Exercise balls are the best way to tone and strengthen muscles as well as improve balance, so what are you waiting for?
I’m the least clued-up person when it comes to gym equipment - or any fitness and exercise products to be honest - but I genuinely feel that exercise balls are underappreciated and misunderstood. For those of you who are unfamiliar with them, exercise balls are essentially large inflatable spheres that are usually made from PVC (basically identical to pregnancy balls).
What are exercise balls good for?
Exercise balls are great for when you want to get a better range of motion for things like crunches or for elevating your feet when doing push-ups, but their abilities don’t stop there. You can use them for nearly every workout you can think of, my personal favourite is using one as a spot guide for when I’m doing squats with kettlebells, as well as general usage such as sitting on them instead of a desk chair to challenge your core as you work throughout the day.
A versatile, durable and reliable product to own, an exercise ball will be a practical purchase you’ll thank yourself for. As they’re inflatable, and a lot of them come with their own pump, you can deflate them and pump them back up whenever and wherever - so they’re ideal for travel. What other workout equipment is that resourceful?
It’s traits like that that make exercise balls a must-have for me, few pieces of gym gear boast as many strengths. The best part for me is their inexpensiveness; you can pick an exercise ball up for less than £10 easily, and upgrade or buy more when you realise just how good they are. Once you start bouncing there’s no going back, think of all the hip flexor stretches and pilates stretches you could do with them.
What is the best exercise ball to get? What size exercise ball do I need?
Best exercise ball overall: Gymball at Adidas
Complete your home workout station with this Adidas gym ball. Providing grip during stability exercises courtesy of the dual-textured surface, it measures at 55cm and comes with a pump.
Best mini exercise ball: Trideer 23cm Soft Pilates Ball at Amazon
A great tool to strengthen key muscles in the abdomen and enhance core health, this mini exercise ball improves endurance and flexibility as well as posture and balance.
Best large exercise ball: Core Balance Exercise Ball at Amazon
Ranging from 55cm all the way up to 85cm (a whole 10cm larger than standard designs), there's bound to be a size of this exercise ball that's right for you.
Best exercise ball with resistance bands: Active Balance Exercise Ball at Amazon
There are three resistance bands (in light, medium and heavy) included with this exercise ball, plus an ebook for exercises and a pump.
Best cheap exercise ball: Opti Gym Ball at Argos
The £7.99 Opti gym ball will make the perfect workout partner, whether you're at the gym or at home. It's ideal for training, toning and strengthening your muscles.
Best exercise ball chair: RDX Exercise Ball Chair with Resistance Band Stability Base Ring at Amazon
This exercise ball comes with a stable base (making it the perfect chair) and resistance bands for a full workout.
Best exercise ball for beginners: Durable Fitness Gym Ball at Decathlon
Not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either, this Decathlon ball is a great starting purchase for beginners. It's available in three different sizes.
Best exercise ball for advanced levels: ProBalance Ball Chair at Amazon
Provided with a slip cover, making it less stable than PVC styles when used without its base, this exercise ball is one for advanced levels.
For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Associate Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
Bounce on down to the best exercise balls below.
Best Exercise Ball Overall
Complete Consider your home workout station complete with this Adidas gym ball. The dual-textured surface provides grip during stability exercises and the anti-burst technology ensures it deflates slowly if punctured. It measures at 55cm and comes with a pump.
Don't forget to use our Adidas discount codes when you purchase an exercise ball.
Best Exercise Ball With Resistance Bands
Active Balance Exercise Ball, from £19.15, Amazon
Complete with three resistance bands (in light, medium and heavy), an ebook for exercise suggestions and workout ideas, plus a pump for easy inflation, this exercise ball is all you could ever need.
Best Large Exercise Ball
Core Balance Exercise Ball, from £14.99, Amazon
This exercise ball ranges from 55cm all the way up to 85cm - a whole 10cm larger than most designs. If you’re unsure of what size is best for your height, there’s a handy guide image which will direct you.
Best Mini Exercise Ball
Trideer 23cm Soft Pilates Ball, £7.99, Amazon
This mini exercise balance ball is a fantastic tool to strengthen key muscles in the abdomen while enhancing core health. Improve endurance, flexibility, posture, and balance all with this small ball.
Exercise Balls
Trideer Extra Thick Exercise Ball, from £13.99, Amazon
This exercise ball is crafted from puncture-resistant anti-burst PVC. The extra thick design is ideal for working out outdoors plus it's not picky at all when it comes to the practice venue. Be it home, the gym or elsewhere, the premium slip prevention will leave you feeling safe and your movements worry free.
Best Exercise Ball Chair
RDX Exercise Ball Chair with Resistance Band Stability Base Ring, from £31.99, Amazon
Not only does this exercise ball come with a stable base (making it a chair) but the ring also comes with resistance bands attached. You can get that workout in as you WFH.
Best Exercise Ball For Advanced Levels
ProBalance Ball Chair, from £50.51, Amazon
This exercise ball comes with a slip cover, making it less stable than the plain PVC styles when used without its base. ProBalance allows you to sit comfortably and focus on the task at hand while your core and leg muscles are still fully engaged, in turn leading to higher energy levels and increased productivity.
Best Exercise Ball For Beginners
Durable Fitness Gym Ball, £12.99, Decathlon
Not too expensive, but not the cheapest, this exercise ball is a great starting purchase for beginners. Ideal for toning your body, strengthening your back, and stretching, it’s available in three sizes.
Exercise Balls
Opti Peanut Gym Ball, £9.99, Argos
Improve your balance, core strength and co-ordination with this anti-burst, peanut gym ball from Opti. Perfect to use in the gym or at home, you can perform a range of exercises from sit-ups to stretches to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Argos discount codes will save you money on your purchase of exercise balls.
Best Cheap Exercise Ball
Whether you're training at home or in the gym, the £7.99 Opti gym ball will make the perfect workout partner. Ideal for training, toning and strengthening your core muscles and improving your balance and co-ordination.
Argos discount codes will save you money on your purchase of exercise balls.
Exercise Balls
Stability Ball, £24.95, TRX Training
The strong vinyl fabrication of this exercise ball prevents it from slipping beneath you when you're working out. Burst resistant up to 1000lbs (so you can use weights) it's a great addition to your equipment.
