Bender Ball Method

For many of us, it’s very hard to get started with an exercise routine.  Once we’ve started, it’s actually not as hard to continue as it is to begin.  Here are some tips for starting to get to the gym, use the bender ball, get in the pool or anything else!

1. Take it slowly - Come up with realistic expectations for yourself.  If you decide that you have to walk each day for an hour, you’ll approach your exercise obligations with intimidation and apprehension.  Be realistic and gentle with yourself.

2. Get a Partner - See if you can convince someone else to exercise with you.  Working out with another person can be a huge motivator, and a great way to connect with a friend while also getting into shape.

3. Reward Yourself - Make plans to reward yourself for your efforts.  For instance, after using the bender ball every day for a week, allow yourself an inexpensive manicure.  After walking for 20 minutes each day for a month, you deserve a professional massage!  Set goals and treats for yourself that will help to get you through the routine.

Most people will tell you that it’s easier to stick to a routine than it is to start one.  If you’ve fallen out of your exercise routine - it is very hard to get started again!  Here are a few key suggestions to get you started again and to get you to stick to that routine.

1. Don’t stop - Obviously, this is easier said than done, but if you are contemplating stopping your exercise routine - don’t.  Even if you miss one week, it is much harder to start again than it is to just continue.  Try not to push it aside, with the assumption that it won’t be hard for you to start again.

2. Commit to 30 days - Commit, from today, that you will use your bender ball every day for 30 days or that you’ll walk for 15 minutes a day each day.  Don’t make yourself commit to anything for a year - this is too much pressure; at the same time, if you only commit for a day or two, you may find it hard to follow through.  Commit to 30 days and then take it from there.

3. Showing Up Counts - Often, just showing up is the hard part.  Don’t think about what you’ll do when you get to the gym, or start the video again.  Just show up and be proud of yourself for taking that step.  Then, you can concentrate on actually using the bender ball, getting in the pool, and such.

People spend a lot of time trying to figure out the best exercise routine for themselves.  Should they force themselves to the gym? Should they do more stomach exercises with a bender ball, or concentrate on their legs with a Stair Master?  The bottom line - no matter what you decide - is to get moving!  You can get more fit and see a slow weight loss if you simply incorporate some new creative movement into your day.  Take the stairs at work rather than using the elevator.  Park far away from the mall and walk farther to get to your favorite store.  Take the dog for an extra 10 minute walk each day; use the bender ball for 5 minutes at a time instead of 4.

There are oodles of little ways that you can increase your stamina and get yourself moving without even altering your life very much.  Try it out - you’ll be surprised what an extra 15-45 minutes of movement a day can do for your overall energy level, your stamina and your weight.  What have you got to lose giving it a try?

One problem that many of us face when we go on a diet or start an exercise routine, is our goal.  Often, the goal is to look good.  Looking good, however, shouldn’t really be the goal.  The goal - when you change your diet or start to exercise - should be to become healthier and more fit.  When this is truly the goal, it completely changes your outlook and your mission.  Rather than hoping to fit into your “skinny” jeans, you are hoping to breath more easily, to feel good walking a mile, to have more energy, and to feel healthy.  This completely changes how you approach your food and your fitness.  When using the bender ball, going to the gym, passing the cake by and doing that one extra lap at the pool, you are working towards an overall feeling of well being.  Keep this mind shift in mind - you’ll be amazed by the difference that it can make in your approach to wellness.

There are many benefits to having a strong stomach. A strong stomach helps your entire body to be stronger and more stable. This aids you in picking up objects, in having a strong, healthy back and more.

In addition, a strong stomach, and overall good health, helps you with your mental health. When you feel strong and healthy, it makes your emotional state more stable and helps you to conquer stressers in your life.

And of course, it goes without saying that you’ll love the look of having a strong stomach. You’ll be ready to show off at the beach next summer after using the bender ball or working out at the gym to enhance your stomach muscles!

If you’re killing yourself trying to get a stronger stomach, or if you’re just busy feeling guilty that you aren’t killing yourself over your stomach, it’s time to understand why a strong stomach is important. Sure, you want to look great at the beach next summer. But, in addition to the aesthetic reasons to stay fit, there really are many physical reasons to do so.

A strong stomach helps to distribute stresses around the body. Lifting and bending becomes easier when your stomach is strong. Your risk of injury to your back muscles also decreases as you strengthen this area of your body. Well developed stomach muscles protect your inner organs, keeping you feeling great and looking your best.

For all of these reasons, and so many more, doing stomach exercises with a bender ball or with another tool can really have many benefits.

Did you know that the Bender Ball is not only useful for improving the tone and strength of the abdominal muscles, but it is also effective on the gluteus maximus (the muscle that you sit on) and the other crucial muscles that support the backbone? Well it does, and in addition, using the Bender Ball to improve the gluteus maximus (glutes) muscle and those that stabilize the spine can improve posture and relieve backache. The American Council of Exercise offers a course on how to do this using the unique Bender Ball.

The Bender Ball method of core training is probably one of the best ways of getting your abs into the shape you want them. It is possible to spend just a few minutes each day and see great results after a remarkably short amount of time.

The Bender Ball was designed by Leslee Bender, master trainer. Leslee has been involved in physical fitness for over 25 years, and designed the Bender Ball and created the innovative Bender Method of Core training.