Abdominal Exercises Using A Ball

The abdominal muscles are many people's favorite area to exercise, as well as their least favorite. Everyone wants flat abs, but countless sit-ups can be painful and boring. Shake up your routine by adding a stability or exercise ball. Not only will you work your abs, but you may just have a ball.

Side Wall Crunch

The side wall crunch on a stability ball targets the abs and obliques. The obliques are actually stomach muscles, too, but the term abs often refers to the rectus abdominus and transverse abdominus muscles. With this exercise, you begin lying on the ball sideways. Touch your feet to a wall with your legs straight for balance. Hands go behind the head with elbows open wide. Although you begin sideways, you rotate your upper body as you lift toward the ceiling. If you are lying on your right side, your right hip touches the ball and your right foot is in front of your left on the floor and against the wall. You lift upwards and to the left. Repeat lying on the opposite side.

Full Range Crunch

The full range crunch exercise on a stability ball works the abdominals and the lower back. The round surface of the ball lets your lower back arch gently in the beginning of the exercise, which then allows you to lift your upper body through a greater range of motion than if you were lying on a flat floor. To do this exercise, lie face up on the ball with your feet on the floor and your knees at 90 degrees. You may place your toes against a wall for an easier time balancing on the ball. Cross your arms on your chest and lean back until your back is supported on the ball and you are looking at the ceiling. From there, squeeze your abs, lift your chest up and curl your back, which will bring your head and shoulders up as well but without pulling from the neck. Lift up to 45 degrees and then slowly lie back down.

Straight-Body Oblique Crunch

The straight-body oblique crunch works the upper abs and the obliques. The transverse abdominis is utilized to keep your back down as you lie face up with your legs straight. Rotation of the torso hits your obliques and also challenges the transverse abdominis. An upper body crunch works the upper portion of the rectus abdominis, though the lower part is utilized as well. To perform this exercise, lie on your back and hold a ball on the floor above your head. Hold the sides of the ball so your palms face inward. Keep your shoulders down and your legs straight. Then, raise your chest and bring your arms toward the ceiling. Twist to the left and then return to the floor. Crunch up again and twist right.