This exercise ball is a recent acquisition. I used to go three times a week to a little gym close to my house and use their weight machines (actually the machines used hydraulic resistance, they didn't use actual weights), but they closed last spring. Although I walk daily I really miss using some sort of weight machine and have been considering other options for working out (in addition to my daily treadmill walk). I don't know where I came across these exercise balls. I erroneously thought this had something to do with pilates, but pilates is actually an entirely different concept (though it can be incorporated into workouts with the ball). So now I am trying to figure out how to use it effectively (not just bounce around on it). Most of the books and all of the videos I requested from the library are just pilates. I have found this lone book, 101 Ways to Work Out on the Ball by Elizabeth Gillies to use, but I would like to find a video as well. I am a very visual learner, I have to see something demonstrated and then do it myself. Does anyone use one of these balls? Can you make a recommendation for book or video that is easy to follow and effective? And most importantly, do these sorts of things work?
