Fit with a yoga ball

A yoga ball—also called a Swiss ball, fitness ball, or gym ball—supports and challenges you while doing yoga exercises. Use this fitness ball for all kinds of exercises at home or at the gym. The yoga ball is also perfect for sitting on, for example, while working from home to strengthen your core muscles.

How do you use a yoga ball?

Yoga is an Eastern tradition that is also practiced as a sport in the West. The goal of yoga is twofold: to cultivate a strong mind in a strong body. All exercises are designed to achieve the best possible balance between body and mind, all within the limitations of your body. Therefore, yoga is not only for super-healthy, fit girls, but also for people who are overweight, elderly, or have disabilities.

A yoga ball helps you with various aspects of your exercises:

Finding balance. There are many yoga exercises where balance is important and you have to find and maintain it. These exercises can be quite challenging. Using a yoga ball can help you train your balance, allowing you to perform exercises like the tree pose and warrior pose more effectively.

Training your musclesWith a fitness ball, you primarily train your core muscles. These are the muscles of your torso: the various abdominal and back muscles. By strengthening these muscles, you also work on an elegant posture and a healthier body.

Supporting your body. Some poses can be difficult if you're not flexible enough. Use a yoga ball under your back, for example, to help you do that backbend.

Do you only use a yoga ball for yoga?

With a Swiss ball, you automatically exercise while sitting on it—even if you're actually doing something else. The ball is also great for relaxing your back muscles. Bend forward or backward over the ball and let all your muscles relax. Breathe deeply as you do so. Relaxation exercises then become both exercise and relaxation.

Use your Swiss ball as a sitting ball. This way, you can train your abs while watching Netflix, for example. A sitting ball is also ideal for working from home. Just make sure you don't suddenly disappear from your Zoom meeting because you fall off the ball. Keep your muscles engaged for a strong core and thus perfect balance and posture.

Of course, you can also use a yoga ball for other gym ball exercises. By varying and playing with a fitness ball, you keep all your exercises interesting. This way, you'll never lose motivation to exercise and you'll also work on your flexibility, posture, and figure in a playful way.

You can also use a yoga ball for fitness exercises in various ways instead of, for example, a fitness bench. Make sure you're comfortable with your yoga ball before using it with heavy weights. Ask your trainer at the gym for advice. Also, check out the videos on our website about fitness ball exercises.

The benefits of a yoga ball

It's impossible to remain slumped on an exercise ball. A good exercise ball forces you to constantly engage your abdominal and back muscles. This strengthens your core. The ball also forces you to find and maintain good balance to avoid falling over. This makes passive sitting impossible.

You're actively sitting on a sitting ball, and that has more benefits than you might initially think. It's no coincidence that they say, "Sitting is the new smoking." That's how bad prolonged passive sitting is. A sitting ball is therefore good for your health in several ways. It keeps you active, strengthens your core muscles, you burn more calories while sitting, and it also improves your posture. And of course, you don't just use a yoga ball for sitting, but also for your exercise ball exercises. That's why buying a sitting ball is a good idea.

How do you choose a suitable yoga ball?

When you want to buy a Swiss ball, you pay attention to the quality, the size, the load capacity and perhaps also the color.

The qualityWhile you can buy many inexpensive yoga balls in China, they often don't meet the safety and quality standards established by the EU. This means a ball from AliExpress might be made of thin material and contain toxins like plasticizers. These substances are harmful to your health, negating the beneficial effects of your workout. So, steer clear of this; order a yoga ball that meets the highest standards, such as a PVC Swiss ball.

The sizeYour ball is the right size if your hips and knees are level when you're sitting on the ball. Your height determines which size exercise ball is right for you.

The following applies:

height up to 1.65 meters – gym ball 55 cm
height between 1.65 and 1.85 meters – gym ball 65 cm
height over 1.85 meters – gym ball 75 cm

Of course, it's important that your fitness ball is properly inflated. So check if the Swiss ball you order comes with a pump. If not, you can order the fitness ball pump separately.

The carrying capacityThe weight capacity of your yoga ball isn't just about your weight, but also about whether you plan to use it with weights. Some of our Swiss balls can hold up to 500 kilos, while others can hold up to 300 or 150 kilos.

The color: With a Swiss ball, the color represents its weight capacity. A purple ball can hold up to 500 kilos, a blue ball 300 kilos, and a silver-gray ball 150 kilos. Choose the ball that has the weight capacity you need, although there's nothing stopping you from buying the purple yoga ball because it matches your yoga mat and your trendy outfit so well.

Buy yoga ball

If you're looking to buy a gym ball, browse our selection. A genuine Swiss ball is an excellent choice for a yoga ball. We currently have the following gym balls in our range:

For people with a height up to 1.70 meters:

For people between 1.70 and 1.85 meters tall:

For people taller than 1.85 meters:

A yoga ball needs to be properly inflated, otherwise you'll sink into it instead of working your abs and back muscles. So buy a fitness ball pump and check regularly that your Swiss ball is still properly inflated.

A yoga ball helps you get fitter, more toned, and slimmer. Buy a Swiss ball now so you can get started right away.