This was from today's Spark People Mailer and though it interesting... except for the fact that my behind would probably pop the stability ball - and it'd hurt coming crashing t the ground -- it'd be a fun way to sit at your desk - or at the very least - sit in front of youor computer at home while reading WLF.


Sitting on an Exercise Ball at Work

After years of trying to find comfortable, ergonomic desk chairs, many workers are opting to ditch the chairs altogether to sit on an exercise ball during their workdays.

Sitting on a stability ball challenges your balance and engages your core muscles (abs, lower back, hips, and obliques) more than a stable surface like a regular chair. Plus, sitting "actively" can improve posture. It also causes sitters to change their position more frequently, which many experts believe to be better than sitting in one place for extended periods of time.

Sitting on a stability ball for prolonged periods can tire out both large and small muscle groups that are working hard to keep your body upright. Try to use a stability ball for 30 minutes at a time, and switch between the ball and your chair at your own comfort level.

Time Involved: As long as you like

Body Benefit: Better posture

A friend of mine has an office in his house and does just this... I sat at his computer for about 15 minutes on the ball, and love it!! It's actually way more comfortable than I thought it would be. My posture in a "regular" chair isn't that great, but I found that my back didn't get sore and my neck / shoulders stayed relaxed on it. It's an excellent idea.

I really think I'm going to get a ball for home at least -- the time i spent on the computer i can at least fool m yself I'm getting a little workoout

That sounds like a neat idea to try; if I'm going to be sitting around anyway...

haha im sitting on mine right now!! just because it sounded like fun, Im not sure about it being much of a workout but its entertaining

Im a software developer student, so all my day time is spent in front of an keyboard, best way i try do the active sitting thing is by pumping the ipod up full blast and either dancing whilst sitting or by kicking my legs about under the desk. Who ever said being fijity(sp?) was a bad thing?

I have a ball at home, so i'll need to try that out

Wow, that sounds like a fun idea!

It reminds me of the old "One-legged Stool" trick that companies used to use so that the night watchmen could rest but still stay alert for their shifts.

It sounds like good "passive" exercise, too! Just gotta pay attention to what you are doing, right?

Just a word of caution here- I read an article years ago about this trend (taking your exercise ball to work and using it as a chair).

Really pay attention to the note in maleficent's post about using it for 30 minutes at a time. If I recall the article correctly, it said 20 minutes was the recommended maximum time to use the ball in place of a chair. Using it for extended periods of time can really affect your posture and do more damage than good.

I wish I had one of those steel-trap minds and could remember the exact facts I read and why fitness experts were telling people to stop using the ball to replace their chairs... but the basic concept is that too long on it can hurt your body a lot more than you may initially realize.

That said, I still want to bring my ball to work for little breaks during the day

My wife is an active sitter...she is one of those people who can't seem to sit still. She always has to have a leg jiggling.

I was thinking that over the course of her lifetime that she will have burnt many pounds worth of calories from the jiggling. :-)