The reason I hear from most people as to why they do not exercise regularly is a shortage of time. No doubt life is busy for most people but regular exercise is the simplest, least expensive, and most beneficial thing we can do towards maintaining and improving our health.

Now if you have the time there is nothing wrong with exercising for an hour or more with a range of gym equipment and cardio machines, unless not having the time to do a full circuit is preventing you from exercising at all. A good alternative is a short series of exercises that will give you the most results for your time. This can be called Low Impact – Big Bang exercises. Low impact, meaning these exercises do not put undue strain on the joints and structures the way jogging or excessive weight training might. Big Bang means you are getting exercise, strength training, neurological improvement, and flexibility all in one exercise. It does all this by exercising you in 3 planes of movement at once. We are 3-dimensional beings living in a 3-dimensional world. When you exercise on a strength-training machine, say a leg press or pullover machine, you are exercising in a single plane of movement. You are sitting on a machine that is bolted to the floor. The machine governs your direction of movement while you are strapped into position. Of course this can be beneficial if you are trying to isolate and build that particular muscle group, but the rest of your body is stabilized and not being challenged. Now imagine exercising on an unstable surface such as a large gymnastic ball (Swiss Ball) in comparison. The simplest of exercises become extremely beneficial because your whole body is working at once, 3 dimensionally. Your core muscles are stabilizing your torso while your legs, arms, and neurological system are being challenged and strengthened. With these types of exercises it doesn’t take long at all to realize benefits. By doing a brief warm-up followed with 3-4 exercises 2-3 times a week, a significant improvement can be realized by most anyone. Exercises can range from simply sitting and lightly bouncing on the ball while alternating leg and arm movements to very complex exercises requiring a great deal of strength, coordination and balance. Free weights can also be incorporated into the exercise routines as well.

The real benefit of this type of exercising is that it develops strength, balance, and coordination for activities of daily living that carries over to the type of movements you make normally. This improves posture and in many cases these types of exercises can reduce or eliminate chronic back and neck pain. Swiss Ball exercising also improves reaction time that could save you from a serious fall. It is for this very reason Swiss Ball training has rapidly gained popularity in rehabilitation clinics, hospitals, gyms and homes for the past 30 years. Increasingly athletes, golf pros, tennis players, are using ball exercises because they gain faster reflexes and a better functioning muscular-skeletal system making them more competitive and less prone to injury.

A good quality burst-resistant gymnastic ball can be purchased at most any sports shop. I highly recommend buying the very best quality available. Many Swiss Ball exercise DVD’s are available however taking a Swiss Ball class or incorporating the help of a personal trainer to get you started correctly provide gain you with the most benefit.

So get the most from your exercise time in a fun way with big-bang exercises on the Swiss Ball.

We will be carrying the FitBall line of exercise balls and mats. I have chosen this line because I believe it to be the safest, best constructed, fitness ball available at a reasonable price. They provide the strength for dynamic weight bearing exercises and burst resistance for your safety.

Book Review: Eat, Move, and Be Healthy by Paul Chek.

Paul Chek is the founder of the C.H.E.K. Institute in California. He is a highly respected Holistic Practitioner, Neuromuscular Therapist and corrective exercise specialist with an extensive list of credentials. Mr. Chek has trained and worked with some of the very best teachers in the field. He has developed a unique approach to wellness and education that ties in concepts from each of these fields.

Out of the many books I have read on wellness and fitness I am most impressed by this one. As an on-going student of the C.H.E.K. institute I incorporate the methods he teaches into my practice. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting an in-depth, rounded approach to wellness.

"This book does not have to be read cover to cover. Just as each individual is different, so too will be the way you read this book. The questionnaires in chapter 2 will guide you through the rest of the book, so you can select and read the chapters that are most applicable and interesting to you. In this way, you will create a customized plan of action". (excerpt from inside cover by Paul Chek).

I will be stocking this book shortly. Call or email me if interested in purchasing a copy. Soon I hope to have a shopping cart on my site for this and other great products.

return to top of page

Copyright 2008 DMT