We want to shed some light on the top 10 ways to use a yoga ball that's—get this—not exercise.

By using your yoga ball in new and exciting ways, your space may just feel like new again.

If you like to shop fair trade and also have that extra boho flair that brought you to Global Groove Life’s website then you probably already have an unique home design theme going on. Cheers to that - good for you!

Circular seating continues to build interest in your space and provides seating options that alter from the norm (always a good thing with the bohemian crowd).

Functional And Fun

Need additional seating? Roll in some balance balls from the office or studio instead of having your guest “pull up a chair.” This is way easier to do than carrying chairs around to move them - and it works especially well if you have multiple areas of the house that are used for socializing with people.

Red Flower of Life Cover

Gone are the days of uncomfortable office chairs. If you work from home or are otherwise spending a lot of time sitting at a table or desk then you should really try sitting on a yoga ball. They’re quite comfortable and you can easily find wheeled bases that keep them more stable beneath you if straight up sitting on a ball sounds like a bit of a challenge.

Here are three of our top reasons why we recommend using a balance ball as your new favorite chair:

1. You’ll experience a new level of comfort while sitting on a balance ball! 


Say goodbye to uncomfortable wooden chairs and other unforgiving materials and hello to a flexible, responsive seat. The slight bounce that the ball provides allows you to make constant micro-adjustments instead of stagnating in the same position for hours at a time.

Although sitting in one single position may seem like it would be more comfortable, studies have proven that staying sedentary hour after hour (for example while working, watching TV, or scrolling through the internet) can lead to potentially lethal complications! Sitting on a yoga ball is a simple way to keep your body and life force energy moving.

2. It’s good for you!

We know, we know - we sound like your mother responding to child you when you asked her why you need to eat your vegetables! We’re not trying to dredge up old memories … but just like your mama we see the importance of looking out for your health and wellbeing!

Balancing on a yoga ball strengthens your core muscles. You know, the ones in your stomach, sides, and back that keep you moving around with ease (or not depending on the state of your core). Maintaining a strong core is very important to your overall balance and range of motion. So we’re big fans of anything that can be done to keep this part of the body toned.

3. A new perspective!

You probably know by now how passionate we are GGL are about gaining new perspectives - on everything from style to life. If you are desk-bound for a large part of the day then you could probably benefit from the change of perspective that replacing your desk chair with a balance ball will bring you.

Cobalt Geometric Cover

Changing your point of view can really transform your whole mindset and therefore your entire day! You can funnel your newfound energy and enthusiasm into more productivity and efficiency.

Style It

Naturally as a bohemian (i.e. individual with a strong sense of self and personal expression) you’ll want to explore the unique style opportunities that come along with using yoga balls as seating. Global Groove Life has so many options to transform your balance ball from blah to chic.

Plum Geometric Ball Cover

Want to use your ball as an accent piece? Choose a brightly colored or a boldly patterned yoga ball cover. Here are a few of our favorites below.

Orange Rhapsody cover

Tribal Sand Cover

Alternately, you may want to be able to use the balance ball as a chair in multiple rooms and as a workout tool in your studio. In that case you couldchoose a few different covers - or - go for a more neutral tone.

Black Flower of Life Cover

Olive Geometric Cover

We’re sure that you’ll find your perfect groove however you choose to use and decorate your balance balls. Send in photos of how you’re using your yoga ball in your space - we’d love to see it!

Amara Evans is a vibrational healer, collective consciousness-raiser, writer, and devotee of the Goddess. She loves to connect with her global community through writing and speaking about important topics like the environment, spirituality, and fair trade.

Embrace a boho chic style that expresses your unique tastes and inspirations. You can live the life you love while you’re globe-trotting and when you’re enjoying the comforts of home by incorporating vibrant decor into your space!

La Vie Boheme

Stereotypes about the bohemian lifestyle abound. Writer Sarah Thornton reminds us that “Parisians originally adopted the term, associated with nomadic Gypsies, to describe artists and writers who stayed up all night and ignored the pressures of the industrial world.”

The best thing about this style? There is no “box” to stay inside of! Each bohemian space is an individual expression - as unique as the free spirits who are drawn to this type of aesthetic. You can choose to dabble with a pop of bright color or jump in fully, filling every nook and cranny with eclectic treasures.

Whether you’re redesigning your whole house or are searching for a few of the perfect accent pieces, Global Groove Life has you covered with an abundance of fair trade goods in the Home Style section of our website.

More Is More

When it comes to boho decor more is more! That means more rich textiles, more tribal accents, and more patterns can weave together to create a cozy vibe in your nest. So have fun and let your imagination soar! Experiment with introducing different combinations of hues and prints into your living space.

Adorning your space with bright colors and rounded shapes can create a haven of comfort and style. Strands of bright pompoms bring a curtain of juicy color and delightful texture to any room. Bohemian living entices us to expect the unexpected and expand our style horizons.

