Exercise Balls

Exercise balls are one of the most innovative ways
to exercise. These little balls will catch every
one's fancy due to their shape and very attractive
colors. The real benefit of these balls, which
were introduced by a group of Swiss medical therapists,
is a substitute of support during exercise.

Working out with the exercise balls will strengthen
and tone all of the major muscles of the body. The
soft texture of the balls make it an ideal choice
for Yoga positions, using dumbbells for muscle
toning, or working on heavy duty weight training
equipment.

The advantage of exercise balls is that they are
durable and maintain shape well under pressure. The
documentation with the balls will provide test
load figures for how much weight the exercise balls
will hold. The advantage here is the fact that the
balls provide soft yet firm support that doesn't
harm your body.

You can find exercise balls in several different
colors and finishes. You can even get a ball that
matches the texture of your room. They are simple
to store and you can even roll them under your bed
or a table if you prefer. When you aren't using
them, you can let kids play with them. These balls
are very fun for kids, as they are very soft and
won't cause them any harm.

Medical equipment
Originally developed for use in medical therapy,
the exercise ball is used to support the body
during exercise. These balls will provide support
to the body when you do a specific exercise in a
specific position and still need to maintain the
balance. Most exercise balls are made of burst
proof latex or other material that is very safe to
use.

There are many postures with yoga and muscle toning
exercise that can only be done with the help of
support. For these postures, exercise balls are
quite useful. The exercise balls will introduce an
element of stability to the exercise that you
wouldn't normally get with the floor exercise.

Your body responds automatically to the instability
to keep balanced on the exercise ball. This will
help in strengthening the muscles that aren't
actively participating in exercise.

An exercise is also very useful for physiotherapy
treatment. Exercise balls will help to get rid
of backache and spinal disorders. The small
range of movement and adjustment of balance of
the spine that is induced by exercising with the
exercise ball will help reduce back pain.

The Swiss ball exercise is for people with back
pain to provide them with a simple way to restore
movements after an episode of back pain. It also
results in improved muscle strength, greater
flexibility, and a wide range of motion of the
spine during treatment.

Exercise Back Pain Away

According to past research and studies, nearly 80%
of all Americans will experience some type of back
pain in their lives. The American Academy of
Orthopedic Surgeons believes this as well, as they
say 80% of us out there will encounter some type of
problem with our back before we die.

Traditionally, the treatment for lower back pain is
increasing core strength to increase flexibility on
muscles that are tight, which will provide better
stabilization of the spine and exercises to correct
the imbalances of the muscles. The muscles that
surround the spine will provide stability and support
of the spinal column.

Every muscle between the hips and shoulders are
included as well, as these muscles are referred to
as the core muscles. Back pain can be a result of
muscle imbalances caused by any of these core
muscles. If the back of your thighs are weaker than
the front of your thighs, there will be an uneven
pull on the front of your spinal column.

There are some effective ways that you can integrate
core strength training exercises into all of the
exercises you perform, rather than doing just the
traditional crunches and sit-ups. One such way
is by breathing effectively. Deep breathing will
utilize your diaphragm muscles which will help
support the spinal column and lengthen the spine,
which is great for your lower back and supporting
you when you walk or run.

The tummy tuck and bridge lift can also help you
to reduce back pain and strengthen the core
muscles as well. The tummy tuck exercise is a
simple pelvic tilt that draws the abdominal muscles
away from the floor. Do perform a tummy tuck,
simply lie face down on the floor and squeeze
your glutes to strengthen your spine.

Instead of pressing into your thighs, you should
instead reach your tailbone down towards your
heels. Perform 15 reps of each exercise and
alternate them until you have completed a couple
of sets.

For the bridge, place your feet on a bench or
on the floor and scoop your pelvis upward, as your
rib cage should stay low to reduce any irritation
to your spinal muscles. The bridge will help to
relieve stress on your back and focus the muscle
contractions into the glutes and the hamstrings.

