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I’ve talked about the exercise ball chair or balance ball chair, but I haven’t talked about exercise ball exercises (Swiss ball exercises).  I’ll briefly review the benefits of exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workout) and show some exercise ball exercises.

Do you remember how fun it was to play with a ball when you were a kid?  You can still have fun doing exercise ball exercises while adding challenge and variety to your workouts.  Exercise balls are also known as Swiss balls, stability balls, fit balls or physioballs.  They’re large, vinyl balls you can use to stretch and strengthen your entire body while stabilizing your core and improving balance.  2006 American Council on Exercise personal trainer of the year said that the exercise ball is “the one piece of essential equipment for fitness”, and “everyone should own or work with one”.

Exercise ball exercises (exercise ball workouts) are an inexpensive and versatile way to get great workouts to stretch, tone and strengthen.  Exercise balls don’t take up a lot of space, so you get a lot for a little.  You can vary swiss ball exercises as much as you want so it never gets boring, and you can continue to increase the workout level.  It’s also a great balance training tool that gives you a whole body exercise, stimulating the pelvic, abdominal and lower back muscles, which are key for good posture, balance and movement control.  Exercise ball workouts also stimulate the smaller “stability” muscles as well as the muscles you’re using when exercising.

3 Exercise Ball Workouts (Swiss Ball Workouts)

Here are some exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workout) for a fun, whole-body workout:

Squats Exercise Ball Workout

1. Stand with the exercise ball propped between your lower spine and a wall, pressing lightly into the ball. Keep your feet hip-width apart and a little in front of you with your hands at your sides or on your hips
2. Bending at your knees and hips, move slowly into a sitting position with your knees over your ankles, keeping the ball against your back
3. Return to standing position

You can repeat this 8-15 times.  For more challenge, lift one foot 1-2 inches off the floor doing this one leg at a time.

“Bird dog” Exercise Ball Workout (Swiss Ball Workout)

1. Get on your hands and knees with the exercise ball under your stomach
2. Extend and lift the opposite arm and leg off the floor at the same time
3. While balancing on ball and keeping your hips stable, reach away from the center of your body

You can repeat this 8 times on each side.  Hold the position longer for more challenge.

Supine Bridges Exercise Ball Workout

1. Sit on the exercise ball with your hands crossed on your chest or on your hips and
2. “Walk” forward gradually rolling the ball out until it’s supporting your head and shoulders instead of your butt.  Keep your weight on top of the ball as you roll out
3. Form a flat “table” with your shoulders, knees and hips aligned with your feet flat on the floor right under your knees
4. Lower and lift your hips without moving the ball, tightening the muscles in your butt and backs of the thighs

Can be repeated 8-15 times, and can be as challenging as you want it.

Use your imagination and come up with your own exercise ball exercises (Swiss ball exercises).  Play some music while you’re doing your exercise ball workouts (Swiss ball workouts) and see how much challenge that adds!  Most of all, have fun while you’re getting fit!

Other articles around the web about exercise ball exercises:

Stability Ball Exercises: Starting a Physical Fitness Home Workout …

Before starting any workout routines, consult with a doctor. Like any program, setting realistic goa …

Get the Best Exercise Equipment For Your Home Gym | Healthy Living …

From resting on it momentarily to doing some calf and thigh exercises while lying on the floor, the …

The Best 5 Crunch-less Abs Exercises For a Flatter Stomach in Less …

Here are the top 5 exercise replacements for ineffective aerobics-era crunches… 1. Replace Crunche …

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There are lots of women who not only want to be healthy but also want a very toned and slimmed look. Some exercises will help in doing so and upper back strengthening exercises are definitely one among them as it gives a curvy shape to their body.

To get this curvy shape and to get rid of the upper back problems, one will have to go through some exercises and that to on a continuous and regular basis. There is some equipment required like a bench and a couple of dumbbells for these exercises. We would, in this article, look at what are the different exercises that one can do with these equipments.

Pullovers with dumbbells would be one of the starting exercises. Just lie down on the bench and start pushing your arms up with the dumbbells and then taking it down below head level. While doing this, the feet should be firmly on the ground and without any motion. This exercise should be done for fifteen times. If you are not able to do it fifteen times continuously, then you can do it in three sets of five. This exercise not only cures your back problems but it is also very beneficial for your chest.

Dumbbell rows are also one good way of exercising. This exercise also needs dumbbells and the bench. Placing the arms on the bench and keeping the feet on the ground is the way to go about this exercise. There is no need to lie down on the bench for this exercise. These exercises also need to be done in sets.

The upper back extension is another good exercise for the upper back and it does not need any equipments. Standing close to a wall and trying to stretch up and touching the highest point of the wall is how this exercise is done.

For more Back Pain treatments, exercises and stretches get into my website:

www.LowerBackPainTips.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Monica_Blum

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The two most common locations of muscle spasms are the neck and back regions. Most of us hold a lot of tension in these areas, which leads to tightness. Thus, they are the most vulnerable to stress due to relatively casual events. Such muscle pain could happen due to a chill while golfing or playing tennis, for example, or from spending too long at the computer without taking a break. (In case you are reading this online now, and wondering how often that is, most ergonomic specialists recommend standing and stretching about once an hour.)

