The Body Sculpture Gym Ball is a no-frills option for larger users that’s suitable for travel or occasional use for most mobility exercises…

The Body Sculpture Gym Ball is an affordable piece of home gym equipment and one of the best exercise balls, particularly for occasional use, or when you need to deflate it between sessions. It pumps up quickly with the included hand pump and stays that way with a secure valve (there’s a spare one in the box too). 

Men’s Fitness verdict

If you want a gym ball to take on your travels or to the gym, this Body Sculpture one should fit the bill. It’s lightweight and quick and easy to inflate, but unlikely to stand up to weights work.
Pros
  • Smooth and comfortable
  • Pump is inlcuded
Cons
  • Low upper weight limit
  • Only one size

How we test the best exercise balls

Our testers used each exercise ball as part of their day-to-day fitness routine for at least a month. They tested them during bodyweight workouts, resistance weight training and mobility work and judged them on their firmness, durability and comfort – taking price, maximum load, ease of inflation and colour/size options and accessories into account when awarding a final score.

Made from sturdy yet flexible PVC, the Body Sculpture Gym Ball doesn’t emanate the nasty niffs you’d normally associate with the stuff. Despite the raised ring bands, the ball has a soft and smooth texture, too, which feels comfortable against the skin but can get slippery when sweaty.  

Body Sculpture Gym Ball features

It also comes with detailed instructions and tips for best results – useful if you’re new to using exercise balls. The instructions provide three upper- and lower-body exercises too, to get you started. It only comes in one size – 65cm – which makes it suitable for users over 6ft as well as those of average height. However, smaller guys may be better off with a 55cm alternative.

What’s more limiting is its load capacity, which is just 220lb (100kg). Bearing in mind the TRX Stability Ball can withstand nearly five times that weight, it’s not one you’ll want to use dumbbells on. It does seem an odd choice for Body Sculpture to make a gym ball sized to accommodate taller users but then to have such a restrictive weight limit.

There are no colour options either, but the blue is a welcome alternative to the usual black or grey options. Overall it’s fairly firm and comfortable, and will allow you to perform unweighted exercises with confidence. It’s an affordable option for all mobility, stretching and yoga workouts, though perhaps not the most secure if you tend to work up a sweat.

Sizes:65cm / 25.6in
Pump included:Yes
Weight limit:100kg / 220lb
Colour:Blue

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Words: Lucy Miller