Since the 1960’s large inflatible balls have become an increasingly common object in gymnasiums in many lands around the world. Starting in Switzerland they have been known as Swiss Balls, Fit Balls, Gym Balls, Sweda Balls etc.

The first time I really took notice of what they could do was several years ago when a former co-worker who had long suffered lower back pain, was at her desk sitting with perfect posture. I had never seen her sit this way before, she had always been such a bad sloucher in all the time I knew her. When I complimented her on her improved posture she told me that she bought a Swiss ball and used it whenever she could.

What surprised me most was that my co-worker was not a good exerciser and didn’t seek much remedial treatment considering how much her back seemed to bother her and yet the Swiss ball seemed to be just what she needed. Most of her back pain was gone and she looked better too, the way everybody does when they have a good posture.

Exercise balls tend to range in size between 55 and 90 centimetres, the taller you are the bigger the ball you need. The deepest muscles in your body that hold you upright are your core muscles (these include your psoas, erector spinae and rectus abdominus) and these are the muscles Swiss balls work best on.

Part of the reason why these large inflatible balls work so well is that they are always making you move or sit or lie on them in a balanced way, if you didn’t you would fall off. They are comfortable too if you can’t kneel down and reach the floor.

There are not a huge range of different exercises to do on Swiss balls but once you get used to them,you will find that making slight variations to your posture will improve your all round balance and strength.

Swiss balls can be useful aids to doing stretching exercise too but even if you only want to use them as a chair, regularly and in the right way they should help your back and straighten you up.

Exercise balls are not a bad way to start getting fit again for men or for women and they hurt alot less than dumbells do if you drop them. If you already are ripped give them a try anyway, see how many of your favourite exercises you can do on them particularly for bench-work.

Another advantage that large exercise balls have is that if you need to put it away for a while you just let the air out and fold it into a neat, flat easy to store bundle. You will find a number of Swiss ball exercises in Self Massage that will assist you with your balance as well as your flexibility.