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Fitness Exercise Balls

Swiss balls are just wonderful. They're big, they're soft, they're squidgy, they come in rainbow colours and they smell great.

Only you're going to have to take my word on what they smell like because they're so obviously meant to appeal to kids that you probably haven't dared use one yet. Well here's the good news: you can get comfy, play ball and roll around on the floor with confidence because those balls are the key to great stretches and core strength. Which translates to a flat stomach - something that at least half the people in any gym are working towards, only they don't know how to use the balls.

The first thing to know about the balls is that they aren't all the same size. Different balls are suitable for different sized people. The key is being able to sit comfortably on top of the ball with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Roughly speaking a 45 cm diameter ball suits people 1.40-1.52 m tall (4 feet 7 inches-5 feet in old money); 55 cm balls are for those 1.55-1.68 m tall (5 feet 1 inch-5 feet 6 inches), and 65 cm for people who are 1.70-1.80 m tall (5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 11 inches). There are 75 cm balls for the six-footers (1.83 m) and even an 85 cm ball for basketballers but you will probably have to buy one from the US. Generally the balls you see in gyms are 65 cm with a few smaller ones around. Manufacturers colour code their balls by size, but beware: your gym may have bought from different manufacturers so that nice small yellow ball that was just right may turn out to be oddly larger next time you reach for it. Two important things to know about the ball. One: they are tougher than you think and can take a full-grown man and all the weight he can heft on a pair of dumbbells. Two: although you can burst them if you press them onto something sharp they don't explode, but just deflate pathetically, so don't be afraid to bounce on them.

Swiss balls are soft and supportive, as you will feel as you lay yourself out across one, which means you can trust yourself to one and stretch in comfort. Balls being balls, however, are round and so everything you do perched on the ball involves a little bit of balancing, and this means working the muscles that control your core stability, even if all you're doing is sitting on the thing.

EXERCISES TO TRY

You may be tempted just to sit on the ball while watching telly, but there are more effective ways to exercise to develop stretches, core stability and strength.

SIDE STRETCH

Kneel with the ball next to you and your arm resting on it. Now with the leg that's furthest from the ball stretch straight out sideways and gently shift the weight onto the ball so you are draped over it sideways on. The hand that's not on the ball should now stretch up and over your head towards the ball.

BACK STRETCH

Sit on the centre of the ball, making sure that your feet are a little apart to keep you rock solid and stable. Then very gently walk your feet away so that you lie back and both your back and neck come down to be supported on the ball. You may want to have a hand behind your head to take the weight off your neck until it is resting on the ball. With your feet flat on the floor, now open your arms on each side and feel the stretch across your back. To open it up a bit more, stretch your arms over your head and down as if reaching for the floor behind your head.

FORWARD ROLL OUT

Kneel on the floor in front of your ball and lean forward very slightly to rest your forearms on the ball with your hands together. Now, keeping the abs good 'n' tight, gently roll the ball forward until your arms are straight. Hold that for a moment, then roll it back to the start position. Repeat. Most people find that although the body position is very comfortable, the exercise is surprisingly hard on their stomach muscles.

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