While stability or balance balls may look like oversized beach balls, they can help you tone your muscles, improve your balance and enhance your overall fitness. Since stability balls require you to engage your core muscles to maintain your balance, you will work those muscles during all exercises on the ball.
Improve Flexibility
Use a balance ball to improve your flexibility and stretch your muscles. Sit on the stability ball and tilt your pelvis forward and back. Rotate your pelvis in small circles on the ball. Sit on the ball and walk your feet forward until the ball rests under your back. Extend your arms behind your head to stretch the back and shoulders. The American Council on Exercise suggests you use the ball to stretch your lower back as well. Lie on your back on the floor, placing your feet on the ball. Roll the ball up and toward your hips. As an alternative, drape your body, face down, over the ball to stretch your torso.
Tone Your Abdominals
Balancing on a stability ball requires that you engage your core muscles, so even simple exercises on the ball work your abdominals, back and pelvis. Do traditional or oblique crunches on the ball to tone upper, lower and side abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with the ball between your hands. Bring your arms and legs up, transferring the ball from your hands to your feet. Lower your arms and legs, then repeat, moving the ball from your feet to your hands. While it's a more challenging move, the plank pike-up can strengthen your lower back and abs. Lie face down with the ball under your shins. Use your abs and legs to roll the ball forward, bringing your body up into a "V" shape.
Strengthen your Lower Body
You can also use your stability ball to tone your hips, thighs and legs. Lie on your back with your heels resting on the ball. Lift your hips, forming a straight line, then bend your knees and roll the ball toward your buttocks. Do 10 to 12 repetitions. Work your thighs and buttocks with squats using the ball. Place the ball between your lower back and the wall with your feet shoulders-width apart. Squat to a sitting position, hold for a few seconds and repeat. You can also opt to do squats with the ball held above your head.
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