The Complete Guide to Exercise Balls | Benefits, Types & Top Home Exercises

My name is David Williamson and I am a professional personal trainer and fitness coach for over 20 years. Today I want to share my knowledge with you about exercise balls.

Exercise balls, also known as stability balls, Swiss balls, or fitness balls, are a simple yet incredibly effective training tool especially for your abdominals. They’re used to improve core strength, balance, flexibility, and stability, making them popular in-home gyms, yoga, Pilates, many sports such as golf, football and pre and rehabilitation.

In this guide, I’ll explain what an exercise ball is, how it works, the different types available, the benefits of using one, and how to choose the right ball, plus my top home exercises and a FAQ section.

An exercise ball is a large inflatable ball, typically made from anti-burst PVC, it is very strong and used to perform a variety of strength, stability, and mobility exercises. They’re commonly 45–75 cm in diameter and can support a wide range of bodyweight movements.

They are especially effective for engaging the deep core muscles, improving posture, rehabilitation and enhancing flexibility.

Exercise balls create instability, forcing your smaller proprioception muscles—especially your core —to stay engaged to maintain balance. This instability makes even simple movements more challenging so your body can adapt and progress, it also improves muscle activation, coordination, and body awareness.

They can be used for:

• Core strengthening (planks, crunches, rolling planks, back extensions).
• Balance and stability training, kneeling and standing on it (advanced).
• Flexibility and mobility work.
• Pre and Rehabilitation essential for a lot of physiotherapy exercises.
• Used in a lot of sports also, golf, martial arts, yoga, pilates also.

Stability Balls (Swiss Balls)

• Large inflatable balls (45–75 cm).
• Best for deep core exercises, yoga, balance and stability training.

Medicine Balls

• Smaller weighted balls (1–10 kg).
• Used for strength, core, and power exercises.

Slam Balls

• Heavy-duty, non-bounce balls.
• Designed for throwing and slamming exercises.

Peanut Balls

• Peanut-shaped, more stable than round balls.
• Great for beginners and rehab.

Mini Pilates Balls

• Small inflatable balls very similar to Swiss balls.
• Used for core engagement in Pilates routines.

The best exercise ball depends on your height, goals, and intended use:

• For Core & Balance Training: Standard stability ball.
• For Strength & Power: Medicine ball or slam ball.
• For Rehab & Beginners: Peanut ball or mini-Pilates ball.
• Size Guide (for stability balls):
  • Under 5’0” → 45 cm ball
  • 5’1”–5’7” → 55 cm ball
  • 5’8”–6’1” → 65 cm ball
  • 6’2”+ → 75 cm ball

Pro Tip: Choose an anti-burst ball for safety during training.

Exercise balls provide multiple fitness benefits:

• Improved Core Strength – Engages deep core muscles transverse adominus .
• Better Balance & Coordination – Trains and works proprioception and stabilizer muscles.
• Enhanced Flexibility – Useful for stretching and yoga style routines.
• Rehabilitation Support – Common in physiotherapy, used for low-impact rehab.
• Posture Improvement – Encourages spinal alignment when used to activate the core.
• Versatile & Affordable – Wide range of uses in one piece of equipment.

Here are 5 great exercises you can try at home:

1. Stability Ball Plank or rolling plank

• Works: Core, shoulders, glutes.

2. Ball Wall Squat

• Works: Quads, hamstrings, glutes.
• Place ball between your back and wall push slightly into ball with your back, squat down to a right angle, then come up.

3. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl

• Works: Hamstrings, glutes, core executing the reverse plank.

4. Ball Pass (Legs to Hands)

• Works: Core, abdominal wall, lats.
• Pass ball between hands and feet while lying down, medium tempo.

5. Stability Ball Pike

• Works: Core and whole arms, mainly the shoulders.
• Start in push-up position with shins on ball, lift hips into a pike, keep core engaged.

Q1: What size exercise ball should I get?
Choose based on your height: 55 cm (under 5’7”), 65 cm (5’8”–6’1”), 75 cm (6’2”+).

Q2: Are exercise balls good for abs?
Yes. They challenge your core far more than standard floor exercises.

Q3: Can I use an exercise ball as a chair?
Yes, sitting on one can improve posture and core engagement, but not for prolonged periods.

Q4: What’s the difference between a stability ball and a medicine ball?
Stability balls are much large and inflatable for balance training. Medicine balls are smaller, weighted, and used for strength training.

Q5: Are exercise balls safe for beginners?
Yes. Start with simple exercises and ensure you choose the right size ball for stability.

Exercise balls are an affordable, versatile, and highly effective addition to any home gym. They improve strength, flexibility, and stability while being easy to store and use.

Explore our range of exercise balls at  Fitness Max and add a new dimension to your workouts.