The average person spends a good part of their day stabilized by exterior objects. You can go from sitting at your desk for nine hours to commuting in your car to sitting on your couch. So it's no surprise that in many people the body's internal stabilizers--the abdominals--are underdeveloped. Performing exercises specifically meant to strengthen these muscles is a good idea, and performing them on an unstable surface like a stability ball is an even better one. The stability ball ensures that your entire core is engaged, increasing the efficiency and practicality of your workout.
Ball Crunch
The most basic stability ball exercise is the ball crunch. But just because it's basic doesn't mean it's ineffective. A study published in the May/June 2001 issue of "ACE Fitness Matters," a study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise found that performing crunches on a stability ball activated 40 to 50 percent more muscle than performing them on the ground. To do a ball crunch, sit on a stability ball. Walk your feet forward until the ball supports your mid back. Place your fingertips behind your ears and crunch forward, tilting your ribcage towards your pelvis. Hold the contraction, then release. If you concentrate on contracting hard with every rep, you should only be able to do 20 to 30 per set. To increase stability, place your feet in a wider stance. To decrease stability and increase difficulty, place them narrower.
Ball Rollout
The ball rollout works the latissimus dorsi of the back, the front hip flexors and especially the lower abs. To perform a ball rollout, kneel on the ground, resting your forearms on a stability ball with your palms together. Roll forward so that your arms, torso and thighs almost make a straight line. The ball will roll along your arms to your elbows. Pause for a moment, then use your abs to roll back to a kneeling position. Perform sets of 10 to 20 reps. "Swiss Ball for Total Fitness" explains that you should tilt your pelvis so that your back doesn't arch. Keeping a slightly rounded back during abdominal exercises protects the spine.
Plate Twists
The plate twist is a very effective exercise for developing your oblique muscles. By twisting in a controlled manner on an unstable surface, you strengthen the muscles that protect your spine from injury during daily activity. To perform a plate twist, sit on a stability ball while holding a weight plate or medicine ball. Walk your feet forward until the stability ball supports your mid back, the same position you take to perform ball crunches. Hold the weight away from your torso, and slowly twist to your left side. The ball will roll under you, so pay attention to your balance. Hold for a moment, then roll back up and over to your right side. A twist to each side equals one rep. Perform sets of 10 to 20 reps. Once you can perform 20 reps, hold a heavier weight.
Ball Pass
The "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding" describes the ball pass as one of the most difficult and also one of the most effective abdominal exercises there is, so you may have to work your way up to it. To perform a ball pass, lie on your back on the ground holding your stability ball overhead. Crunch your chest up while at the same time performing a leg lift. Pass the ball from your hands to between your legs. Straighten back out. Perform the same movement to pass the ball back from your legs to your hands. Each pass is one rep. Perform sets of 10 reps.
References
- "ACE Fitness Matters"; New Study Puts the Crunch on Ineffective Ab Exercises; Mark Anders; May/June 2001
- "Swiss Ball for Total Fitness"; James Milligan; 2005
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding"; Robert Kennedy; 2008
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