What happens when a muscle spasms? The fibers in the muscle core contract all at once. And what causes this? The cause of back pain muscle spasms is a tensed muscle due to over extension or sudden movement. In other words, if the muscle hasn’t relaxed sufficiently prior to moving or extending it, a spasm can result.

A muscle spasm is not the same thing as a muscle cramp. Both involve a sudden contraction, but a cramp releases with movement. When your back spasms, it locks up and you cannot move.

There are a number of ways you can deal with a muscle spasm: rest; temperature change; ice massage; mindful movement; and over-the-counter pain reliever.

You can relieve the strain of stressed tissues by lying down. For back pain muscle spasms, try bringing your knees slowly to your chin, then hold the position for at least a minute. If this causes you pain, however, stop and try something else.

You can rub an ice cube over the sore region using a slow, circular motion. It takes a few minutes to numb the pain. Once the area numbs and relaxes due to the cold, fresh blood rushes to the area, which helps unclench the muscle fibers. Just be sure to keep the ice moving, and use a gentle massaging motion. Of course, this works best when you have help, since you can relax completely and not concern yourself with extending your arm to reach the back or neck area.

(Only apply heat if the area is still in spasm after 72 hours, since this gives your muscles enough time for any acute pain and swelling to subside. If you want to use temperature change prior to that, experts recommend that you apply cold.)

Once you have iced the spasm, slow and gentle movement helps bring back normal circulation and coaxes muscle fibers to return to their usual patterns. Avoid too aggressive a stretch, or you could make the spasm worse.

Once any pain and swelling begin to subside — again, probably after several days — you can also try breaking up any left-over muscle knot, simply by pressing a thumb or other finger into the region. At this point, the idea is to continue relaxing the muscle by breaking up any residual fluid or muscle fibers.

Any over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen works best on this type of pain due to the anti-inflammatory effect. Acetaminophen is less effective since it is not an anti-inflammatory.

Finally, any abrupt neck or back spasm that includes a numb sensation, tingling, or a weak feeling could indicate a ruptured disk or injury to the nerve, and it is important to have it checked out by a qualified medical professional as soon as you can.

Find out how you can treat your back pain through my easy to follow course. Find out more on Back Muscle Pain. Seth Cooper runs a site on Back Pain Muscle Spasms [http://www.backmusclepain.org/back-pain-muscle-spasms].

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Seth_Cooper

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Upper back muscle spasms and tension are an unpleasant distraction. Then, the muscular problems can lead to upper pain into your neck. If your spasms continue, your upper back muscles may feel tight and locked up. This can lead to more muscular problems, such as cervical pain and headaches, and tension in front-side muscles.

If the pain makes you slouch, or if the muscles are tight due to poor posture, this may affect organ functions, too, such as breathing and heart-rate.

Using therapeutic exercise.

There are three components to a basic well-rounded exercise program: Cardiovascular training (cardio), Stretching, and Strengthening. Practice these three regularly, several times a week. To reduce back muscle spasms, you can also practice therapeutic exercise. This means you will want to learn some exercises that are specific to your body’s needs.

You might already practice a few stretches to relieve tension. But you might also need cardio and strengthening exercises. Practicing exercises that are targeted for upper back muscles will have a therapeutic effect.

Spasms and tension in the upper back are often the result of compromised alignment. Bad ergonomics at a workstation and poor posture are often to blame. The upper back muscles work in tandem with muscles on the front-side of the body. So, tight front-side muscles contribute to weak upper back muscles.

We want our exercises to focus on >Improving circulation with cardio; >Stretching tight muscles; and >Strengthening weak, taut muscles.

Exercises for upper back muscle relief.

1) Cardio bursts. Practice bouts of cardio during your day. Give the blood-flow a boost. Send oxygen to restricted muscles.

2) Rotationally Stretch. When we stay in a forward-flexed position for a long time, we stiffen the upper and mid-back muscles that make our torsos rotate. So, ease tension by practicing more rotational stretching.

3) Stretch the front-side. Learn and practice stretches for your chest, arms, and forearms especially.

4) Strengthen the upper and mid-back. This can be done with no equipment, or with minimal equipment. Keep a cord of resistance tubing (with handles) nearby during your day. Learn and practice mid-rows, with varying grips. Reverse flyes are good. Shrugs will also relieve a lot of tension.

With some simple adjustments to your current exercise routine, you can recondition your back muscles and restore them to greater health.

