Thread: PT's and stupid exercise

Originally Posted by mondo

lol squats on bosu balls... just like DB Squats with a swiss ball while leaning against the wall... cause that will build huge quads... peh! i remember when i was first trying to build legs and this trainer i knew was telling me to do them, i was like uh i am fine doing BB squats, but he insisted i try this way, which i did, felt like a dick holding 8Kg dumbells and rolling myself up and down with my back against a swiss ball... never again.

So is there any time a swiss ball leaning against a wall beneficial at any time?
Just asking cos thats what my personal trainer tells me to do.

Are you guys (not just mondo) saying it is a waste of time in all cases?
Cheers

I get heaps of use from my swiss ball - whenever there is two of us working onthe computer, i always grab it to sit on!

IMO, they may be useful if you're doing some type of re-hab - other than that I agree with Mondo!

Originally Posted by acejas

So is there any time a swiss ball leaning against a wall beneficial at any time?
Just asking cos thats what my personal trainer tells me to do.

Are you guys (not just mondo) saying it is a waste of time in all cases?
Cheers

I don't think squats leaning against a wall using a swiss ball are a waste of time, you are still doing a resistence exercise for your quads. If you enjoy doing them, or feel more confident doing them, then they can continue to form part of your work out. I would suggest however that you would benefit more from doing a full barbell squat.

Tim

Originally Posted by Big Tim

I would suggest however that you would benefit more from doing a full barbell squat.

agreed. any one to second that??

Originally Posted by acejas

So is there any time a swiss ball leaning against a wall beneficial at any time?
Just asking cos thats what my personal trainer tells me to do.

Are you guys (not just mondo) saying it is a waste of time in all cases?
Cheers

Swiss balls have their uses... They can be used effectively to strengthen core muscles, but no more than other resistance exercises without the ball would...

Tell your trainer you want to learn to do proper Bar squats and to leave his/her swiss ball in the corner where it belongs most of the time... After all, who's paying the money...

Originally Posted by mondo

yeah right man clearly you were aiming that at me.

anyway, i agree with big tim here too. why do they make people do these exercises that are near impossible when something much more simple can achieve the same thing?? if it took a whole training session to explain it clearly it wont be something that will be done correctly for a long long time, if ever.

one other thing i hate is the trainers who are "too good" to train some clients. that happened a lot at the gym i was at while at uni. If you were over weight or needed help or a noob, they basically snobbed you off, but if you were early 20s, buff, already fit and looked "hot" they were all over you and willing to please and then brag about their success with these particular clients.

Your paranoid.

Mate your post is just full of BS and ignorance.

Any type of movement whether it is a swiss ball squat or leg press will increase muscle mass it the work load is more than what you normally do.

I have trained people close to 70 years old, and its not easy, usually they have a long list of injuries and trainers have got to work around their injuries.

A past client of mine was 67 years old and i use to get her to do many different exercises including swiss ball squats (which was hard for her), box squats (to help her get off chairs) and Dumbbell deadlifts (which helped her picking stuff off the floor at home).

Not everyone wants to be a massive juice monster. Thats what your learn when your in the industry. So dont be so quick to criticise what you dont know.

Thanks Big Tim about it not being a waste of time & Union for saying what I thought but still waving unsure about what was said. Thats what my trainer told me as well. Im super unfit (getting better each day) - probably in the 1% lower percentile so that statement of "waste of time" probably doesnt fit me anyway. My trainer reckons Ill be ready for the leg press soon. It does feel hard for me and I feel worked out after 15 reps of 3 sets carrying 8kg in each hand. I started out 5 reps and 3 sets with no weights.
cheers

So you were having a go at Mondo, Union? haha.

Acejas, well done on the effort.

I think it's stupid saying one exercise is futile or not. We're all at different stages and we all progress in the exercises we undertake. Sure, if you've been doing squats using a ball for a year, it's probably time to progress, particularly if you're young and want to build some muscle. Just remember there's a range of people on this forum and you might be belittling someone from a lack of thought.

Having said all that, we have a fitness and exercise column at work which people can email. It's a bit similar to this forum. Anyway, there's a girl on there who is mid-thirties, obese, acne ridden, eats shit, has sleep apnea (not sure how you spell it) and has to wear DVT stocking when she travels. And she is always dispensing her health and exercise wisdom to everyone, which obviously comes from magazines, as she has not practical experience. Everyone cringes everytime she posts. You've gotta practice what you preach.

Feel like I need to justify what I said now! I don't think they're of much use for bodybuilders - so I kind of assumed the majority of people on here are heading down that path.....

I've used them endlessly for obese and older clients - but never for able bodied younger people.

Originally Posted by MissFit

Feel like I need to justify what I said now! I don't think they're of much use for bodybuilders - so I kind of assumed the majority of people on here are heading down that path.....

I've used them endlessly for obese and older clients - but never for able bodies younger people.

Well said Missfit 100%.

For able bodied people wanting to build muscle i would say they are a complete waste of time and are better off doing BB squats, leg press etc etc.

However, for elderly, obese and rehab situations they may be of benifit.

I think the general point of this is that you see far too many PTs using the fit ball on clients who you would think would benefit a lot more by doing regular BB squats or leg press, just because thats what they were shown on their course.

Originally Posted by MissFit

I've used them endlessly for obese and older clients - but never for able bodied younger people.

Yep and nor do I.

But you can't just look at someone doing swiss ball squats and go ''ehh what she doing that for shes gonna go no where", if you dont know the circumstances around it.

So much hate towards swiss ball squats here lol. I think they are great and can be a useful tool for building the quads. Sure, you wouldn't substitute it for a BB squat, that's just silly talk (unless the person is somewhat unable) but they are an excellent addition to your leg workouts. You can really target your quads nicely and allow you to move through the range of motion very sloooowly as you don't have to worry about balance.

Now many of you might say your better off using the leg press or hack squat machine but these are more mobile and can be done anywhere and are safer to work to absolute muscular failure. Their best use is for supersetting with BB squats. These are absolute KILLER and will break anyone down like a little bitch, especially if you work these until your quads can no longer contract (lots of people quit way before they reach this point). I especially like swiss ball squats as they are a lot safer to go to absolute failure on compared to say, the leg press. Plus saves you from having to use up both the squat rack and a machine at the same time which is useful when the gym is busy.

So saying they are useless is just bananas.

Originally Posted by union

Not everyone wants to be a massive juice monster. Thats what your learn when your in the industry. So dont be so quick to criticise what you dont know.

FYI i was talking about my own experiences and those of others who may be able bodied. I am aware that not all clients would want to be big or muscular.

I once saw a strange Swiss Ball and kettle Bell Combo it But I don't know how to put it into words

And actually I could not work out the point of it either. Im sure their was but I was confused

I cannot stand people doing db press on Swiss balls...

But these same people will NOT SQUAT!!!

You want core? Do core exercises... don't juggle 30kg+ db's on the swiss ball, thats really asking for an injury!