What Is A Swiss Ball?
The Swiss ball is a familiar sight to many gyms, homes and even offices (mark our words - in the future there are no office chairs). But for those of you who are still to give one a squeeze, a Swiss ball is a soft elastic air-filled ball, which can be added to or removed for a softer density through a valve stem.
Proper inflation is key, and ideally should be adapted according to your height and weight. However the general rule of thumb is that when sitting down on one your upper thighs should be parallel to the floor.
The Swiss ball is ideal for physical therapy, athletic training and exercise, as well as being excellent at engaging the core, abdominal and back muscles. The Swiss ball are very easy to get your hands on (though we're not suggesting you pinch one from your local gym), and can be found at any sport shop or online for anywhere between £7-£24 depending on quality and brand.
Benefits
The Swiss ball comes with all sorts of health and fitness benefits. Among these are better posture, balance, reaction speed and core strength. Essentially, it provides an enriched and challenging environment in which to train, especially when the body’s balance is challenged as muscles have to work harder to stabilize the body.
The Swiss ball is particularly popular as its achievable for most people, as it can be easily adapted to suit all levels of ability. The ball is also excellent in aiding effective rehabilitation as the process of balancing on it activates a myriad of motor recruitment patterns, increasing muscle function and awareness. Not bad going for a round piece of rubber.
 The Workout: Swiss Ball Rollout
Sit on your knees in front of a Swiss ball and place your forearms and fists on the ball, your back should be naturally arched. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
Focus on keeping both areas tight for the duration of the exercise. Slowly roll the ball forward, straightening your arms and extending your body as far as you can without allowing your lower back to collapse. The natural arch in your lower back shouldn’t decrease or increase at any point during the exercise. Use your abdominal muscles to pull the ball back to your knees and aim for 15-20 reps.
To make the exercise harder, lift your knees and make a plank position. Or for a further challenge, instead of rolling forward and back, roll out to two o'clock and 10 o'lock to engage the oblique (side abdominal) muscles.

Other exercises
The Swiss ball knee tuck: Take a press-up position, with your ankles on a Swiss ball and your hands on the floor. Maintain your balance as you use your feet to roll the ball into your body, stopping when your knees reach your chest. Slowly roll the ball back to the start and repeat 15 times.
Swiss ball crunches: Lie on a Swiss ball with your spine arched slightly backwards and your knees bent. Hold a weight on your chest with both hands. Flex at the waist to raise your upper torso until you feel tension through your abs. Perform 15 reps.
Swiss ball plank: Rest your elbows on a Swiss ball. Keep your back straight and your feet wide for more stability, or closer for a greater challenge. With your core engaged, hold the position for 30-60 seconds or until you can't maintain balance any longer.