Are you looking for a few simple exercises to relieve your upper back pain? Sign Up Today and get the new ’10-Day Support & Coaching Guide to Pain Relief’, from Basalt, Colorado’s pain relief experts. The guide conveniently delivers a series of articles and videos, so you can Discover relief for your weary muscles. Go get yours while they’re still free! at http://www.PainFreeU.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nina_Schnipper

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Technorati Tags: lower back pain relief

Technorati Tags: lower back pain relief

We’ve all had those instances when we pick up an object the wrong way or turn our body too quickly and there it goes-pain! It is usually then that we realize that our body is just not like it used to be. In these situations, most commonly this pain is associated with a muscle spasm. A muscle spasm is when the muscles tighten and become inflamed or hot. Usually the area will feel warm as a result of the inflammatory process that takes place in the body. Commonly, it is suggested to use heat but during the first few days it is better to use ice to cool the muscle. The muscle is already hot and like a fire you want to cool it off not cook it. Our muscles cannot verbally speak to us, so in essence they speak through pain. A muscle spasm is the body’s way of indicating that something is wrong.

Common causes:

Stress on the body is actually one of the main causes of muscle spasms such as lifting heaving objects or any type of physical activities that are out of the normal routine for an individual. Work overload is another contributing factor. Many individuals overexert themselves over prolonged periods of time until the body has physically broken down. Surprisingly, depression plays even a greater role in back pain. Research studies have shown that if the depression is treated effectively there is a greater reduction in the onset of back pain.

Common Treatment:

1. Place an ice pack (or a bag of frozen vegetables) on the area affected. Do not apply directly to the skin because the ice may burn the skin.

2. If the affected area is the back area you may lie on the ice but place a pillow underneath the knees to decrease the amount of pressure on the back.

3. Treatment time should be between 10-15 minutes; we want to cool the muscle not freeze it. Use the ice treatment throughout the day as often as needed.

4. Over-the-counter medications such as Aleve are also effective and coupled with your ice therapy will provide for quicker relief. Aleve is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is widely used and effective in treating muscle spasms.

Tips and Warnings:

As with any new medications, please consult with your health-care provider before taking any medications especially if you are currently under care for any health conditions.

If you want to read more about back pain and it’s treatments you can find at http://upperleftbackpain.com/

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Claudia_Cicareli

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Back pain during pregnancy is very common.  You’re obviously carrying more weight and putting more strain on your back, particularly your lower back.  A lot of us have more water weight when we’re pregnant.  You walk differently, and your hormones relax your ligaments and tendons.  But, there are plenty of back pain pregnancy treatment options, including things you can do to relieve back pain during pregnancy.

Some back pain pregnancy treatment options are:

• Good Posture.  Keep your buttocks under you, your shoulders back and down, and stand up tall and straight.
• Be Conscientious Sitting and Standing.  You should sit with your feet elevated some.  Use furniture that supports your back or put a small pillow behind your lower back.  Change positions fairly often, and don’t stand for long periods, or rest one foot at a time on something like a foot support or low stool.

• Lift Properly.  If you have to life something, anything, squat down and use your legs to lift.  Don’t lift with your back or bend at your waist, and don’t overdo it.  If you need help, ask for it!

• Lay On Your Side.   Lying or sleeping on your side instead of your back helps take the load off.  Keep one or both of your knees bent or put a pillow between your knees and/or under your stomach.  Full length body pillows are great for this.
• Wear Proper Clothing, Footwear and Support Wear.  Always wear low heeled shoes with good arch support and wider heels.  Wear maternity pants with a low waistband that’s supportive, and think about using a maternity support belt.

• Exercise Regularly.  Regular exercise helps keep you strong overall, and keeps your back strong, relieving back pain.  If your OB-GYN approves, swimming is a great, low resistance exercise, riding a stationary bike or walking. 
  • Pelvic Tilt Exercises are great back strengthening exercises

• Massage, Heat and Cold Therapy.  Soak in warm tub, use a heating pad or apply heat to your back.  Some like to alternate heat and cold.  Have someone massage your back or get a massager.
• Over-The-Counter Back Pain Medications like Acetaminophen, Tylenol, etc. are suppose to be safe to use during pregnancy, but others are not.  Check with your doctor before you take anything to treat your back pain during pregnancy.

More back pain pregnancy and lower back pain during pregnancy treatment options are below.

Back Pain and Pregnancy: Back Pain Early Pregnancy Treatment Options

Back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand.  If you don’t have back pain during pregnancy, you’re one out of a million!  Back pain early pregnancy symptoms including back pain and muscle pain or cramps, as well as lower back pain are Very common.  Progesterone softens discs and ligaments that support your upper body during pregnancy.  Urinary tract infections can also cause back pain during early pregnancy.

Exercise is the best treatment for back pain and pregnancy, including pelvic exercises, rocking, walking, etc.  Posture is very important in relieving back pain during early pregnancy, and more important as the pregnancy continues.  Sitting, standing, laying and walking properly all make a huge difference with back pain and pregnancy.  Rest is also very important in taking the strain off of your back.

Lower back pain in early pregnancy tends to go away around the 20th week, but if you have chronic (long-term) or severe back pain, you need to talk to your doctor right away.

I hope these back pain pregnancy and back pain early pregnancy treatment options are helpful.  Unfortunately, you can’t get away with no back pain and pregnancy or lower back pain during pregnancy due to the changes in your system and body.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Other related articles around the web regarding back pain pregnancy symptoms and treatment:

Pre-Eclampsia: A frequent reason Mamas are prescribed bed rest …

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