Mix & Match

Do you love the rich color palettes of indigenous embroidery from one part of the world and the standout patterns that create an entirely different look and feel? Great! Mixing and matching - or even clashing - are all celebrated when you choose to go with a boho decor. So go ahead, expand your sense of style.

Add one of our patterned yoga ball covers to any room and invite friends and family to find comfort in new ways when they come over for a visit. GGL has plenty of multi-tonal yoga ball cover choices that will keep you feelin groovy in your home. Your living room can be a happily full reflection of your internal joy and excitement.

Feeling inspired to recreate your living space as a plush boho wonderland? Check out these bold patterned cushion covers. There are so many ways to display your well-traveled, interesting, and ethically sound aesthetics with your home style choices!

“‘Style’ is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma,” John Fairchild. GGL encourages you to be bold, be expressive, be you!

It’s no secret that sitting in a chair all day is terrible for your spine (and soul). Solutions to this problem vary widely, from obscenely expensive ergonomic chairs to standing desks to fake sick days. Using a yoga (or exercise) ball is a popular trend, but what are the actual reasons to give one a try besides introducing a “conversation piece” to your office decor?

1. Low Cost

A decent yoga ball can cost as little as $10-15. As health/lifestyle experiments go, this is extremely low-impact both on your wallet and the effort needed to implement it.

2. The Cool Factor

OK, just because “everyone” is getting one doesn’t mean you should too, but right now, yoga balls are cool. If you bring one into work, you’re creating an opportunity to lead (or join) a healthy revolution in office culture!

3. Core Strength

Keeping a ball balanced beneath you requires coordination of your abdominals with your glutes, quads, and more, leading to improvements in strength and balance. Muscle groups required to keep your standard office chair still: zero. Need we say more?

4. Movement

Lots of people say they’re going to take a break every hour to stand up and walk around, but how often does that actually happen once you get sucked into a project at your desk? Sitting on a ball leads to movement and changes in position even when you’re not going anywhere, which is better for your circulation as well as sanity throughout the workday. Of course, you should still aim to stand up and walk around frequently as well!

5. Posture

This is a big one, not just because good posture is so important to your long term health, but also because there’s no “right” answer. Sitting on a yoga ball engages your core and shoulder muscles, encouraging you to sit up straight and alleviating the pressures on your hips and spine associated with slouching. However, research has also shown that not having arm or back rests while sitting for prolonged periods can create pressure on other areas of your spine. The truth is, sitting for eight hours just isn’t good for you! However, by alternating between a chair with good lumbar support and a yoga ball throughout the day, you can have the best of both worlds: feel great and look cool doing it.

Afraid having a giant rubber ball in your office may not fit in with the boss’s “business appropriate” decor? Better yet, are you the boss trying to lead by example with your professionalism? Cover your ball! Global Groove Life’s yoga ball covers come in a fantastic variety of designs, ensuring that you’ll find the perfect fit for your personal and professional style.

sources: livestrong.com, prevention.com

So you bought a yoga ball. Now what? The name seems to imply that there’s only one use for this magical rubber globe, but don’t worry - Global Groove Life is here to help you broaden your ball’s horizons!

The Obvious

1. Yoga:

Let’s get this one out of the way. A yoga ball is an essential tool for taking your yoga game to the next level. Check out some beginner, intermediate, and advanced moves you can do in the comfort (and style) of your own home!

2. Exercise:

The distinction between yoga and a “work-out” is not as subtle as it seems. Learn how to incorporate your exercise ball into a great core workout--Get your pilates on!

3. Stretch:

Professional athletes have a professional staff to keep them loose and limber. You have your yoga ball! Avoid muscle cramps by trying some helpful stretches with your yaga ball!

 Take a Seat

4. Desk Chair:

We’ve all heard about the benefits of incorporating a yoga ball into your seating options at work. Give it a try!

5. Table Chair:

Instead of eating so much you have to be rolled away from the dinner table, stay mindful and healthy by rolling up to the dinner table on your exercise ball!

6. Footrest:

Want to keep your feet up while working your core? Swap your ottoman out for your yoga ball and get your balance game going during a Netflix binge.

 The Home Stretch

7. Baby Bouncer:

Lots of trendy moms are turning to this fun alternative as a way of getting babies to sleep or even just to evoke that adorable giggle!

8. Physical Therapy:

Consult your doctor and/or physical therapist on this one, but yoga and/or bosu balls can be fantastic tools for getting back to your former glory.

9. Family Time:

Roll the dice and stretch your family game repertoire while stretching your muscles! Cozy & comfy or bouncy & crazy.......whichever way your family rolls, we've got the fun times covered! 

10. Style Piece:

If you think ideas 1-9 are great, and for the sake of that big rubber ball eyesore in your living room or office, elevate your style with one of our beautiful yoga ball covers!

