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Trunk Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball: Does It Make a Difference?
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Posted on: 04/14/2005
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You've probably seen people at the gym using the large Swiss ball to do their exercises. The idea is to train the core muscles of the back and abdomen. But is there any real benefit of doing these exercises on the ball? Do you get the same effect without the ball? Those are the questions asked in this study.
Eight healthy adults did four exercises on and off a Swiss ball. They rated the level of difficulty for each exercise on a scale from 'very easy' to 'very hard.' The researchers used electromyography to measure activity of five muscles of the abdomen and back.
The authors explain that normal core muscle activity is based on a ratio. It's not just how much each muscle contracts but the level of muscle activity compared to other muscles. This study reports ratios for the muscles in each activity on and off the ball.
The authors say that exercising on the Swiss ball does increase activity of certain muscles more than doing the exercises without a ball. Different exercises activate muscles in various ratios.
They conclude that core-training programs should use a wide range of exercises. Knowing which muscles are activated in each position can help direct the training program.
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References:
Paul W. Marshall, PG, Dip Sci, and Bernadette A. Murphy, PhD. Core Stability Exercises On and Off a Swiss Ball. In Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. February 2005. Vol. 86. No. 2. Pp. 242-249.
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