Exercise Balls

The exercise balls popular now are the big, inflatable variety, originally called Swiss balls. Some people even like to use them as a desk chair, as they keep you from slumping. They are probably used most for abdominal exercises. You can lie on the floor with your feet on the ball and do crunches, or keep your feet on the floor and your back on the ball and do crunches that way. You can also sit on the ball while doing biceps curls, overhead presses, or other dumbbell exercises, or lie on it to do bench presses. Using the ball helps develop balance, though you won't be able to use as much weight as if you did the exercises on a bench. Medicine balls are weighted balls about the size of a basketball or smaller that are heavier than they look. These are popular for athletic training and are not the same as the inflatable balls.