 We know our yoga ball covers will liven up your room decor and make you smile when you see your favorite pattern! SHOP BALL COVERS HERE!

What’s in a name? We call it a yoga ball, but it’s so much more. For a tool as versatile as our favorite giant rubber spheres, it’s only fitting that there are as many as 15 recognized names for them, but how did it all start?

1. The Pezzi Ball

Whatever you call them today, a plastics manufacturer made the OG in 1963, intending it to be used as a toy. It wound up in Switzerland as a tool for patients with neuromuscular issues, where therapists and patients achieved great results.

 2. The Swiss Ball

When American physical therapists saw the benefits of the ball and brought it back to the US, they gave credit to the country where they first saw it in action.

3. Balance ball

Using a yoga ball promotes an enhanced sense of balance as you make small corrections in position to ensure you don’t roll over!

4. Stability ball

Balance and stability go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise this handle made the list. It’s also why so many people have started using yoga balls in addition to their office chairs.

5. Birthing ball

The yoga ball has helped usher thousands of baby yogis into the world, as many moms have started to turn to more natural positions and environments for the births of their children.

6. Body ball

It’s certainly not a football! The yoga ball’s size and intended use are for the health of the entire body, not just one part.

7. Fitness ball

Whether you use the ball for yoga, office furniture, or just a good old fashioned workout, the yoga ball is a great tool to help you stay in shape!

8. Gym ball

For those who opt for a more traditional gym setting, you’ll still often find a yoga ball among the free weights and other essential fitness tools.

9. Gymnastic ball

Not to be confused with the shorter “gym ball,” many gymnasts and tumblers make use of the yoga ball as well.

10. Physioball

One of the two closest links to the ball’s origin, the name physioball is a throwback to the yoga ball’s first days as a physical therapy tool.

11. Therapy ball

The other nod to the yoga ball’s origin. Of course, when you combine the two, you get physiotherapy ball!

12. Pilates ball

We may be yoga nuts over here at Global Groove Life, but we have lots of love and respect for our fellows who opt for Pilates!

13. Sports ball

Many athletic teams have found ways to incorporate the yoga ball into their routines to ensure strong, well-balanced athletes take the field on game day.

14. Swedish ball

Honestly, we did a lot of research on this one, and our conclusion is that this name just happened after enough people mistakenly said “Swedish” instead of “Swiss.” If you’ve heard otherwise, please share your knowledge in the comments!

15. Yoga ball

Our personal favorite, of course! We use the yoga ball in many of our exercises, and we love stepping up our style with Global Groove Life yoga ball covers!

What do you call your yoga ball? Share in the comments!

You probably know them as yoga balls, fitness balls, balance balls, or even birth balls. You've read the guides and watched the videos showing you how to use them, asking you to do squats, push-ups, bridges, curls, tucks and crunches. Maybe you've used yours to get your abs back, or improve your flexibility. Maybe after having one, you'd never do a workout without it. "They're so versatile!" you say, "I can use it for everything!"

It's true. They're remarkable tools. But we'll let you in on a secret: you can use them for so much more.

Let us show you five lesser known ways you can get value out of your balance ball using our yoga ball covers. We think you'll be surprised by just how useful these fitness classics can be!

1. Artful seating

Let's face it - yoga balls are ugly. They're usually a bright neon color, rubbery, sticky and big. We take our fitness balls out for exercise, and exercise only, and then promptly hide them back in the closet.  And for some, once that exercise ball is in the closet, it might never come back out again! We need the daily visual of the ball to remind us to actually use it for exercise. So how can we make a yoga ball something that we actually want to see taking up space in our homes?

Here's something that you probably haven't noticed about yoga balls:  their unique shape. "It's a sphere…lots of things are sphere," you'll say. But how often do you come across such a big, perfectly geometric shape in your daily life? Such shapes are rare, and visually appealing. Ask any interior designer. A balance ball has the ability to add a powerful dynamic to an otherwise drab room.

But of course, no matter how cool the shape, you can't call that neon, rubbery, sticky eyesore a piece of art just yet. You'll need to cover the ugly with something pretty. That's where our yoga ball covers come in. Made by local artisans in Chiang Mai Thailand, we truly believe our designs have artistic as well as functional value. Simply plop on a patterned cover or a fluffy fleece cover that matches the décor of your room, and voilà - you have a statement piece. 

