"You may have noticed personal trainers at your gym coaching their clients to balance on instability devices, such as exercise balls or wobble boards. Some trainers believe that instability devices enhance balance, which is technically correct - but how many people who aren't professional athletes need to worry about balance? Most gym members are working out to add muscle and strength and to lose fat. Some personal trainers also claim that lifting weights on instability devices will increase muscle activation, but there is no research to support these claims. In fact, a new study suggests the opposite.
Scientists from Appalachian State University (North Carolina) wanted to know how lifting on instability devices affected muscle strength and muscle activity, as compared to lifting on stable ground. The researches had nine trained lifters perform a squat on a measuring device known as a force plate. The subjects squatted directly on the stable force plate; then, they squatted on small inflatable exercise balls placed under each foot. The scientists used electromyography (EMG) to determine the muscle activity of the vastus lateralis (outer quadriceps), vastus medialis (inner quadriceps), bicep femoris (outer hamstring) and medial gastrocnemius (inner calf) during the squat.
They reported at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's 2005 meeting that squatting on the exercise balls reduced the force that the lifters were able to produce by 46% and reduced the muscle activity of both quadriceps muscles by about 35%. They found no difference in the muscle activation of the hamstrings or calves."
odnako
04-20-2007, 10:49 AM
so true lol
TheHipHopBillGates
04-20-2007, 11:32 AM
do 100 crunchs on the ground and then do 100 on a swiss ball and then tell me there isnt a drastic difference.
DEEPER KEMICAL
04-20-2007, 11:33 AM
do 100 crunchs on the ground and then do 100 on a swiss ball and then tell me there isnt a drastic difference.
only because the swiss ball allows you to go further than parallel which stretches the muscle.when doing them on the floor your stop at parallel.
do 100 crunches on the stability ball and do 100 crunches with the cable machine and see where the difference is.
Chris
04-20-2007, 12:26 PM
only because the swiss ball allows you to go further than parallel which stretches the muscle.when doing them on the floor your stop at parallel.
do 100 crunches on the stability ball and do 100 crunches with the cable machine and see where the difference is.
DK i don't know why your out to prove these balls worthless, but anyone whos into specific sports outside of powerbuilding/bodybuilding, knows that these balls make a HUGEEEE difference in your core stability.
Tests and scientific proof means little in terms of usability when talking about muscles and ROM. a person the same height same weight can generate the SAME force in a punch and 1 person will knock people out every single time, and the other will have hardly half the effect. prove that?! lol
these balls work great, they strengthen your core.
see i think the problem with the ideas your thinking about is, core strength isn't ONLY grown from a crunch motion, or a leg lift motion or even a motion of some of the excersices posted a while ago. While they truley will work to help you gain some strength the only way TRUE core strength is built is by never ENDING resistance on your core. Meaning pushing a weight up and down or pushing your body to your knees (which by the way crunches suck for your core, you can crunch from now to kingdom come, crunches work out your hip flexors and your top abs, they hardly do shit for your core) at points in those movements weights or classic stomach training, you hit a zero resistance point.
Lets look at it further. in a crunch when you hit the top of your crunch your resitstance is zero. there is nothing but some bullshit gravity pulling you back therefore at that point your resistance has ceased = zero resistance point.
same thing goes with weights when you curl a weight for example when you get to the top of the movement there is ZERO resistance only on the contractive concentric parts are ANY resistance.
for your core to develop you need more than some strong obliques, more than a few strong ab muscles, you need your ENTIRE core working in CONJUCTION to produce a stronge core. Real strong cores are not neccesarily show but rippling abs. Look at Fedor Emelienanko. Probably the strongest guy in MMA, man looks like the pillsbury dough boy. The only way to develop the core properly is constant resitstance , and thats what these balls do. they make it so you can NEVER be at a ZERO resitance point. EVER. you can never get to there becuase your on a ball. its impossible. even the strongest core person can get a workout from it. Again ill say this again, everyone is so anti "blue swiss ball" but you niggas squat and deadlift which regardless what anyone says form or not, will over time kill your posture and joints. talk to any powerlifter when there 40 years of age bro. none of them are iceskating......
I think anything in the gym has a danger, walking into the gym is dangerous, in life you gotta weigh the danger vs the outcome. i personally think these balancee balls the outcome far exceeeds its danger.
A strong core is not for looks, its for use, you can only build that by using them muscles they way they really would be used in life. Not by crunching what sport is strictly a crunching excersice turned on its side? none. same goes for half of the weighted excersices that were posted a week or so ago, they are decent excersices, but again they only hit 1 angle of your core. 1 at a time too. real core movements are the same used in football, i baseball, karate, boxing, swimming, all these sports use multidynamic use of the core, ite never in 1 plane of working. that is the MAIN reason why thesse balls work so good, they attack each angle simultaneously. something that crunches or weights can never EVER do. many boxers and MMA use swiss and half balls a lot. its great for the stomach.
DEEPER KEMICAL
04-20-2007, 12:28 PM
haha i just dont like them. they have their place just like anything else
Chris
04-20-2007, 12:32 PM
last thing this study is talking about squating,
squating on a ball to me is ahh not the greatest workout,
tho standing on a half ball and doing miltary presses very strict your stomach will be screammmmmmming at you.
do curls on it, do pushups off it,
all these balls do is take away your stability, making YOUR stomach work for that stability. cause thats what you CORE muslces are really there for , not to have a washboard stomach. core muscles stabilize you, these balls just make it that much harder out of your comfort zone.
