From my friends at IDEA Health & Fitness Association
Stability Ball Increases Abdominal Activation
By Ryan HalvorsonThe stability ball is the most offered piece of equipment in fitness facilities today, according to the 2007 IDEA Programs & Equipment Survey (IDEA Fitness Manager, (2007; 19 [4], 7-16).
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According to researchers in the Department of Kinesiology at Occidental College in Los Angeles, there is a solid foundation for the popular piece of equipment.
The study, which was published in the May issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2007; 21 [2], 506-09), set out to determine whether the stability ball offered greater abdominal activation than the traditional floor-based crunch, and whether changes in ball placement had any effect.
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According to EMG reports, crunches performed on the stability ball showed significantly greater abdominal activation than its more “traditional” counterpart.
The results found heightened activity in the upper rectus abdominis, lower rectus abdominis and external oblique activity by 31%, 38% and 24%, respectively, when compared with the traditional crunch.
When testing two different ball placements, researchers found a sharp decrease in abdominal activity when the ball was positioned below the scapulae as opposed to the lower lumbar region of the spine.
(Cogent comment from Stephen:”Duh!”)
Gary Gray, PT has a great line. To paraphrase: Is the muscle screaming on the EMG, or is it singing?
In other words, just because an EMG study shows a muscle in more active during a certain exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the best exercise for that muscle – or even the best exercise for you. Are you working the muscle the way it likes to work, or are you forcing it to do something it doesn’t want to do?
Just something to think about when you’re selecting exercises.
Tags: exercise program, fitness program
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