What Size Exercise Ball to Buy Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Pilates Equipment and Apparel How to Find the Right Size Exercise Ball for You By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 30, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Kristin McGee, CPT Reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Print Paul Bradbury / Caiaimage / Getty Images Exercise balls, or stability balls, are useful for workouts or for use as a chair. They add a core stability challenge to just about any exercise. It is essential to get the correct exercise ball size for your body and purpose. Making sure that the size and firmness of your exercise ball is appropriate will provide an optimal workout. Exercise Ball Size Chart Choose an exercise ball size that is proportional to your height. You want to be able to sit on your ball with your legs at a 90-degree angle or slightly more, but not less. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground or angled slightly down. With your feet flat on the floor and spine straight (not leaning forward, backward, or sideways), your knees should be even with or slightly lower than your hips. Use this guide from the American Council on Exercise when choosing a stability ball. Height Exercise Ball Size Under 5' 45 cm Between 5’ and 5’5” 55 cm Between 5’6 and 6’2” 65 cm Over 6’2” 75 cm Getting the right exercise ball for your weight also matters. If you are heavy for your height, you may need a larger ball to keep your knees and legs at the correct angle. Look for a durable, thick ball with high burst resistance. Check the weight rating on the ball before buying. How to Choose and Use an Exercise Ball Exercise Ball Inflation For most exercise purposes, you want to have a little give on the surface of the ball. When you sit on the exercise ball, your body weight should create a little seat. This provides more stability, but more importantly, it allows you to sit evenly on the ball. It is essential to exercise with good alignment. The more inflated the ball is, the more difficult it will be to balance on it, whether sitting or in another position. So inflation is a matter of preference, but avoid inflating the ball so far that it is at risk of bursting. Your ball may require reinflation from time to time. Most are sold with a small pump for this purpose. What to Do With Your Exercise Ball Exercise balls are highly versatile as an inexpensive, easy-to-use home workout tool. Exercise balls are particularly beneficial for improving core strength and stability. Try stretches on the ball for balance and stability. Use your ball for Pilates or yoga. Do a beginner strength workout. Target your core with ball exercise moves. Try using a ball for active sitting in place of a chair. Work your abs, hips, and thighs all at once. 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Council on Exercise. Strengthen your abdominals with stability balls. By Marguerite Ogle MS, RYT Marguerite Ogle is a freelance writer and experienced natural wellness and life coach, who has been teaching Pilates for more than 35 years. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles The Best Exercise Balls, Recommended and Tested by Experts in Our Lab What is the Weight Limit on an Exercise Ball? 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