For many across the nation, exercise balls are helping in the struggle to stay fit, agile and comfortable: in varying routines, these simple tools help with core body strength, alleviating some types of lower back pain, and helping to develop poise and flexibility.

But for others, the exercise ball is something that stays in a box, on a shelf somewhere.  Why?  It might be that the buyers were “too busy” to get from the buying to the using of their fitness gear...or it might be something a little more complicated.  Here are some ways to ensure that you will make the leap from taking home an exercise ball to actually using one.

Choose the Right Size

To some, it doesn’t make a huge difference, but experts have rated sizes of exercise balls according to body height.  Anyone under about 5’4” has the best shot with a 55cm ball, those over 6 feet should use a 75cm ball, and for those in between, a 65cm ball is suggested.

Blow it Up

Inflate your exercise ball as soon as you walk in the door.  Also, keep the pump handy, so that in case of periodic deflation from wear, you can re-up and keep right on going.

Keep your Exercise Ball Handy

Make sure you stow your ball directly near your workout space, whether you are using it in a “home gym” type setup or for daily use in an office or other space.  Consider using the exercise ball and other tools right in the place where you spend most of your time: multitudes of commuters and overworked Americans are re-inventing themselves by challenging commonly held assumptions about the “proper” role of a fitness workout in the work day.

Dress Out when Possible

Another aspect of getting use out of the ball is wearing the clothes that make you feel comfortable doing the activities you have selected.  Now, if you’re sitting on the ball, it doesn’t matter so much what you’re wearing (although watch out for sharp objects that can puncture a ball!), but if you will be doing stretches, etc. the ideal setup is shorts or loose pants, comfortable shoes, etc.  Think carefully about how you can best keep your dress out clothes on hand to make the change easier at any time during the day.

Get Down with the Ball

Here’s another common hindrance in exercise ball use: in fact, this may be more common than you would think.  If somebody bought an exercise ball, they’ll be okay with using it, right?

Not so fast: a lot of random thought processes might come into play with this type of purchase.  It might sound like a good idea, but when the reality is staring you in the face, the situation might be different.  What I’m talking about is that, through various kinds of social conditioning, we may have very vague, fundamental issues with taking that first step: getting down to the level of the ball, and interacting with it.

This has a lot to do with the fact that humans have gradually “bred” a lot of physical movement out of our average experience.  If you are using an exercise ball in the office, for example, it may seem completely counter-intuitive to break out some of the moves you see so expertly displayed in yoga magazines or fitness DVDs.

So just take a moment when the ball is fully inflated to get down at ground level and play around with your new “toy”. Try to be uninhibited as you experiment with how you will use this ball for presses, stretches, etc.  You’ll find that this quick “intro” makes it much easier to engage the ball for the first time when you really want to work out.

Record Activities

Along with the above tips, it’s always a good idea to strive for consistence: find an ideal time of day, length of session, etc. and stick to it!  Write down all of your fitness details to keep an accurate journal of what’s been done, so that you can measure it against any visible benefits.

With this in mind, you should be able to reap rewards with the exercise ball and get your money’s worth instead of keeping your ball as a “collectible”!