Of course I know they are overused and have very very limited use for most people.
But, I dont know WHY I know this. I got in a bit of a debate with someone today (im very anti swiss-ball it seems) and im looking for some good articles about the uses and what people on here think so I can know a bit more when someone brings this up again..
Alwyn puts them to great use in NROL. He would be one of the best argumentors for the swiss ball.
The supine hip extension w/ leg curl is the only time you'll see me doing leg curls. It's a love/hate relationship.
But it's true that there is a lot of ineffectual exercises for the SB, but there are some great ones that are compound/combo and develop balance and coordination, such as the hip extention.
The can be a great tool in your training. Leg curls + hip extension, core work (rotational rolls, pikes), even using it in place of a bench for horizontal pressing exercises. Just a few of the things they bring to the table. It's funny, but the big knock on using a SB for something like DB bench is that it kills your load...I am actually capable of doing more weight on a SB than a reg. bench (even with a plate on my hips to keep them upright during the exercise). I think everyone is capable of doing more load on a SB (as long as you have adequate core strength and balance) simply due to the stability the ball gives your upper arms during the lift.
__________________
Robert dos Remedios, MA, CSCS,
HCC (Hartman-Cosgrove Certified)
Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning
College of the Canyons, CA http://www.canyons.edu/departments/pe/strength
"NO CHAMPION HAS EVER ACHIEVED HIS OR HER GOAL WITHOUT SHOWING MORE DEDICATION THAN THE NEXT PERSON; MAKING MORE SACRIFICES THAN THE NEXT PERSON; WORKING HARDER, TRAINING, AND CONDITIONING HIM / HERSELF MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON; ENJOYING HIS / HER FINAL GOAL MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON"
I think Swiss balls are like a lot of things in the gym. They can be useful for a lot of things. The problem comes when people think they are some kind of a panacea. Kinda like yoga.
I like them, but they can be overused in the gym. I agree with Dos that they do support the shoulders and upper arms great on horizontal presses. Most people in my gym think that they are only good for doing crunches on, while a small minority think that everything should be done on one. I like to think that I fit somewhere in the middle. You will never see me squatting on one though.
__________________
There are no born winners. There are no born losers. Everyone is born a chooser. Choose your path wisely.
I like them, but they can be overused in the gym. I agree with Dos that they do support the shoulders and upper arms great on horizontal presses. Most people in my gym think that they are only good for doing crunches on, while a small minority think that everything should be done on one. I like to think that I fit somewhere in the middle. You will never see me squatting on one though.
I've never seen the great benefit of using them for crunches. But, I don't do crunches or situps on the floor, either. I do full situps on an incline board.
Chris, I also dislike crunches, on a stability ball or on the floor. For ab work I like to get the torso out in the air (planks, hanging leg raise, dragon flag).
Frank, I think the stability ball is like a lot of other tools in the fitness industry. At the height of their popularity they were sold as the answer to every problem imaginable. The pendulum swung back in the other direction with a backlash that they were good for nothing. It seems to have settled somewhere in the middle at this point.
The stability ball is one tool in the gym, can be used to benefit certain situations, but is not the answer to all issues. I like the ball for hip extensions with or without leg curls, for knee tucks and pikes, and just a few other movements.
I think its just testosterone driven hype that they are bad. Advertising is more aimed at women more often than not and as such it is not deemed manly to use them! Maybe if they had half naked women or were camoflaged it would make a difference.
They have there place as anything does and for the home gym goer they add a new dimension; a raft of variety, to your work out at an affordable price. Would I use them as a staple? No not personaly but every now and again I throw them in for good measure.
Take one into the free weights area at my gym and look at the shock horror on peoples faces. Mind you aint no different to when I use my ab slings or dipping belt.
__________________
BFG
"The time for talking has passed, actions are speaking louder than words."
I think its just testosterone driven hype that they are bad. Advertising is more aimed at women more often than not and as such it is not deemed manly to use them! Maybe if they had half naked women or were camoflaged it would make a difference.
