Yoga Balls — How to Choose and Inflate

Yoga exercise balls are a fun and helpful prop that goes by many aliases:

• yoga balls
• exercise balls
• balance balls
• fitness balls
• stability balls
• core balls
• swiss balls
• fitness orb

If you are looking to firm up a flimsy, frumpy core or midsection, or maybe you are simply looking for a new office chair that will slowly improve posture, concentration, and core strength; yoga balls from Yoga Accessories will revolutionize your typical day at the office, in a very effective and affordable way. Studies have shown that switching from regular plastic office chairs to a yoga ball increases productivity: the sitz bones must work and stay engaged in order to balance, and increased muscle activity leads to increased blood flow which results in increased alertness. Don't forget to grab a Fitness Ball Base, to keep your new, hip yoga ball chair in place.

On a lunch break or feeling a little stressed in your own office? If you have the luxury of closing the door to your office, get on the ball and start doing push ups. Grab a yoga mat, lay on your back, and squeeze the yoga ball between the legs as you do several sets of crunches. Flop overtop of the yoga ball and slowly roll down the ball, keeping the ankles crossed. This sounds very silly, but you can do push ups using the ball to support the legs and give the triceps a harder, more time-effective workout. For more ideas, pick up a Fitness Ball Deck of Cards with illustrated instructions on ball workouts.

Logistics

You have now made the fantastic decision to purchase a balance ball for your exercise regimen or office! Yoga Accessories yoga balls come in a range of sizes and colors. Make sure to pick a size that is the right size for you, according to your height. Our balls come deflated, so you don’t need to worry about them having to fit through tiny doorways. Here’s a chart to choose the right size ball, according to your height:

You will need to inflate your ball with a hand pump, deluxe hand pump, or foot pump. Each choice has pros and cons. Weigh them out to choose which one is right for you:

• Our Standard Hand Pump is cheap and comes with some yoga balls for only $1. Although they are affordable, they are also durable but will take some elbow grease to fill your ball to the proper size.
• Our Deluxe Hand Pump is ideal: featuring a foot plate and hose that pumps continuous air into your exercise ball so it is ready to use in minutes. If you own a gym or studio and or ordering multiple balls, this is the inflation device you will need. This product has a 5 out of 5 star rating from our customers. It costs a little more, but is definitely worth it if you are inflating several balls.
• Our Yoga Ball Foot Pump is much easier to use than the Standard Hand Pump. Material is plastic, and a blue tube connects to a blue connector from an accordion air reservoir to your exercise ball. The red piece of plastic at the bottom of the pump enables airflow. Pump with the foot for a faster fill-up (vs. Standard Pump). Cons: does not store easily and durability is not a feature.

Now that you have the pump, you will need to inflate the ball.

PLEASE NOTE: When inflating the ball for the first time, be sure to inflate the ball until it is extra firm. Your new ball's material will stretch and relax after its first pump. After 24 hours, finish pumping the ball until it is extra firm. This process only needs to happen once!

Here’s a chart to let you know when your ball is finished being pumped, you will need a soft measuring tape to measure to circumference of the ball once it’s pumped:

Now you are ready to start using your yoga ball! A plug and plug remover (with photo instructions) should have been included in your yoga ball packaging. If you need an extra plug, pump tip, or plug remover, please contact our customer service department toll-free at: 888-886-YOGA (9642).