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The Fitness Ball and how it helps tone muscles and increase flexibility ....

If someone handed you a large, inflatable ball and promised you it was a great way to tone your thighs, abs, butt, you are bound to be a little skeptical. If they went on to tell you that it could improve your posture and increase your flexibility, you'd probably laugh. In fact you'd wonder how an oversized ball could produce results that weekly exercise, diet, weights and yoga could not?

Originally used by physiotherapists as a safe and effective way to encourage functional movement, increase flexibility and develop a full range of movement in injured joints, fitness balls today are being used in exercise classes to provide support and resistance, as well as a stretching aid to increase flexibility and lengthen tight muscles.

Personal trainers use them one to one with clients to add variety. Trainers who practice yoga and pilates, use them to help their pupils get a better stretch and develop their flexibility.

Although it can be used to train any part of the body, the greatest selling point of fitness balls is the fact that they develop and tone the trunk " The abdominal and back muscles " generally considered to be an area that is difficult to target with equipment. In addition they help improve postural alignment and help prevent back pain.

Do's:

• Do exercise on a carpet or a surface where the ball won't roll out from under you.
• If you have a wooden floor, place a non-slip mat under the ball.
• Do wear snug-fitting workout gear Baggy, loose clothes can stick to the ball and prevent you from executing a smooth, fluid exercise action.
• Make sure you work hard enough so that the last few repetitions of each set feel difficult.
• Ensure that you start using the ball with guidance from a trainer.

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Don'ts

• Don't inflate the ball too much to start with. The more you inflate the ball, the harder it will be to balance to it, thereby increasing the intensity of your workout.
• If you have never used the ball before, inflate it partially before you begin, so that is firm, but not hard.
• When you sit on the ball, your knees should be at a right angle to your hips.
• Don't go beyond what you can do. Don't attempt to do any difficult exercise on your own.
• Make sure the ball is clean and has no little hold on it because the puncture of the ball can cause you serious injury.

Over all, fitness balls are an excellent way to tone up. They provide a new challenge and are a different way to target the same old muscle. After all, achieving fitness is all about having fun and staying motivated!

Tip of the day: Don't overdo your exercise. Everyone needs a break from their workout routine. Over training can lead to muscle aches and tears, joint injuries, fatigue, decreased immunity and even depression.

Ildiko Folnagy is a Hungarian trainer who has studied in Holland and is based in Chennai. She has contributed to the Fitness Scene in Chennai