Hi Debbie,
Here are a few tips, first get the biggest ball the gym has, the bigger the better. As that equals to more stable without having to work so hard with it. As you can put more of your body on it, which means more weight and less likely to move. I know the big ball doesn't look so good if you fall, as it's as it's further from the ground, but it's a whole lot easier to balance. I started out with 75 cm with a broken back and never fell off it. And even today with my rehab clients, I drag out that big ball, and have them use that one, as it is so much easier for them to control, as they can put more of their weight into, and if you over correct which everyone does when they first start on a ball, the bigger ball can take the over correction where as the smaller ones if you over correct, it turns into a cycle, of weight to the right, weight to the left, weight to the right trying to stay on.
But the most important thing is just to get use to it. Sit down, and roll down to where your in a table top position and then back up, and once you get really good at then, then roll down to where only the bottom of your shoulder blades rest on the ball, with the all the body above the shoulder blades on the ball as well, but this is to get you where you really control that ball, and use that core. Your core is your friend, especially on the ball as it was made to engage the core continuously. Also do get a ball to practice on at home, I tell all my clients to, as it's just to hard to get use it, one or two days a week. You get good by the end of Monday workout and if you are still learning with the ball if you don't come back until Wednesday, you get to start all over.
And to start with, if your not use to the ball, is to sit on it and do and upper body workout on it. Feet shoulder width apart or better, depending on your ball and balance. The ball will move a little and bounce, as it will be taking a lot of that impact from those weights you'll moving about. Also if you ever have lower back trouble, this is the prefect thing to take that negative impact and the lower back with be much happier with you. But right now this is just for you to get use to the ball bouncing and taking the impact, and being able to control it, with your core and lower body. As it's much easier to sit and control then to lay on it and try to control, as it bounces when you do a crunch, and it will, at normal speed a crunch will have a little bit of negative impact and that ball will giggle and bounce just slightly, and if you can get use to it sitting up, it makes it a lot easier when your laying on it. So if you work with dumb bells at the gym try an upper body routine on it, and see how well you do with keeping the ball under control and under your glutes.
You can even practice a bit at home or at the gym without the ball. Just get on your matt, and do crunches, but tighten the lower body and hold yourself completely still except for your upper body that is currently going up and down by the pull of your abs. Most of us are a bit of wiggle worms when doing ab work and wiggle, the ball enhances this and well makes it harder to stay on. So try to make sure your not a wiggle worm to start with and you won't be moving half way across the gym on your ball, once you get your balance.
Also you may want to wear a t-shirt type material when working on the ball I've found this is the best material, workout clothes that have spandex, you'll usually slide off the ball even on a good day. Also take a good look at the type of ball your going to get. Some are super slick, and even if you have your shirt off, you'll be on the floor in half a second. Others will grab skin like crazy, and are a killer to work on if you like tank tops or just a sports bra to work in. As they'll constantly pinch and grab skin and you'll have a nice red back and tummy by the end of the workout. I ordered a set that did that a couple weeks ago and had to send them back as no one would even touch them after the first time.
Good luck and also remember you should feel a little off balance on the ball that is normal and a good thing as that will make you work your core even subconsciously as your body and mind doesn't like feeling off balance that is what part of the job of the ball is suppose to do.
Kit
