Alaya F nailed a Swiss ball step-up; fitness trainer shares risks and rewards of this exercise

In one of the Instagram reels documenting her training routine, Srikanth actor Alaya F hopped onto a Swiss ball and balanced herself with two dumbbells in hand. She then did some deep squats. In the caption, she wrote,  “Got my hop-ups on my first attempt and even added weights to it because why not  felt like quite a beast ” . Alaya also cautioned people against doing this at home without supervision, proper training and crashing mats, as it may be quite injurious to health if done incorrectly.

Indianexpress.com spoke to fitness experts, to understand how this exercise––called the Swiss ball step-up––can help sculpt your body.

 

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What does Swiss ball step-up entail?

“It is generally recommended to those exercising at an advanced level. Like the name suggests, the Swiss ball step-up has a person hopping onto a Swiss ball with weights in both hands for increased balance,” said Kevin Lobo, certified personal trainer.

“This exercise targets three main components: core conditioning, core stability and body balance. You can also swap regular dumbbells with kettlebells. The exercise also has a person practising standing on their knees instead of their feet,” he added.

“Gym ball exercises, such as the hop-ups demonstrated by Alaya F, offer substantial benefits for joint stability. The unstable surface of the gym ball requires constant micro-adjustments from the body, which engages stabilizer muscles that support the joints. This increased muscle engagement helps to enhance the strength and resilience of the joints, reducing the likelihood of injuries during other physical activities,” shared Allan Thomas, owner of Zealbox, Powai.

“Performing squats on a gym ball requires significant engagement of the core and lower body muscles to maintain balance. This not only strengthens these muscles but also enhances neuromuscular coordination,” he added.

Using the correct size gym ball for your height is crucial to maintain proper form,” noted Thomas. (Source: Freepik)

Things to keep in mind

“Beginners should start with basic balance exercises to build foundational stability and strength before attempting more complex movements like hop-ups. Using the correct size gym ball for your height is crucial to maintain proper form,” noted Thomas. For safer practice, he recommended starting with smaller hops or holding onto a stable surface for additional support as you build confidence and strength.

“Make sure your Swiss ball is placed on a hard and rough surface. This helps avoid the ball slipping from beneath you,” said Lobo.

He recommended not closing one’s eyes while balancing on the ball since that could disrupt body balance. “You may do so to increase difficulty, but if you are new to it, I would recommend against shutting eyes.”

Who should avoid this?

“If you are someone struggling with IT syndrome, aka Iliotibial band syndrome, your trainer would not recommend you to do this exercise just as much as people with flat feet are recommended against doing this. Besides, people with spinal cord injuries should also stay away from such complicated exercises,” Lobo said.

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