Yoga exercise balls are constructed from soft PVC and elastic and filled with air. The diameter usually ranges between 14 to 24 inches. They are similar to medicine balls, however, they are much larger and far lighter. These yoga exercise balls can be inflated or deflated by removing a valve stem and adjusting the air pressure.

Yoga exercise balls are also known as stability balls, exercise balls, Swiss balls, gym balls, physioballs, Pezzi balls, sports balls, Swedish balls, therapy balls, birthing balls, fitness balls, pilates ball or gymnastic balls.

An Italian manufacturer named Aquilino Cosani first developed the stability ball in 1963. He was able to develop a process whereby plastic balls were molded to become large and puncture-resistant. First called Pezzi Balls and Swiss Balls, these exercise balls were adapted by a British physiotherapist, Mary Quinton, for use in treatment programs in newborns and infants in Switzerland. Dr. Susanne Klein-Vogelbach, who worked as the director of a Basel, Switzerland school for physical therapy, found that yoga exercise balls were beneficial for neuro-developmental treatment. She found that the exercise ball was highly beneficial for treating adults with orthopedic and medical problems. This is known as functional kinetics. A number of physical therapists from North America began to utilize the stability ball in their own physical therapy programs. Athletic training now uses exercise balls as part of a standardized fitness routine. Other forms of exercise such as yoga also use the stability ball as an incorporated factor in the program.

Using an exercise ball has a number of advantages over direct exercise on a hard flat surface because the body is forced to remain balanced despite the instability of the ball. This utilizes a number of muscles not normally worked in standard exercises, primarily abdominal and back muscles.

Yoga exercise balls can be used instead of a chair. This has become very commonplace in offices, for example. The proper posture needed in order to make this happen constantly works the back and abdominal muscles. Many physical therapists recommend the use of a stability ball for patients that work in sedentary jobs.

These yoga exercise balls can also be used in the birthing process. They aid in the process whereby the fetal head descends into the pelvis. Being seated in the upright position is also more comfortable for a woman during the childbirth process as it helps with fetal positioning. This is usually accomplished by having the woman sit on the exercise ball. She places her arms on the bed or table and rocks her hips. This has been found by natural physiologists to assist during the contractions and overall aid in the process of birth.

SunShineYoga.com is an excellent place to buy Yoga Balls at a discount.

Yoga balls are large balls made of elastic soft PVC, first developed in 1963 in Italy by Aquilino Cosani. Originally known as “Pezzi balls,” their original purpose was for physical therapy of infants and newborns, and later uses included using them to treat adults with medical or orthopedic problems. These balls are now used as part of a general fitness routine, or for specific types of exercise such as yoga or pilates.

One benefit of exercising with a yoga ball is balance. On a flat surface, fewer muscles are engaged, while using a yoga ball instead requires the body to remain balanced, using many more muscles than the particular exercise demands. In yoga, the yoga ball also provides stability and support for more complicated poses, allowing the user to develop flexibility and balance. Yoga balls can be anywhere from 35 to 85 centimeters in diameter; the size of the yoga ball may make a difference in some of the exercises done with it.

Many traditional yoga exercises can incorporate a yoga ball; for example, Warrior I to Warrior II can be performed by lunging, with the yoga ball underneath oneself for support, and then switching to a side pose, still with the front leg bent and the back leg straightened. The presence of the yoga ball assists not only with balance, but also acts as a stabilizer, helping prevent wiggles and wobbles.

The yoga ball also presents a stabilizer and a balance challenge in the upward and downward facing dog poses. Start with your legs on the floor and your hips centered on the yoga ball in front of you, pressing into the yoga ball with your hands, in a version of the upward facing dog position. As you exhale, roll forward and push your body into downward facing dog, an inverted “V” position. Use the yoga ball to support your chest and upper thighs.

Yoga balls can be incorporated into many other yoga exercises and poses, including Bridge, Child’s Pose, Seated Stork Pose, Scissor Kicks, and Quadruped. It is easy to use and integrate into your yoga routine, providing stability and challenging balance.

You can buy wholesale and discount Yoga Balls at SunShineYoga.com.