2. Office Chair

We do a lot of sitting on our yoga balls when we're exercising, so why not do it while we're working too? Here are some great reasons to use your newly decorated fitness ball as an office chair:

• It's fun! Ever get bored staring at your computer screen during the afternoon slump? Do a couple bounces on your exercise ball, and get yourself moving without even getting up. We all can relate to the simply joy of bouncing… now you can do it all day long!
• It burns calories. According to a study by the European Journal of Applied Physiology, sitting on a yoga ball burns 6% more calories per day than sitting on a regular office chair.
• It improves posture. Without a back to lean on, sitting on a balance ball forces you to sit up straighter all day.
• It makes stretching easy. Use  your "seat" as a true yoga ball for stretches during breaks from work. It'll not only make you feel better, but it'll get you mind flowing quicker.
• It might even make you more productive. According to Sweat Science, in one study, men who were sitting on excercise balls typed 551 words in 20 minutes, while men who were sitting in a normal chair typed 519. 

3. Kids room decoration

Kids love yoga balls! They're fun to roll around, bounce on, and play with.  Plus, the right balance ball cover will add the perfect amount of color and excitement to your child's room.  Add some cheetah print for an animal lover, or a  bright purple fur cover for a sweet cuddle bug.

So there you have it. We hope whether you have an old yoga ball gathering dust in storage, or you've just purchased your first, you'll find our suggestions helpful in getting the most out of your fitness ball!

Global Groove has been providing color, pattern and texture options for exercise ball covers without delay.  If you are the proud owner of a 55cm, 65cm or 75cm exercise ball, then you have more than likely transformed your exercise or living space into something just a wee bit more palatable and groovy than the mood that the sticky, yucky plastic ball creates on it's own!  Maybe you have a fluffy fur exercise ball cover, or a racey animal print balance ball cover.  Maybe you've chosen a precious pink birthing ball cover, or funky swirl stretch cotton yoga ball cover.  Whatever your personal style may be, without a doubt that your personal space looks and feels a whole heap better now that your exercise ball is a functional piece of art and not an eyesore shoved behind the couch or in the closet!  

But what about your smaller folks?  You've been asking and you've been waiting and lo and behold, you have been heard!  Global Groove is happy to announce that we have introduced exercise ball covers in the 45 cm size to accommodate healthy kids' decor too!  

Remember that the 75cm covers now come in a wide variety of options, too.  So, you six footers and up, time to get stylie and groove out your exercise ball cover!  Join us in fashionable living and shop for ball covers in all sizes here.

Yoga ball covers are starting to become a really popular item here at Global Groove Life. We’ve been making them for a while now, but people are really starting to catch on to how much they can transform a room! 

See, we’re big fans of sitting on yoga balls to work. We have them in our home office, and there are a couple around the house that are used for extra seating (when they’re not being used as a yoga tool).

Yoga balls (or balance balls or exercise balls, depending on what you call them) are extremely functional. They are very versatile to use around the home, and they can really improve your body mechanics over time.

There’s just one problem.

They’re so. Damn. Ugly.

And sticky. It’s one of life’s great mysteries how the things end up with that weird tacky feeling all over them, no matter how hard you try to keep them clean.

So when we started creating yoga ball covers, it was really for us. We wanted our yoga balls to look and feel lovely every time you came across one. And as it turns out, lots of other people were in the same boat.

Since we started getting so much interest, we’ve extended our line of Fair Trade yoga ball covers significantly. They range from teen-friendly prints, to whacky patterns, to subtle and subdued - all the way up to our new luxe range.

These new luxe covers are handcrafted from Burma Silk.

We head out to Wararot Kad Luang Market and meet our long-time supplier. We chat as she measures out the hand-spun silk in 2-yard sections. It takes several of these large pieces to create one cover, and there’s a long process ahead before the final product reaches us.

Once we’ve purchased yards and yards of the Burma Silk, we carefully transport them to a village just outside Chiang Mai. We arrive at our tailor’s home and hand over the huge folds of material, which she and her team members will cut by hand into small pieces a few inches in diameter. 

Cutting completed, the Burma Silk is loaded into another truck and dispatched to even smaller villages that are even further out of Chiang Mai. There is no industry in these areas, so the arrival of the silk is an event. The tailors hustle around the truck, collecting their portion of the silk to whisk away to their sewing rooms. Ensconced by hundreds of yards of silk, they get to work, twisting each little piece of silk into a bow-shape.

After about two days of work shaping the silk, it’s time for the cover to take shape. The tailors sew up a ball cover, and then begin the long process of attaching each bow to the cover. The silk is delicate, so this process is handled with tender care, and will take the next two days.

Four days after they receive the raw Burma Silk, the tailors have each created one Burma Silk Yoga Ball Cover.

It’s a long, intensive process, and by the time that cover is dispatched back to us, they are due for a well-earned break before tackling the next cover. 

However, the cover each tailor has produced is gorgeous. They are the very top of the line in ball covers, and they are quickly snapped up by our style-conscious customers.

Do you have a yoga ball that is ruining the look of a room in your home? We’ve got plenty of new cover options available, all Fair Trade and handcrafted, and they are so varied that there will certainly be good fit for your style and decor. Check them out here!