Pilates exercises are commonly done at home or in the studio on the Pilates Ball. This ball was introduced some years ago and complements the other Pilates accessories and equipment. The Pilates Ball is versatile and lightweight, making it an ideal choice as an exercise accompaniment. The ball provides many basic movements often neglected in our daily lives.

Just by sitting on the ball strengthens your posture and aligns your muscles. The Pilates Ball teaches you how to sit like you should by balancing your body with your shoulders, arms, bottom and legs. Bouncing on the ball improves the endurance of your back muscles. While you perform these movements, you will learn the proper breathing techniques to enable your body to be relaxed.

Stretching your spine forward is the third step in the Pilates Ball exercise and involves pulling your belly button up and into the back of your spine. You should inhale at the same time while keeping the chin horizontal. This will lengthen your upper body. Then exhale and drop the chin. You will feel your body stretching and becoming more agile in the process.

The fourth step in the Pilates Ball exercise is to roll back and forth on the ball with arms wrapping horizontally across your elbows. This movement will exercise the abdominal muscles.

The final step in the ball exercise aims to elongate the spine laterally. Lift the left arm straight up and inhale, then slowly exhale by elongating that arm towards the right. Repeat the movement with the right arm and after a few repetitions, you will find that your body is more flexible and your muscles are relaxed.