Swiss Ball Training (no ball)-The C.H.E.K. Institute

Developed by Paul Chek, the pioneer of Swiss Ball training for athletes, this course will teach you how to use this excellent tool to improve balance, posture and dynamic strength, plus train righting and tilting reactions. Used in rehabilitation since the 1960’s, Swiss balls are now becoming popular in training environments. There are literally hundreds of uses beyond performing a crunch over the ball! However, as with any training tool correct usage is essential to achieve the results you are seeking. In this comprehensive, highly practical course the personal trainer, athlete, athletic trainer and/or strength coach will learn:

The science behind the application of Swiss balls.
How to choose the correct size of Swiss ball for optimum training.
Stretching techniques
Beginner to advanced level exercises for the upper and lower back, abdominals, shoulder girdle, gluteals, hip musculature and lower limbs are included. The exercises cover the entire spectrum of intensity and complexity from the novice exerciser to those appropriate for elite athletes.
Well explained precautions for orthopedic conditions.

The C.H.E.K Institute DVDs are formatted for Region 0, which means they will likely play in all DVD players regardless of country of origin, unless the player is an older model, which is generally considered to be more than five years old. If you have an older player, you may need to upgrade to a newer model to play these DVDs.

Need CEC's quick? This exam is now available online! Call 800-552-8789 for more details, or email educate@chekinstitute.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are weights used in any of the DVDs?
The DVDs featured in the Swiss Ball Training Correspondence Course only use the exerciser’s body weight as resistance, but many of the exercises are challenging nonetheless. Each exercise has two variations, beginner and advanced. This allows the viewer to progress from more basic exercises to more challenging ones before adding any external type of resistance with the exercises. For Swiss Ball exercises using external resistance (weights), we recommend our DVD series Strong ‘N’ Stable.

How long will it take to complete?
C.H.E.K Institute recommendation – 10 hours

This is dependent on the person taking the course and the reasons they are taking it. Some people only needing Continuing Education Credits will watch the DVDs once through and successfully pass the test. Other people who are more interested in learning the information or are interested in taking it as a prerequisite for Level 1 of the C.H.E.K Certification Program will sometimes watch the DVDs 2-3 times through. Given that there are over 2 hours of program in this course, it will take at least this long to complete. All this being said, we recommend that people spend 10 hours studying the course materials and practicing the exercises before taking the test.

I’ve used a Swiss ball before. Will I learn anything new from this course?
Regardless of the amount of knowledge you have about Swiss balls and their role in exercise, it is highly likely you will learn much more than you previously knew. If you are unfamiliar with Paul Chek’s Swiss ball exercises, they are far more innovative and challenging than many of the exercises you may see people performing in a gym. Additionally, two of the tapes include an instructional section where Paul leads the viewer through the do’s and don’ts of his Swiss ball exercises. These sections alone are worth the cost of the course in that they are valuable instructional tools teaching the viewer proper exercise technique for even a seasoned Swiss ball user.

Which DVD do I watch first?
We recommend beginning with the DVD Swiss Ball Exercises for Better Abs, Buns and Backs. We consider it our “entry-level” program suitable for people who are relatively new to exercise or have not used a Swiss ball before. Even people that have used a Swiss ball before can benefit from the advanced variations of the exercises presented on this DVD.