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On A Roll

The resistance and balance movements are coming home

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Balance pods from SPRI help improve coordination and body awareness. Wobble and Rocker boards by Thera-Band are made of plastic with non-skid surfaces. Harbinger's resistance tubes come in various levels of intensity.

BALLS, BANDS AND balancing boards are, well, bountiful in the fitness market these days and bounding all the way into our homes.

Physical therapists and team trainers have used resistance training and balance work for a long time to build core strength and develop mechanical integration. Now health clubs and personal trainers are increasingly incorporating foam rollers, BOSU balls, stretching bands and weighted balls into workouts. And after surveying fitness professionals, the nonprofit American Council on Exercise predicted that balance training would be this year's top fitness trend.

These items are popular home paraphernalia because they are compact, surprisingly versatile and easy to figure out. They also are handy for mini-workouts, which sometimes is all our busy days allow. Fitness companies continue to feed the appetite by tweaking and morphing the tried-and-true, writing books and filming videos that highlight how the gadgets can be incorporated into workouts.

"I think we're seeing that as the typical health-club member becomes more mature — the baby boomers, say — they get a better understanding and appreciation of the importance of dynamic balancing activities," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at ACE.

Yet, consumers don't always seem to know the best ways to use them to not only maximize the potential but stay safe. The key word is "progression." Bryant sees signs that some everyday (make that once a week) athletes are being challenged too much too quickly with movements traditionally geared for top athletes.

"Always master a technique on solid ground," Bryant says. "Once you get the muscular control, gradually increase the challenge. Try the move on one leg. Once you've got that down, then maybe try doing it on a ball or wobble board."

Thera-Band, a division of the Hygenic Corp., is a longtime player in this market. It maintains a Web site, www.thera-bandacademy.com, that provides downloadable exercises that combine various pieces of equipment and explanations on how to use the devices to train specific body parts or to prepare for certain sports. Spri Products, www.spriproducts.com, and Harbinger Fitness, www.harbingerfitness.com, also have helpful Web sites.

Thera-Band is best known for its bands and tubing, but also offers a wide range of balancing products. The latest additions to its line of progressive balance-training products are the Rocker and Wobble boards. These devices are often used in clinical and training settings to strengthen knees and core stabilizing muscles as well as to increase ankle range of motion and flexibility and train sensory systems. The Rocker Board rocks side-to-side while the Wobble Board moves in multiple directions. The boards are sold through Thera-Band distributors. Seattle's Theratek USA (206-781-1776) distributes the products in this area.

Physical therapist Phillip Page, who worked as a summer intern for the Seahawks under Chuck Knox, co-wrote a book, "Strength Band Training" (Human Kinetics, $17.95), which explains more than 100 exercises. Tubes often have handles and are generally used for the upper body. Bands are usually wrapped around hands or feet or another device and, like tubes, come in varying degrees of tension. Page urges people to inspect the bands for nicks or tears and make sure that the device is connected to an object, like a doorjamb, and is secure. Perform moves at a controlled pace.

A good book on how to use a Swiss Ball is "Exercise Ball for Beginners" (HarperCollins, $21.95). The moves are clearly explained and nicely illustrated. Productive Fitness Products of Blaine has a handy booklet, "The Great Balance & Stability Handbook," $8.95, that illustrates a series of exercises for novices and more advanced movements.

Fabio Comana, an exercise physiologist for ACE, is enthusiastic about the trend because the devices help take adults back to the basics of connecting with their bodies. "Kids spend a lot of time learning these skills," he says. "They spend a lot of time on coordination and balance training. This sort of training builds us from the inside out, like a building needs to be."

Richard Seven is a Pacific Northwest magazine staff writer. He can be reached at rseven@seattletimes.com.