Thera-Band exercise balls range in size from 45 cm to 85 cm, and they are made out of durable rubber material. Once you inflate your ball and pop in the plug, use it to do body-weight and dumbbell exercises. When working out, focus on building strength, balance and flexibility.
Chest Dumbbell Exercises
Chest presses and dumbbell flys work the middle and inner part of the chest muscles, known anatomically as the pectorals. To do chest presses, sit on the ball with the dumbbells held in your hands and placed on top of your thighs. Slowly walk your feet forward as you roll down the ball and lift the weights above you. Once your shoulders are planted on the ball and your head is slightly elevated, lift your hips up to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. This is a bench position. With your palms facing your knees, slowly lower the weights to your sides until your upper arms parallel the floor. Push the dumbbells back up and repeat.
Perform dumbbell fly exercises from the same starting position, except turn your palms so they face each other. Slightly bend your elbows and maintain that bend as you lower the weights to your sides and push them back up.
Back Extension with Leg Raise
Back extensions with leg raises work your lower spinal erector muscles in your back, as well as your glutes. While lying face-down on the ball with your lower stomach and hips contacting it, extend your arms straight in front of your body. At this point, your toes should be hip-width apart on the floor, and you should have a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Lift your right leg 6 inches to 8 inches off the floor and hold for a full second. Slowly lower it down and repeat with your left leg. Alternate back and forth.
Plank Pike
The plank pike is an advanced exercise that works your upper and lower abs and shoulders. Start out with your legs together, tops of your feet on the ball and hands spaced shoulder-width apart on the floor. After raising your hips to straighten your back and get your body into a plank position, roll the ball toward your head by contracting your abs. As you do this, keep your legs, arms and back straight and stop when your body forms an acute angle. Slowly roll the ball back out and repeat.
If you are really up for a challenge, perform push-ups when your body moves back into the plank position.
One-Leg Squats
One-leg ball squats require the use of a wall. Stand next to the wall with your left side pinching the ball against the wall and your left leg lifted off the floor. Your left knee should be bent at this point and your lower leg should be behind your body. Slowly lower yourself down by bending your right knee. Once your thigh parallels the floor, stand back up. After doing a set of reps, switch sides.
Ab Stretch
The abdominal stretch is performed from a face-up position, and it also stretches the chest muscles. Lie on the ball and walk your feet backward so your body arches over the top of the ball. When doing this, extend your arms out at your sides and feel the stretch in your chest and abs. To stretch the obliques, which are found on the sides of the stomach, lie sideways on the ball, roll back slightly and allow your body to bend laterally.
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