What is a Yoga Ball Chair?
Similar in concept to the Exercise Ball Chair is the simplistic Yoga Ball Chair. And if you are looking for a cheaper seating alternative to the Exercise Ball Chair, the Yoga Ball Chair is for you.
Unlike Exercise Ball Chairs which come with some sort of plastic casing that the ball sits in, the Yoga Ball Chair consists of just the ball.
Is you are asking yourself, why would I use a ball to sit on? Well the answer is found in the unstable nature of the ball which makes the Yoga Ball Chair unique. This instability challenges many skills necessary for maintenance of a healthy spine. Those benefits include:
- Joint mobility
- Flexibility
- Righting Reflexes
- Reaction Time
- Coordination
- Posture
- Balance
- Strength
Because the body must respond to small movements of the ball to remain balanced, your body engages many more muscles than if you were sitting on a conventional chair. Moreover, if you are an athlete or into the fitness scene, this chair will most definitely enhance your workout.
How to select a ball for your Yoga Ball Chair
In order to maximize the benefits available to you when using your chair, it is important to make sure you start with the right ball size. The perfect yoga ball size depends on your height. When sitting on the Yoga Ball Chair, knees and hips should be at 90 degrees. You may slightly inflate or deflate the ball if you feel you are between sizes. Using different sizes of balls will allow you flexibility and variation. Always use comfort as your guide.
We recommend that if you’ve never used a Yoga Ball Chair before to begin with a softer ball. The firmer the ball, the more difficult it is to stabilize yourself on the ball. The more inflated the ball is, the less contact area there is with the floor and the more easily the ball will roll.
In addition to the size and firmness of the ball, it is important when selecting your yoga ball for you to take into consideration not only the material used to make the ball but also the texture of that material. Selecting the proper texture prevents slipping when using the Yoga Ball Chair. In most instances, the ball can hold up to 550 lbs. However, if an individual’s weight exceeds the maximum limit, he or she should consider another ball that can hold the weight. We have found that yoga balls made from vinyl to be optimal for use as a chair because of its thick and durable material. Used for daily use, not only does this type of material insure that a person not slip off the ball, but the strength of the material can withstand heavy weight and normal everyday wear and tear.
Try different sizes of balls, using the below information as a guide. We have found that the Gaiam Yoga Ball works perfectly as a Yoga Ball Chair. Checkout these Exercise Ball Chair Tips.
Yoga Ball Chair sizing considerations
Ball Diameter / Your Height
45cm / up to 5’0
55cm/ 5’0″ to 5’6″
65cm / 5’7″ to 6’0″
75cm / 6’0″ and over
For maximum benefit, make sure to select the correct size ball for your Yoga Ball Chair.