A swiss ball is just like the rest of 'em; an exercise ball. I'm not quite sure what the purpose of all the different aliases is for, but I'll go with it. Swiss balls, or whatever you prefer to call them, are great for strength training, improving flexibility and even help people recover with a different approach to rehab. Several athletes are starting to employ the new techniques in the workouts because they can always benefit from improved flexibility on the playing field, regardless of the sport. A lot of body builders use a Swiss ball workout to improve posture and posing techniques for competitions.

There is a misconception that swiss ball work outs and routines should only be done by women and men should stick to the weights and machines. However, recent acceptance has eliminated this stereotype and for good reason. Men have used swiss balls over and over with evident results. They might have learned a thing or two from women, because they primarily use the swiss ball for yoga classes and some even refer to the fitness tool as a yoga ball. You probably won’t catch many men calling it a yoga ball, but you may start to see more and more men utilizing the swiss ball in their workouts.  You can get exercise on a swiss ball chair.

 

A lot of workout facilities are starting designate areas in which you can fully use for swiss ball workouts only. Before, it was difficult to find an open space to use your fitness ball, not to mention someone who can lend a hand with technique, pointers and other advice on how to do swiss ball exercises. Gyms across America are now staffing people who specialize in swiss ball routines and are certified in swiss ball training.

People use the swiss ball with free weights to not only give them full range of motion through the sets, but to increase your balance as well. Some people have developed a Swiss ball workout that uses two balls and requires a great deal of balance and coordination to perform the exercise. It’s a great workout if you can do it, but most people will need a spotter for this type of exercise. Even with a spotter, expect to fall on the floor a few times if you’re trying to exercise with two swiss balls.

 

Using a swiss ball takes practice and for those of you who expect to master the routine your first time, you're in for a surprise. Swiss balls take a surprising amount of coordination in order to successfully perform hand weight exercises. If you're using swiss balls alone, you'll probably get the hand of it relatively quick. That said, there are several people who have tried their hand with swiss ball exercise routines and simply don't like it. At least give it a try!