I hear the discussions of how sitting on an inflatable exercise ball may halp you stabilize your core, etc.
Is it true? How do we know?
I don’t like my chair and was thinking about switching to sitting on a ball. Thoughts?
Huge.
i did it for a while (read; couple weeks)… it sucks! eventually i found myself slouching/hunching over and not really being all that “cozy”
there is something about being ablle to lean back in my work chair that makes the day better…
Hmmm. I was hoping I could sit my way to rock-hard abs.
that depends
do you sell them?
I think we can be sure that the ball fit is the most important thing
same mechanism of action as the “shape up” series.
better to s/b/r a bit more.
No and Fiddlesticks.
same mechanism of action as the “shape up” series.
two of the women that work in the office here with me have those shoes… I laugh and laugh and laugh…
i did it for a while (read; couple weeks)… it sucks! eventually i found myself slouching/hunching over and not really being all that “cozy”
there is something about being ablle to lean back in my work chair that makes the day better…
x2. besides, bouncing about and not paying attention while on a conference call and falling backwards and making a racket while forgetting to be on mute is embarrassing. especially when the coworker who knows you use one calls you out.
That video clip was the first thing I thought of when I read Tom’s post.
i’m a programmer. i sit more or less all day. for most the last 23 years, i’ve sat in one these:
a couple of years ago, my wife got me a ball chair.
these days, i alternate between the two of them. neither of them will give you rock hard abs, and they won’t tone up a beer gut. They both do some good work on your lower back muscles, but its still possible to slump on either of them. the ball chair requires a bit more stabilization to stay in position than the balans chair. I don’t view either of them as a panacea but they’ve both helped me maintain a bit of postural strength, and I say that as someone who has had appalling posture since i was a kid.
The ball chair won’t, so to speak, force you to have better posture. You still need to put some effort into it, especially at first, but the more you “cue” yourself to sit properly, the easier it becomes. There are some subtle exercises you can do while you’re just sitting on it as well.
One thing to be aware of: If you have a big workspace and are frequently twisting, or moving to other areas in your workspace, they can be a bit of an annoyance.
I hear the discussions of how sitting on an inflatable exercise ball may halp you stabilize your core, etc.
Is it true? How do we know?
I don’t like my chair and was thinking about switching to sitting on a ball. Thoughts?
Earlier this year I read an article which spoke of a study which found that sitting (regardless of the vehicle) caused the body to actually change and produce more fat cells than nonsitting. The scary part (for me) was that it didn’t seem to matter whether you exercised or not - it was all the hours put in a sitting position. So I have converted to a standing desk. I can generally stand for 3 hours before I need a break and then I go back and forth between sitting and standing (I work at a computer all day).
A quick google brought me http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/...while-you-read-this/
aha, here is the original article I read http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2SYiDQ/www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/lifestyle/article/how-to-stand-and-deliver-productivity-and-health-jill-fehrenbacher/r:f
May help your core but your fellow employees may think you are a moran. Which is more important?
Sitting on an unstabilized ball (NOT a ball chair) will fire some postural muscles that sitting on a regular desk chair won’t, but sitting is still sitting. And sitting is horrible for your spine. If you’re at home doing taxes or cruising ST for hot chicks, yeah, sit on a ball. If you already do a lot of sitting and that won’t change, a ball will not save you.
We as humans were made to move.
i used one at work for a couple of months. I actually liked it, but I found that my ass started going a bit numb after a while. Now i just slouch in my chair. I’ve considered a standup desk…but i guess I’m just lazy at the workplace.
It’s hard on the lower back if your knees end up being higher than your hips. It worked for my wife but not me… probably because of that factor.
May help your core but your fellow employees may think you are a moran. Which is more important?
This is just one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. The irony is killing me!
EDIT: or should I say irany. 
Off subject, but I heard it’s actually better to get a standing desk. You burn more calories while standing. I tried it and actually liked it until I got into a bike accident. I believe I was a little more productive too because I didn’t slow down in the afternoon.
I’m interested to hear what others have to say. I’m currently going to PT for my lower back.