Swiss Ball Weight Training

A couple of interesting new articles in Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research:

It appears that the classic Paul Chek squat-standing-on-a-Swiss-ball,
compared to a regular back squat, "significantly reduces peak force,
rate of force development, and agonist muscle activity with no change
in antagonist or synergist muscle activity" and "[i]n terms of
providing a stimulus for strength gain no discernable benefit of
performing a resistance exercise in an unstable condition was
observed."

http://tinyurl.com/ybxas2

By the same token, a comparison of standard bench presses and bench
presses on a Swiss ball "showed that deltoid and abdominal muscle
activity was increased for repetitions performed using the swiss
ball."

http://tinyurl.com/yer58t

I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
I know that for a fact.

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:18:46 -0500, JMW
<jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:

>I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
>were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
>results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
>They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
>relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
>I know that for a fact.

I was browsing one of the magazines recently and they had a cartoon
picture of a guy all cut up sitting on a popped swiss ball. The
author of the article was talking about watching some guy bench
dumbells on swiss ball and it popped. I guess he cut is face up real
bad. If you got a 200 pound guy with another 200 pounds in dumbells
that is quite a bit of force.

Shute <Shute@nowhere.com> wrote:
>On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:18:46 -0500, JMW
><jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:
>
>>I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
>>were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
>>results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
>>They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
>>relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
>>I know that for a fact.
>
>I was browsing one of the magazines recently and they had a cartoon
>picture of a guy all cut up sitting on a popped swiss ball. The
>author of the article was talking about watching some guy bench
>dumbells on swiss ball and it popped. I guess he cut is face up real
>bad. If you got a 200 pound guy with another 200 pounds in dumbells
>that is quite a bit of force.

If you buy the cheap ones, that's a risk. Mine is a Maxafe, which is
tested to 875 pounds bursting strength. Some are good for 1000
pounds. Naturally, the sturdier ones are more expensive.

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:18:46 -0500, JMW
<jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:

>A couple of interesting new articles in Journal of Strength and
>Conditioning Research:
>
>It appears that the classic Paul Chek squat-standing-on-a-Swiss-ball,
>compared to a regular back squat, "significantly reduces peak force,
>rate of force development, and agonist muscle activity with no change
>in antagonist or synergist muscle activity" and "[i]n terms of
>providing a stimulus for strength gain no discernable benefit of
>performing a resistance exercise in an unstable condition was
>observed."
>
>http://tinyurl.com/ybxas2
>
>By the same token, a comparison of standard bench presses and bench
>presses on a Swiss ball "showed that deltoid and abdominal muscle
>activity was increased for repetitions performed using the swiss
>ball."
>
>http://tinyurl.com/yer58t
>
>I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
>were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
>results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
>They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
>relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
>I know that for a fact.

You must reduce bodyweight John, adjust the centre line of gravity,
practice balance skills and make sure you have a good platform with
your feet.

If you don't, as you appear to have discovered, the result will be an
exercise in 'arse over tit' and a bounce on the glistening dome!

If I can help you know I will; you have but to ask!

Have a great weekend old chap - I intend to in a modest sort of way!
;o)

In article <174up299021u9675qkfk7f97lcau2ktjv4@4ax.com>,
JMW <jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:

> A couple of interesting new articles in Journal of Strength and
> Conditioning Research:
>
> It appears that the classic Paul Chek squat-standing-on-a-Swiss-ball,
> compared to a regular back squat, "significantly reduces peak force,
> rate of force development, and agonist muscle activity with no change
> in antagonist or synergist muscle activity" and "[i]n terms of
> providing a stimulus for strength gain no discernable benefit of
> performing a resistance exercise in an unstable condition was
> observed."
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ybxas2
>
> By the same token, a comparison of standard bench presses and bench
> presses on a Swiss ball "showed that deltoid and abdominal muscle
> activity was increased for repetitions performed using the swiss
> ball."
>
> http://tinyurl.com/yer58t
>
> I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
> were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
> results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
> They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
> relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
> I know that for a fact.

Honestly, I've only ever used a Swiss Ball for abdominal work.
I can guarantee that Swiss Ball crunches give you delighfully sore abs!
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 00:52:19 -0500, JMW
<jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:

>Shute <Shute@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:18:46 -0500, JMW
>><jmwilliams@enforcergraphics.f2s.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I never tried squats on a Swiss ball. I guess I always thought they
>>>were stupid, with a high potential for embarrassing and injurious
>>>results. I have done heavy dumbbell bench presses on a Swiss ball.
>>>They're OK, but be careful how high you raise the dumbbells in
>>>relation to your body; too high and you start to roll over head first.
>>>I know that for a fact.
>>
>>I was browsing one of the magazines recently and they had a cartoon
>>picture of a guy all cut up sitting on a popped swiss ball. The
>>author of the article was talking about watching some guy bench
>>dumbells on swiss ball and it popped. I guess he cut is face up real
>>bad. If you got a 200 pound guy with another 200 pounds in dumbells
>>that is quite a bit of force.
>
>If you buy the cheap ones, that's a risk. Mine is a Maxafe, which is
>tested to 875 pounds bursting strength. Some are good for 1000
>pounds. Naturally, the sturdier ones are more expensive.

Just keep in mind bouncing around on it adds pressure. Those weights
sound reasonable for most people.

Do you use them frequently or just a few months out of the year?