Anderson - Functional training with the BODYMATE Fitness ball

Imprint

Author/Editor:

AllMates GmbH

Otto-Hahn-Str. 20

61381 Friedrichsdorf

Federal Republic of Germany

This book is intended to provide the reader with supplementary assistance when exercising with the BODYMATE fitness ball. The aim is to increase functional strength, mobility, endurance and coordination. This often leads to increased vitality and well-being for users.

It must be mentioned, however, that athletic activities may cause serious injuries and may pose a health risk. This may be the case if exercises are carried out incorrectly or if there are prior illnesses that can lead to physical exertion. Although this book was written in collaboration with professional trainer Claire Alix Anderson, we strongly caution against exercising without professional help.

Before starting training or carrying out the exercises listed in this book, a doctor should be consulted! A doctors consent is strongly recommended before starting any athletic activities. If any discomfort occurs during exercising with the BODYMATE Fitness Ball, training should be stopped immediately and a physician should be consulted.

If you notice worn or defective parts on the BODYMATE fitness ball, the product should not be used under any circumstances! Furthermore, this book does not claim to be a medical instruction or guideline. The information and exercises in this book are intended only as supplementary assistance during the exercises for the respective user.

If there are any physical discomforts, illnesses or injuries, it is essential to consult a physician before exercising with this book. This also applies to all other physical activities in your everyday life.

The exercises in this book are aimed exclusively at healthy people over the age of 18. It is important that the exercises are conducted under the supervision and guidance of a professional and certified trainer. The book is intended merely as a supplement and additional assistance. If any physical discomfort or other physical complaint occurs during the exercise, the training should be stopped immediately and a physician should be consulted.

Furthermore, the information in this book is not intended as a substitute for regular exercise or as an alternative to medical advice or treatment. It should therefore be used for information purposes only. If you are taking medication, you should also consult a physician beforehand. Exercising with the fitness ball requires care and caution. Before exercising, we recommend a warm-up session to perform the exercises slowly and carefully. Physical signals should always be taken into account, so that training does not continue until you are completely exhausted. The training with the fitness ball includes exercises for beginners as well as for advanced users, which can be physically strenuous. If you have little or no experience with fitness ball exercises, you should only use beginner exercises.

You have decided to exercise with the BODYMATE fitness ball. Congratulations! Training with this ball is extremely versatile and beneficial for the entire body.

The exercises with the BODYMATE fitness ball focus on four core areas:

Mobility

Endurance

Strength

Coordination

Your back, stomach, legs, chest, arms, shoulders and buttocks are all challenged by the different exercises in this book. This strengthens all muscles and takes your fitness to the next level.

My exercises are mainly used to exercise your bodys core. Core training is particularly demanding, but also extremely effective.

In contrast to isolated muscle training, complex exercises are performed to simultaneously strain entire muscle chains. My exercises, which especially challenge the muscles between your diaphragm and hips, should help you obtain a stable core. This has several advantages.

The most important thing first: A strong back and stomach area decisively counteract the no. 1 national disease, back pain or back tension. Your spine can only be supported and thus permanently relieved by strong torso muscles. These muscles considerably protect the intervertebral discs from overloading and wear. Your vertebral discs are a kind of airbag and shock absorber between the individual vertebrae. They help to reduce external forces. These forces can be intercepted by a strong surrounding torso muscles.

Core training strengthens your balance. The muscles in the center will help you coordinate your movements. A stable center keeps you upright. And you can see this stability! It makes your movements safer, more fluid and more dynamic. You feel fitter and more energetic in everyday life. And the more comfortable you feel in your body, the more ease you feel in everyday life and in everything you do. Many people who exercise with the fitness ball report a pleasant feeling of well-being, which is already apparent after a just few training sessions.

I will attempt to clean up the training myth of a fitness ball only being suitable for easy gymnastic exercises.

So where does this image come from? Fitness balls have been popular for several decades, especially in physiotherapy and back training. Mobile and versatile in use, it was also marketed in various versions as a so-called seating ball for office work. The gymnastics ball tends to maintain its image as a back-friendly and effortlessly simple piece of sports equipment. True to the motto: You are moving, even though you are only sitting. Of course, thats not enough! And of course, this assumption does not do any justice to the endless possibilities offered by fitness balls.

It was only in the early 00s that renowned fitness trainers discovered the advantages of fitness balls.

In the English-speaking world, a real hype developed within a very short period of time. And rightly so! Athletes and professional players have used the ball to increase their athletic performance capacity. Fitness studios also gave training with the fitness ball their own training areas and offered special courses.

More and more people in Europe are also becoming aware of this new way of exercising. This is where my training guide comes in. The exercises in this book are multi-faceted and challenging.
I will start with individual basic exercises, which are classified according to training level as easy, medium and difficult. Later you can combine many of the basic exercises to create a challenging whole body workout.

In each exercise, I will show you what you need to pay particular attention to. However, there are some things you should always keep in mind when you exercise with the fitness ball:

Stomach and buttocks are tense during the whole exercise

During exercises in the push-up position, do not create a hollow back or even sag (risk of injury!). Your strong core is being exercises and over time it will become easier to keep your body in line. Youll see!

During standing exercises always pay attention to the so-called heel pressure, i.e. that your entire foot is consciously placed on the floor during the exercise.

Pay attention to constant, flowing and dynamic movements.

Physical health: If you are injured, ill or pregnant, you should consult a physician as well as a professional fitness trainer beforehand. Make sure that the exercises do not pose a problem for your health.

Stop exercising if you are in pain.