Other exercises for lower back pain are the lumbar
side stretch, hip flexor stretch, and calf
stretches, as all three can help to alleviate
pull on your spinal column.

Hip flexor stretch
When doing a hip flexor stretch, bring one foot
forward in a bent knee, 90 degree angle, while your
other leg is on the floor behind you with your
foot pointed upwards toward the ceiling. The
hip flexor stretch will help to open up the
muscles of your back on the side of the spine near
your hips. You can also squeeze your glutes as
well to deepen the stretch with each breath you
exhale. You should begin to feel a stretch in your
back leg, in the thigh front and the hamstrings
on your front leg.

Lumbar side stretch
This stretch will bring your legs wide with your
knees bent while you sit or stand. Simply bring
one hand down towards your foot on the inside of
the thighs and your other hand behind your head.

The last stretch will open up your Achilles tendon,
which is the most distant pull on the spine. For
this, place an object under your foot and lean the
weight of your body forwards. Maintain a fluid
breath while you hold stretches for 30 seconds or
so. After a while, you should begin to feel a
stretch behind your knee and shin.

Exercise And Sleeping Better

The amount of physical exercise that you exert
during the day is one of the key ingredients to
helping you get a good sleep at night.
The more active your body is during the day,
the more likely you are to relax at night and
fall asleep faster.

With regular exercise you'll notice that your quality
of sleep is improved and the transition between the
cycles and phases of sleep will become smoother and
more regular. By keeping up your physical activity
during the day, you may find it easier to deal with
the stress and worries of your life.

Research and studies indicate that there is a direct
correlation between how much we exercise and how
we feel afterwards.

You should try and increase your physical activity
during the day. The goal here is to give your body
enough stimulation during the day so that you aren't
full of energy at night.

Your body requires a certain amount of physical
activity in order to keep functioning in a healthy
manner. It is also important to note that you should
not be exercising three or four hours before you go
to bed.

The ideal exercise time is in the late afternoon or
early evening. You want to make sure you expend
your physical energy long before it is time for
your body to rest and ready itself for sleep.

You should attempt to exercise at least three or
four times a week for a period of 30 minutes or so.
You can include walking or something simple. If
you prefer, you can include strenuous activities
such as running as well.

The goal here is to increase your heart rate and
strengthen the capacity of your lungs. By adding
a regular exercise activity to your daily schedule
will help you to improve your overall health and
help you emotionally as well.

Along with running and walking there are several
other physical activities that you can add to your
daily life to increase your level of physical
activity. If you are battling not sleeping, you'll
find aerobic exercise to be the best.

Your goal with exercise is to increase the amount
of oxygen that reaches your blood stream. Overall,
there are many types of aerobic exercise for you
to choose from. The activities include running,
biking, using a treadmill, dancing, and jumping
rope.

There are some non aerobic exercises that you may
find beneficial to help you solve your amnesia
problem.

Yoga
Yoga is an exercise that has a stimulatory effect
on your nervous system, especially the brain. Yoga
utilizes breathing techniques and yoga postures to
increase the blood circulation to the brain, promoting
regular and restful sleeping patterns. The regular
practice of yoga will help you to relax as well
as relieve tension and stress.

Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient art of breathing and movement
that was developed by the Chinese monks. The
movements involved are slow and precise, which is
ideal if you have joint pains or you are unable
to participate in high aerobic exercises. Research
has shown that Tai Chi can help with insomnia by
promoting relaxation.

If you discover that you don't have any time to
exercise on a regular basis, you should try to
sneak moments of activity into your schedule.
When ever possible, you should take the stairs instead
of the elevator, as little things like that will
do wonders for your body.

However, you should also park your car around the
corner and walk that extra block or two to get to your
destination. As you may know, there are many small
things you can add to increase the activity in
your life. Your overall goal here is to have a
healthy and well balanced life - with plenty of
sleep.