Working on the Ball: A Simple Guide to Office Fitness

Q & A with Jane Clapp and Sarah Robichaud

You are both fitness professionals, so how did you get the idea to work fitness into the office?

The majority of our clients have jobs that require them to sit at a desk all day. It came to our attention that the more time they spent at work, the less energy, time, and motivation they had to make it to the gym. We wanted to outline healthy steps toward a balanced lifestyle where fitness and work could be combined into the same time frame.

Tell me about the recent discussions on whether stability balls are good or bad for you.

Most of the resistance to using a ball as a chair comes from the ergonomic community, and is an opinion based on assumptions rather than scientific fact. However, we know from first hand results with clients that using a stability ball as a chair and incorporating stability ball training into fitness programs decreases lower back pain, improves coordination and core strength, and makes people more alert throughout their day. Most rehabilitative specialists, physiotherapists, fitness professionals, and sports medicine doctors endorse using a stability ball as a chair.

How do you encourage your clients to "work on the ball?"

We encourage all of our clients to sit on a ball at the office. Most of our clients have balls at home and at the workplace. The feedback from them after a month of sitting on the ball is really positive. They claim that their energy level, focus, and posture have all improved. It also gives people a sense of control over their fitness goals. They realize that fitness programs don’t have to be all or nothing and that every five minutes focused on sitting tall and working core muscles is an effective way to accumulate overall health gains.

Did you develop the exercises yourselves?

All of the exercises are variations on moves that already exist but have never been adapted for the desk-worker. We made the exercises office-specific so that they could be performed in a very small space, using the desk as a training tool or stabilizer. We kept the moves simple but effective with their main focus on improving alignment, core stability, and overall strength in all of the major muscle groups. We also made the exercises practical so that the reader can keep their office attire on, even skirts and heels.

Do you find yourselves "on the ball" more than ever now, whether at work or home?

Oh, but of course, in more ways than one. We wrote the book on the ball. Jane has a ball for each floor of her house. Our children want their own balls. Our favorite exercise tool is the ball for so many reasons. We bounced on the ball to comfort our children when they were infants and used the ball to ease back pain during pregnancy and childbirth. The ball is here to stay.

Read Working on the Ball Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Contact: Christina Martin, (800) 851-8923, ext. 6685, cmartin@amuniversal.com

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