by James - This article may contain affiliate links.
An exercise ball is a versatile tool for many exercises. However, you must ensure that your exercise ball is the right size and inflated enough; otherwise, it can harm your body. How do I know if my exercise ball is too small?
The easiest way to understand whether your exercise ball is the right size is to sit on it. If it’s the right size, your thighs will be parallel to the ground, and your knees will be at a 90-degree angle. If your knee angle is less than 90 degrees, you use a small exercise ball, and your knee points upward.
This article will show you how to select an exercise ball with the right size when to inflate the ball, how best to inflate it, and how much.
View the list below if you are in a hurry to see the best exercise balls and workout products to buy.
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Contents
How Big Should My Exercise Ball Be? ⛹️♂️
An exercise ball is a versatile prop for a low-cost home gym.
When you want to do a workout with an exercise ball, it’s important to pick a ball of the right size to make the moves correctly and prevent harm to your body.
There are different ways to measure exercise balls.
Size up a Ball by Sitting on It
The best method to know whether your exercise ball is the right size is to sit on it.
Sit with your spine straight, your feet should be flat on the ground, your knees have to be at a 90-degree angle, and your thighs should be parallel to the ground to let your hip be level or a little greater than your knees.
If the ball is too small, your knee angle will be less than 90 degrees, compromising your hip position.
Here are our top three recommended balls if you don’t own one already.
Size up a Ball With Your Height
The exercise ball should be at your knee level when standing beside it.
You can also use the sitting test to pick a ball in proportion to your height.
The following table can also help you:
| Height | Exercise Ball Size |
| Under 5′ | 45 cm |
| 5′ to 5’5″ | 55 cm |
| 5’6 to 6’2″ | 65 cm |
| Over 6’2″ | 75 cm |
Size up a Ball With Your Arms
You can also use the length of your arm to buy the right size ball.
For this purpose, measure the length of your shoulder to your fingertips.
This method is more accurate than sizing up the exercise ball with your leg length since leg length differs among individuals.
Use the following table to select the ball with the right size based on your arm length:
| Height | Exercise Ball Size |
| 22″ to 25-½.” | 55 cm |
| 26″ to 31-½.” | 65 cm |
| 31-¾” to 35-½.” | 75 cm |
This is because the ball may become more compressed and the angle of your knees could go less than 90 degrees.
Also, pick a durable ball with high resistance that won’t burst soon.
How Much Weight Can an Exercise Ball Hold? 🦾
The weight limit for most standard exercise balls is 250 pounds.
These balls are sufficient for light workouts, such as basic aerobic exercises.
But you may need a stronger ball if you perform heavier exercises or exercises involving weights like dumbells or kettlebells.
Here are our top three recommended adjustable kettlebells if you need new weights for your exercises.
Some exercise ball models are burst-resistant and can support greater weights.
These balls have two weight limits: static weight and body weight.
Static weight means the amount of weight the ball can support while the user is not moving.
Bodyweight means the amount of weight the ball supports during the exercise.
For example, an exercise ball might have a static weight limit of 2200 pounds and a bodyweight limit of 500 pounds.
Remember only to use an exercise ball that supports your weight.
Is My Exercise Ball Inflated Enough? 🤔
You should inflate the exercise ball based on the optimal diameter of the ball you purchase (featured on the package).
If the ball is properly inflated, it’ll compress about 6 inches when you sit on it or 2 inches when you press it with your fingers.
If it’s compressed more, it’s under-inflated, and you need to inflate it to provide more balance while using it.
If it’s compressed less, it’s overly inflated, and it’s more likely to burst, which could cause injuries. In this case, you would need to deflate the overly inflated ball before using it.
How to Inflate My Exercise Ball? 🙄
You can use an air pump for the exercise ball inflation.
Some exercise balls have a small hand air pump in their package.
You can also use a mattress pump, bicycle pump, reversed air blower, and air compressor with the appropriate adapter that matches the exercise ball.
If your exercise ball doesn’t have a pump, then be sure to check out our top three recommended exercise ball pumps below.
A ball’s optimal diameter is its height while fully inflated.
You can find the recommended diameter on the package of your exercise ball.
Some exercise balls have a thin plastic strip in their package with holes in each end.
Put the air pump nozzle through both holes so that the strip hangs the air nozzle in the form of a loop.
Then, inflate the ball, and as it gets bigger, place the strap around the ball. Continue to inflate until the ball shapes the strip into a full circle.
Now, the ball has reached the optimal diameter.
Another way to measure whether the ball has reached the optimal diameter is to place two boxes, chairs, etc., separated at a distance of the optimal diameter.
Then, put the ball between the boxes and inflate it until each end of the ball touches the boxes.
This time allows the ball to balance its air based on the changes in the atmospheric pressure and temperature of the environment you’re keeping it in.
Don’t overinflate the exercise ball if it’s below 20 degrees celsius.
It needs more air to fill it when the temperature is low and the air molecules are compressed.
So, it may burst when the room becomes warmer and the air pressure in the ball increases.
Why Does My Exercise Ball Lose Air? 😮
Your exercise ball may lose air when you inflate it.
Overinflation puts too much pressure on the ball and forces the air plug to become loose and leak air.
Another reason that your ball deflates may be due to frequent use.
The same thing happens when heavier individuals use the ball.
Also, as the ball ages, its plastic material becomes thin. So, it’s more likely that it bursts or deflates.
Sometimes the plug is damaged and causes the ball to deflate.
The damaged plug may be due to the manufacturer’s fault, or the user damaged it.
Exercise balls can lose air in low temperatures as the pressure inside the ball decreases in cold weather.
Also, when the atmospheric pressure decreases, the ball may deflate.
A puncture or tear in the exercise ball also causes it to lose air and deflate.
You can search for the air leak to determine whether your ball size shrinks due to holes.
Conclusion 🤗
How do I know if my exercise ball is too small?
You can check the size of your exercise ball by sitting on it and measuring how deep it compresses.
You can also stand near it and measure it according to your height or use your arms to measure the distance between your shoulder and fingertips.
The standard exercise balls support a weight of 250 pounds. However, some models can hold greater weights, up to 500 pounds.
You have to inflate the exercise ball to its optimal diameter. Otherwise, they can deflate if they are overinflated, frequently used, have a damaged air plug, are at low temperature and pressure, or have a puncture.
Last update on 2022-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
