The Bender Ball is an inflatable plastic ball used in the Bender Method of core training developed by Leslee Bender. It is used to extend the user’s range of motion during sit-ups, providing a more intense workout. The ball should not be inflated with a compressor and has a weight limit of 300 pounds. Other products can produce similar results.
The Bender Ball is an inflatable plastic ball approximately 9 inches (about 23 cm) in diameter that is the central component of the Bender Method of core training developed by exercise instructor Leslee Bender. She has worked in the fitness industry since the 1980s and developed the Bender Ball as part of a fitness program she refers to as Selective Stabilization. A bender ball is used in different ways through different workouts, such as being placed on the lower back as the user sits up and extending toward the floor. The purpose of the ball is to allow the user to extend backwards beyond their starting point as the user performs sit-ups to exercise the abdominal muscles.
A straw is used to inflate the Bender Ball and then the inflation hole is plugged with a plug, which are included with the product. The ball is not intended to carry weights of more than 300 pounds (about 136 kg) and since it is inflated it could be prone to bursting from excessive weight. Typically, the ball should not be inflated through the use of a compressor and should only be used on level, non-slippery floors.
By using an exercise ball, the user can greatly increase the muscle use required for such a workout. Crunches performed from a lying position on the floor only allow a person to get up to sit up and then lie down on the floor. With something like the Bender Ball attached to a person’s lower back, he or she can descend beyond the user’s initial starting point; This requires more muscle training of the person’s abdominal region. Making such an exercise part of a person’s core workout usually provides a more intense workout and usually leads to better definition of the abdominal region.
The Bender Method is a particular set of workouts meant to be used in conjunction with the Bender Ball and is also created by Leslee Bender; it can be purchased together with the exercise ball to complete the program. Independent research, however, has found that any type of Bender Ball-sized object that can be placed comfortably under someone’s lower back while he or she crunches will allow the user to achieve a greater abdominal workout. Other products could produce similar results and anyone interested in such products should also look into possible alternatives.
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