Pilates exercise balls are usually made of a durable rubber or plastic and designed not to burst under normal circumstances, it can take some extreme stress.

Using the Pilates Ball as part of your Pilates workout gives you a more efficient and effective workout while maximizing your workout results.

The exercise ball is a great tool to help you strengthen your core and that is why physical therapists have been using them for years as part of their rehabilitation programs. Fitness experts also make use of exercise balls to strengthen their abdomen- and back- muscles and increase their stability.

The main thing about these exercise balls is the fact that it challenges your body by putting it in an unstable position. When your body lies on the ball it reacts by contracting your abdomen and your legs to keep you from falling off the ball. This exercise alone helps you to develop your core muscles. When you add any exercise to this you increase the intensity of the movement and the efficiency of your workout.

The Pilates exercise ball is a very versatile exercise tool and can be used for many other workouts than Pilates. If you don't use the ball as a workout tool anymore, you kids will love to play with it.

Try to use the ball when doing your usual exercises and find out how many different uses the exercise ball really has. A few ideas:

• Sitting on the ball

When you are sitting in front of the television again, try sitting on your exercise ball. By doing this you will not feel guilty for just sitting around and you will be improving your posture by balancing your body. Slouching is impossible when sitting on an exercise ball. By doing only one simple move, like raising your feet from the ground, you will be improving your balance and strengthening some muscles in your lower back area.

• Flexibility, Pilates and Yoga exercises

You don't have to use the ball strictly for Pilates exercises, the ball on its own can be used for increasing your flexibility with the correct stretching and relaxing exercises. Many Yoga instructors see the value of this great tool and use it as part of their Yoga workouts as well.

• Weight lifting

When lifting weight again, you can incorporate the exercise ball into your routine. By sitting on the ball while weight training, your legs, buttocks and abs will also be working harder during your exercise session.

• Abdominal training

The exercise ball can be used the same as with weight lifting. By incorporating the ball into your usual movements like crunches or other traditional exercises, you add some difficulty and use more of your body's muscles.

People of all ages and fitness levels can use the Pilates ball. It is a totally effective and safe exercise apparatus.

Exercise balls are available at health and fitness stores and can easily be purchased on the Internet. It costs around $20 or some even cheaper. The size of the ball you need depends on the exercise method you are going to use. The exercise ball can be inflated at a gas station or at home by using a mattress pump or an air raft. Be careful when inflating the ball, do not exceed the maximum diameter which is printed on the ball.

Choosing a ball that is the right size for your height is the most important thing here. The normal Pilates ball is about 55cm and that would be perfect for anyone who is 4'11" to 5' 4. People of about 5'8" to 5'11" should rather consider the 65cm ball and the 75cm ball is recommended for people between 6'0" - 6' 7".

Another way to test the size of the ball is to sit on the ball, making sure you hips and knees are level and bent at a 90-degree angle.

You get some burst-resistant balls that can hold up to 600 pounds more than the usual exercise balls.

The best workout you get from your exercise ball is with a Pilates Ball workout. Pilates is a great method of exercise to help you strengthen your core muscles and prevent backache from occuring.

The Pilates exercise ball is one of the best and most versatile exercise apparatus you will ever own.

Yogadirect sells pilates balls as well as other yoga and pilates equipment. Have a look at: YogaDirect.com

I did my best to make sure the information in this lens pertaining to The Pilates Ball is correct and accurate at the time of publication. I accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and can not be held liable for any loss or damaged caused due to the reliance of the information in my lens. Treatment and advice of medical professionals is still advised.