Are you using the Swiss Ball properly and to its maximum potential? Chances are, you have seen Swiss Balls in health clubs, and therapy clinics. You may even be using one with your clients, but, unless you’ve taken the time to learn the ball basics, you may be using an under-inflated ball and repeating the same five exercises with all your clients. If you better understand the ball and how it works, you are more likely to choose or create the exercise(s) that meet the needs of your client. Dr. Susanne Klein-Voglebach wrote, "To overcome deficits in the [client’s] movement behavior, it is not the [client] who must adapt to the exercise, but the exercise that must be adapted to the [client]."

This first article of a three part series will teach you the ball basics: how to determine appropriate ball size, find neutral position, and inflate the ball properly.