Andi Eslee Man

The Yoga Ball, also known as an exercise ball or stability ball, is super fun and effective yoga tool that is catching on quick among the yoga community in yoga studios.

The yoga ball helps you master harder poses handstand by slowly letting you build the muscles needed to hold harder poses without falling down. Exercise balls are nothing new; however, they are used in a specific way by yoga practitioners.

By making the body on an unstable ball instead of a stable floor, it lets you build more strength and balance quickly. 

Yoga Ball Uses:

• By balancing the body on an unstable ball instead of a stable floor, it lets you build more strength and balance quickly.
• It can be used for modified yoga poses and pose variations.
• It can be used for Yoga “drills”: preparation for challenging yoga poses
      shoulder girdle strength for upside-down poses (inversion poses).
      backbend yoga poses, using the ball as a spotter and for support
• Offer more restorative yoga options, helps the body release and restore itself (passive method).
• Deepen stretches and bend the spine.
• Build strength by using it as a movable weight/prop.

Look for the correct yoga ball size, so that when you sit on the ball you are able to form a 90-degree angle with your thigh and shin. In order to buy or use the right ball height use your height as a guideline.

Physical Benefits of the Yoga Ball

There are many benefits to be gained, a few are:

• By strengthening the abdominals, you can avoid lower back problems
• Improve the body’s circulation
• Increase your energy
• Help you burn more calories
• Increased access to stretch allowing you to reduce stress and ward off disease

Tips:

• Combine with a yoga mat to help you stay protected in these poses from the hard floor.
• Also, remember yoga is about breathing and being in the present moment so go slow and make a point to inhale on a movement and exhale on the following movement throughout this yoga ball practice.
• Take your shoes off to roll on the ball easier
• Repeat poses as many times as you wish and increase repetitions each day you practice

Common Yoga Pose/ Exercises with a Yoga Ball 

Pose 1: Plank and Plank

Practicing plank on the yoga ball helps you build a rock-solid core and strong yoga foundation with this arm balance pose.
To do this pose place your forearms onto the ball with clasped hands. Make sure not to drop the tips too far down or raise them high up you should be making a straight shape from the heels to the top of your head.

Pose 2: Yoga Wheel Release

This is a great pose if you sit in front of a computer all day, come home from a long commute, or after a bike ride.
Sit on the ball, then slide forward and bend backward dropping your arms overhead. Breathe deeply in this pose and relax the muscle. Go slowly because it is very easy to roll off the ball when getting into this pose.

Pose 3: Plank Pike Up

In this plank pike pose, the yoga ball helps hold some of the weight as you build shoulder strength for your yoga press-up to handstand or other inversions (upside down) yoga poses.
Come to a table-top position facing away from the ball. Place your hands in a plank position on the ground legs stretched out on the ball. Begin to raise hips in a pike position and return to plank. Repeat several times.

Pose 4: Scorpion

Here the ball helps you access an advanced level pose. By pressing on the ball you can stretch the front body in scorpion pose without years of strength training! It also helps you become flexible and familiar with the pose while testing your balancing ability in the pose. 

Pose 5: Ball Pass

This yoga ball sequence is great for strengthening your abdominal muscles. To do this pose lay on your back and bend legs at a 90-degree angle off the floor so your shins are parallel with the floor.
your torso to meet your knees pass the ball to your legs and return torso and arms down. Lift back up and grab the ball. Lay back down. Repeat this ball passing process, making sure not to let legs touch the floor. this 10 times.

As a final point, ensure that you are comfortable when trying these poses with the ball. Set up in a spacious environment and wear your best fitting yoga leggings. Have fun.