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Swiss Ball Squat: Love it or Hate it?
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okage
Level 4

Join date: Jan 2012
Location:
Posts: 284



There was a time when my Olympic lifting coach made me do this. I got to this point once, we would do swiss ball training as a cooldown workout. eventually I felt like pushing the limits. My best was 95 overhead snatch on top of a swiss ball.

I thought all the strong men might enjoy something new to think about. So do you love it or hate it??

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okage
Level 4

Join date: Jan 2012
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Posts: 284

Theres plenty you can do on top of a swiss Ball. this is dope, just wish he would bend his knees more and get deeper into his squat. Med ball rotation with a throw is also a great one if you got a partner. Love ore hate?



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louiek
Level 0

Join date: Nov 2011
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 637

Looks pretty stupid to me. I know a strong as fuck football coach who does bodyweight squats on those every so often, but doing weighted movements on top of them looks unnecessary.

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okage
Level 4

Join date: Jan 2012
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Posts: 284

louiek wrote:
Looks pretty stupid to me. I know a strong as fuck football coach who does bodyweight squats on those every so often, but doing weighted movements on top of them looks unnecessary.


lol

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anonymous_burn
Level 0

Join date: Dec 2010
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posts: 94

Barbell squatting on top of a swiss ball is retarded and dangerous.

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shorty_blitz
Level 0

Join date: Nov 2002
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Posts: 319

I'm no expert but no Olympic coach with an iota of common sense would ever make his athletes do this, not even for fun. I can jump onto a Swiss ball and do body weight squats on it, think of it as a little fun circus trick or what have you but doing it with a weight is silly and has no place in strongman or Olympic lifting.

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Chris Colucci
Level 5

Join date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, USA
Posts: 5271

okage wrote:
There was a time when my Olympic lifting coach made me do this. I got to this point once, we would do swiss ball training as a cooldown workout. eventually I felt like pushing the limits. My best was 95 overhead snatch on top of a swiss ball.

Can I just remind you that you've had two knee surgeries and deal with chronic knee pain at the age of 22. Dude, please put two and two together.

Swiss balls are a tool, and they can be effective for certain goal under certain conditions. Standing atop a ball is one thing, and might fit into a plan for an athlete who needs to.... function... on unstable surfaces (like, I guess, a competitive surfer might), but loading those exercises should be reserved for the very advanced, if ever at all.

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Zerpp
Level 0

Join date: Nov 2011
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Posts: 259

I don't see how this is useful. seems too dangerous to even try.

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pgtips
Level 0

Join date: Aug 2011
Location: England
Posts: 951

Anyone stupid enough to do back squats or snatches on a ball deserves to fall off it just for my personal amusement.

Seriously though, rather than it actually having any benefit, its just a cool little party trick.

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okage
Level 4

Join date: Jan 2012
Location:
Posts: 284

Chris Colucci wrote:
okage wrote:
There was a time when my Olympic lifting coach made me do this. I got to this point once, we would do swiss ball training as a cooldown workout. eventually I felt like pushing the limits. My best was 95 overhead snatch on top of a swiss ball.

Can I just remind you that you've had two knee surgeries and deal with chronic knee pain at the age of 22. Dude, please put two and two together.

Swiss balls are a tool, and they can be effective for certain goal under certain conditions. Standing atop a ball is one thing, and might fit into a plan for an athlete who needs to.... function... on unstable surfaces (like, I guess, a competitive surfer might), but loading those exercises should be reserved for the very advanced, if ever at all.


Agreed, I just remembered he made me do it for football training when I was 16... Thought Id put it out there, I am no where near putting myself in that position. It was more of a memory of how nice it was to have good knees.

No I think i will continue to work my knee strength on the ground. I have slowed down a lot since talking to you Chris. Thank you as always for your insight, concern but also your understanding. You never put anything down, but point out the pros and cons you notice. Very admirable.

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Bujo
Level 4

Join date: Jan 2006
Location: Louisiana, USA
Posts: 2226

Yeah, I've got zero inclination to stand on one of those with or without barbell. However, I will say some of the most punishing workouts I ever endured involved only the use of a swiss ball. Granted, it was a 65cm ball filled with water, but that's neither here nor there.

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wannaberocky1992
Level 0

Join date: Feb 2012
Location:
Posts: 27

It looks really REALLY stupid, 'nough said.

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