said 500 lbs first so it would be better if you just did it like you said you would. that is the only way to appease the masses.


No, he said "squats on a ball" he said nothing about how much weight he would use during that squat.

[buildinthaskinnys]

No, he said "squats on a ball" he said nothing about how much weight he would use during that squat.

edited - pointless bantering

[natenator]

edited - pointless bantering
SD was right. Learn to read.

[O-Train]

No one should ever stand on a stability ball, that's just silly. Maybe a BOSU but I'd question the logic behind those also.

And for the record (since I don't want to search for the thread) +1 for Nate being an asshole :D. Maybe MP could change "Muscle Bound" to "Official CBB Asshole"...its a high status position with many responsibilities and I can't think of a better person to do it!

[natenator]

No one should ever stand on a stability ball, that's just silly. Maybe a BOSU but I'd question the logic behind those also.

And for the record (since I don't want to search for the thread) +1 for Nate being an asshole :D. Maybe MP could change "Muscle Bound" to "Official CBB Asshole"...its a high status position with many responsibilities and I can't think of a better person to do it!
BOSU balls are great and came in very handy (and still do) in my torn MCL rehab.

[O-Train]

BOSU balls are great and came in very handy (and still do) in my torn MCL rehab.

Not at all the response I was expecting, but I guess you know I was joking around. What I was trying to get at is maybe tone it down a little with new members, they don't know your personality as well.

I agree BOSU's (and also stability balls) are great for rehab and specific exercises.

I've had a lot of great discussions with an exercise physiologist. He fixed the equipment at the gym I worked at so I always tried to ask him a lot of questions. He compared the way stability balls are used now to how the decline sit up benches were used in the past. Basically just a fitness craze that got over-hyped along with the "little equipment necessary" personal training phenomenon that has become so popular. I find a lot of people spend way too much time worrying about secondary aspects of fitness.

[natenator]

Not at all the response I was expecting, but I guess you know I was joking around. What I was trying to get at is maybe tone it down a little with new members, they don't know your personality as well.

I agree BOSU's (and also stability balls) are great for rehab and specific exercises.

I've had a lot of great discussions with an exercise physiologist. He fixed the equipment at the gym I worked at so I always tried to ask him a lot of questions. He compared the way stability balls are used now to how the decline sit up benches were used in the past. Basically just a fitness craze that got over-hyped along with the "little equipment necessary" personal training phenomenon that has become so popular. I find a lot of people spend way too much time worrying about secondary aspects of fitness.
I knew the response you were looking for ;)

I actually like the decline sit up. I do them with a broomhandle behind my neck in the last month or so for a show. Helps the lower abs pop a bit more I find.

[buildinthaskinnys]

Ima confused you were just bragging about your squat weight is all?

I thought maybe you were making a point about stability balls being useless for developing core strength?

"I'll match my 500+lb squats against your faggoty girl ball squats. I betcha within a month or so I'd be able to work myself up to the point of being able to do squats on a ball but I bet my life that in 2 months you couldn't work yourself up to 500lb squats from the floor."

Tell me how does this apply to anything Apoc said? you could do ball squats with a unspecified weight? Who the hell couldnt?

[natenator]

Ima confused you were just bragging about your squat weight is all?

I thought maybe you were making a point about stability balls being useless for developing core strength?

"I'll match my 500+lb squats against your faggoty girl ball squats. I betcha within a month or so I'd be able to work myself up to the point of being able to do squats on a ball but I bet my life that in 2 months you couldn't work yourself up to 500lb squats from the floor."

Tell me how does this apply to anything Apoc said? you could do ball squats with a unspecified weight? Who the hell couldnt?
Meaning, I think anyone can do ball exercises within a relitively short period of time. It takes years to work up for a 500lb squat.

If you understand the collective context of my couple posts you would have read that there are far better choices for core strength exercises ; squats, deads, lunges, good mornings, etc. Squats and deads can also be done using explosive movements. Very little good comes from ball exercises which can be obtained through fundamentally better better exercises which have been around for years.

Not bragging in the least as I know a 500lb squat is mice nuts to a lot of peeps I know and have trained with in the past.

[buildinthaskinnys]

alright, thank you for putting that all together,
by the way 500lbs isnt mice nuts by anymeans, its pretty damn good.

[L3]

I know a 500lb squat is mice nuts to a lot of peeps I know and have trained with in the past.

are those the myostatin deficient mice?

[natenator]

are those the myostatin deficient mice?
No lol

Just strong mofo's: PL'ers, Football Players, etc

[waderow]

i would prolapse

[L3]

i would prolapse

imo that has more to do with the diddling than the excercise itself

[natenator]

imo that has more to do with the diddling than the excercise itself
nonon. he definitely didn't feel out of place being diddled lol

[L3]

nonon. he definitely didn't feel out of place being diddled lol

prolapse = anal prolapse = pink sock

:moon

[bigdaddydrew123]

i get a kick out of idiot trainers putting beginners on thoses ****ing things,why put a beginner who never trained b4 on those balls ,just to make them seem like they have some advanced techniques i guess,lets put a bounty on stability balls evryone who posts a deflated pic of a deflated stablity ball gets free personal traing from nubodys