They have there place as anything does and for the home gym goer they add a new dimension; a raft of variety, to your work out at an affordable price. Would I use them as a staple? No not personaly but every now and again I throw them in for good measure.
Take one into the free weights area at my gym and look at the shock horror on peoples faces. Mind you aint no different to when I use my ab slings or dipping belt.
Oh.. i brought one into the free weights area at my gym and did DB chest press on them, one guy looked at me like "wtf" and i said "well give it a try yourself".. he fell off
Chris, I also dislike crunches, on a stability ball or on the floor. For ab work I like to get the torso out in the air (planks, hanging leg raise, dragon flag).
Frank, I think the stability ball is like a lot of other tools in the fitness industry. At the height of their popularity they were sold as the answer to every problem imaginable. The pendulum swung back in the other direction with a backlash that they were good for nothing. It seems to have settled somewhere in the middle at this point.
The stability ball is one tool in the gym, can be used to benefit certain situations, but is not the answer to all issues. I like the ball for hip extensions with or without leg curls, for knee tucks and pikes, and just a few other movements.
Hanging leg raises. Luv 'em! Regular, and knee raises with a twist.
I also like the SB for russian twists and high/low woodchoppers.
The swiss ball is really good for men and women there are numerous of excercises you can do with the ball. There are advance training techniques that pro football players used that works the core. I saw your goals and a swiss ball can really help you have to remember the stronger your abs are the more you can lift. in making your abs stronger you need to do more than just sit ups. let me know if you want some excercises
People just got into some freakish trend of using them because they *can*.
Squats = good
Swiss balls = good
Squats + Swiss balls = freaking awesome!!
If there's a reason that you're using it, that's great. If you're using it because it makes you better at whatever you want to do...great! If you're using it "just because" then that's no good.
I actually use one at home in place of a bench. I don't have room at my house for anything but dumbells and a swiss ball, so I do dumbell bench on the ball.
I get that with practically every exercise I do, I think its because I dont do many curls or power lateral raises
That and I dont walk in, do some arm circles and start benching. I really get looks on days when I go in and do "The Bear," people dont know what to think.
That and I dont walk in, do some arm circles and start benching. I really get looks on days when I go in and do "The Bear," people dont know what to think.
Ooooooooooooh, The Bear... haven't thought about that complex in a long time. I think I know what I'm doing at the gym tomorrow
Oh yeah, I use a Swiss ball as my desk chair every chance I get. I notice a tremendous difference (read: fewer back/core issues) after using it for a solid couple of weeks in that manner. It's a little tough to use it consistently, though, as my workspace is too spread out to just turn and reach stuff--it's much quicker in a rolling chair to push off and slide over to the other side of the workstation. I guess that has some plyometric value for my quads, right? RIGHT???
__________________ No Magic Pill (the log)
My Movember page (yes, I'm slacking on pictures)
Follow-up to the above: McClellan, I hate you. I really do, though I mean that in the nicest way possible. For now. I have yet to sleep through the night and wake up in the aftermath of a 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 3 (120RI) Bear session. I forgot how much I missed that much work
__________________ No Magic Pill (the log)
My Movember page (yes, I'm slacking on pictures)
it may be really worthwhile, but as soon as i saw the word "renegade" and realized it was by coach john davies i stopped reading. that guy is a douche.
__________________
Renegade HR: Recruit great people. Inspire them to do amazing things. | http://renegadehr.net
Man, the Bear has been one of my favorites since I first saw it published!!
I got my brother doing them in his Bally's instead of his machine circuit that some dumbass trainer gave him.
He did it a few times and one trainer watched in dibelief, then asked him what the hell he was doing, as if it were the stupidest lift the guy had ever seen.
2 weeks later, during a workout, my bro overheard the trainer threatening anothe client by saying "If you think this is hard, next time I'll make you do THAT!" while pointing to my brother.
My bro learned 2 lessons that day.....Many trainers are clueless, and the Bear rocks!
....and we've collaborated on workout programs ever since!
Why are swiss balls bad?
Linear Mode