Chris
04-20-2007, 12:33 PM
haha i just dont like them. they have their place just like anything else
but have you tried them is my question?
don't be a non-broccolli hater whos never eaten broccolli... lol don't be like my sister is!!
lol
seriously, give them a real whole hearted try then talk to me.
DEEPER KEMICAL
04-20-2007, 12:36 PM
but have you tried them is my question?
don't be a non-broccolli hater whos never eaten broccolli... lol don't be like my sister is!!
lol
seriously, give them a real whole hearted try then talk to me.
nah i know they have their place. but studies shown they have no effect on muscle stimulation. they are good for core, thats about it
pinkumsloulou
04-20-2007, 12:38 PM
last thing this study is talking about squating,
squating on a ball to me is ahh not the greatest workout,
tho standing on a half ball and doing miltary presses very strict your stomach will be screammmmmmming at you.
do curls on it, do pushups off it,
all these balls do is take away your stability, making YOUR stomach work for that stability. cause thats what you CORE muslces are really there for , not to have a washboard stomach. core muscles stabilize you, these balls just make it that much harder out of your comfort zone.
just started doing military presses seated on a ball as my last exercise just for shits and giggles...ridiculously hard to stay balanced and abs were screaming...might try to work that in more here and there
Chris
04-20-2007, 12:41 PM
nah i know they have their place. but studies shown they have no effect on muscle stimulation. they are good for core, thats about it
ok but let me be the tdevils advocate here.
studies can't tell me shit , doctors told my father he didn't have more than 10 days to live, in 1990 hes still alive. doctors and scientist know balls.
with that being said.
they def strengthen your core, if your core is stronger you can lift more weight, you can squat more, you can dead more, a lot easier. from a strong core, it will also keep you from having back trouble later in life.
bro i am 5 10, prob about the same size as you, i have squated in my life 4 45 pound plates on each side, (alhtought to parrellel at the time) for 6 reps . thats from not just my leg strength from my core strength being able to stabilize that weight. just cause your legs can lift a sick amount of weight don't mean your core can control it.
but to each is own.
Chris
04-20-2007, 12:43 PM
just started doing military presses seated on a ball as my last exercise just for shits and giggles...ridiculously hard to stay balanced and abs were screaming...might try to work that in more here and there
its so hard its actually goofy looking. lol . most people do't want to go on them to not look like a fool in the gym. i see these big jacked up guys get on them with 20 pound dumbells and get so pissed they can't stay on for more than a few seconds. gotta say soemthing right?
pinkumsloulou
04-20-2007, 12:48 PM
its so hard its actually goofy looking. lol . most people do't want to go on them to not look like a fool in the gym. i see these big jacked up guys get on them with 20 pound dumbells and get so pissed they can't stay on for more than a few seconds. gotta say soemthing right?
absolutely...i tried to hide in the corner :chuckle ...my usual db military is like 95 for 6-7 or arnold presses at 80 for 6-7...on that stupid ball i was doing 45 and struggling like hell to get to 6...
DEEPER KEMICAL
04-20-2007, 01:01 PM
ok but let me be the tdevils advocate here.
studies can't tell me shit , doctors told my father he didn't have more than 10 days to live, in 1990 hes still alive. doctors and scientist know balls.
with that being said.
they def strengthen your core, if your core is stronger you can lift more weight, you can squat more, you can dead more, a lot easier. from a strong core, it will also keep you from having back trouble later in life.
bro i am 5 10, prob about the same size as you, i have squated in my life 4 45 pound plates on each side, (alhtought to parrellel at the time) for 6 reps . thats from not just my leg strength from my core strength being able to stabilize that weight. just cause your legs can lift a sick amount of weight don't mean your core can control it.
but to each is own.
good points bro.
405 on squat is niceee
woo
04-21-2007, 05:20 PM
"You may have noticed personal trainers at your gym coaching their clients to balance on instability devices, such as exercise balls or wobble boards. Some trainers believe that instability devices enhance balance, which is technically correct - but how many people who aren't professional athletes need to worry about balance? Most gym members are working out to add muscle and strength and to lose fat. Some personal trainers also claim that lifting weights on instability devices will increase muscle activation, but there is no research to support these claims. In fact, a new study suggests the opposite.
Scientists from Appalachian State University (North Carolina) wanted to know how lifting on instability devices affected muscle strength and muscle activity, as compared to lifting on stable ground. The researches had nine trained lifters perform a squat on a measuring device known as a force plate. The subjects squatted directly on the stable force plate; then, they squatted on small inflatable exercise balls placed under each foot. The scientists used electromyography (EMG) to determine the muscle activity of the vastus lateralis (outer quadriceps), vastus medialis (inner quadriceps), bicep femoris (outer hamstring) and medial gastrocnemius (inner calf) during the squat.
They reported at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's 2005 meeting that squatting on the exercise balls reduced the force that the lifters were able to produce by 46% and reduced the muscle activity of both quadriceps muscles by about 35%. They found no difference in the muscle activation of the hamstrings or calves."
anything else tested aside from the squat? lol
pple do worry about balance esp when they get older and become more prone to injuries from walking down the stairs or picking up children. etc.