The Swiss ball is a relatively new addition to the gym, and many people are either unsure of what to do with it, or scared of looking foolish on it or even falling off it! But this ball is no passing trend, and you would be wise to make friends with it as it is an amazing exercise tool with many benefits.

When working out on the ball, which is unstable, your body needs to recruit additional muscles in order to stay balanced. This means that, for example, if you perform a bicep curl whilst sitting on the ball, your body will recruit your deep stabilising abdominal muscles (also known as core muscles), thereby toning your tummy while you tone your arms.

A primary benefit of exercising with an exercise ball as opposed to exercising directly on a hard flat surface is that the body responds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, engaging many more muscles to do so. Those muscles become stronger over time to keep balance. Most frequently, the core body muscles – the abdominal muscles and back muscles – are the focus of exercise ball fitness programs.

In addition to sculpting and toning the body, balance training is an important part of an exercise regime, as it can improve the quality of your day-to-day living and reduce the risk of injury through falls.