When you exercise on your own, you can choose from different styles and routines. You can choose the intensity and speed. You can choose if you are going to use some exercise equipment or follow the steps of the dance exercise video you’ve found online. There are many things that are of your own selection especially when you don’t have a gym coach, but what’s not an option in whatever situation is taking care of all your exercise equipment.
Big or small, there’s a need for concern for every exercise equipment. One of the simple-looking workout tools is the fitness ball, also called gym ball or exercise ball. This ball is not like the one used in volleyball or basketball. As its name implies, it is used for getting fit or exercising. Using it isn’t limited inside the gym, but you can also get one for yourself at home.
Whether you personally own one or use what the gym provides, you need to mind its safety and working condition. If you want to use it for a long a time without it getting worn out and ugly, check out these 5 care tips for your fitness ball’s best condition.
1 – INSPECT THE BALL FOR ISSUES.
The main item you need in exercises that involve it is this fitness ball itself. That’s why first and foremost, you have to know if the one you are about to use is in the right condition to function. Check if there are scratches and cuts which may cause the ball to collapse when in use and which may lead to accidents.
You may not notice immediately, but even little bumps and light touches to rough surfaces and sharp edges can leave abrasions — depending on the material’s durability as well. Those marks may look simple and not bothering, but they can lead your precious fitness ball to get hurt and malfunction for you.
If you see that the ball is not working well as it should, be alarmed to carefully scrutinize all the portions before using it. If you detected that there are scrapes, even the lightest-looking ones, choose to discontinue use. In that way, you can prevent the worsening of its state, and you can also avoid troubles and injuries.
You have to immediately replace them to hamper future problems in your workout and exercise routines.
2 – KEEP IT AWAY FROM HEAT SOURCES.
Your fitness ball should be placed away from sources of heat such as radiators, lamps and heaters. Most importantly, do not allow it to be totally and greatly exposed to direct sunlight.
These heat initiators can cause melts and other related damages to your fitness ball. If you have noticed that these exist, patching them will not solve the problem. Getting a new one would be best because the fitness ball will not function as it really does anymore even if you try mending it.
You may be able to do some repairing, but things might be more dangerous after that.
3 – SCAN THE GROUND FIRST.
The fitness ball is prone to getting injured because of its close and/or direct contact to the ground. That’s why you must be very careful when it comes to using it in many different places. Make sure that you are in an area which is safe for any routine that you will perform with this exercise equipment. See to it that pointy objects cannot be found anywhere near that space.
You have to overthink this time and carefully look around because minute objects might be lying somewhere close to your chosen spot.
4 – REDUCE OUTDOOR USE.
Areas which are most of the time out of your control are those which are not your areas. It would be preferable if you will conduct your fitness ball exercises inside your house or in the gym. These are the most suitable places to do so since you will know better what to expect and how the fitness ball will be managing the surfaces it will be involved with.
As much as possible, minimize the outdoor use of your fitness ball. When it is usually laid open, the chances of its vulnerability to mishaps are also increasing. Rocky floors and coarse cement grounds are among the most inappropriate spaces to conduct your exercises.
You are taking your fitness ball to bigger and more weighty danger if you make use of them out of your comfort zones.
5 – BEWARE OF YOUR WHAT YOU’RE WEARING.
Not only the surroundings but also you yourself can cause harm to your fitness ball, and that is through what you are wearing. There may be small objects attached to your clothing or to your body while exercising. Accessories and jewelry are not suitable while doing so.
Zippers might cling and tear, as well as pins and sharp buckles. All these can prick your fitness ball, without a doubt.
6 – USE IT WITH UTMOST CARE.
The gym ball has unique uses. It functions for back pain relief and spine and posture correction purposes. It also works on balance and stability improvement and on the overall strength and control of core muscles. Aside from those, there are many other benefits of executing fitness ball exercises.
All these and more can only be met if you will use that ball properly. The most important way of taking care of it is making sure in the first place that it is utilized in the right way. Don’t harshly and recklessly use it. Use your fitness ball with utmost care.
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CARE FOR FITNESS BALLS
Purchasing a fitness ball isn’t only about your capability to pay for it and about your interest in it. More importantly, you need to be capable of taking care of it. If you want to reap its rewards, then do your job of maintaining it well, so that it can also do its own good for you.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host and a voice over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She also writes for Fitbiz Exercise Equipment, an excellent source of the ultimate fitness equipment collections in Australia. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.