Strengthen your arms with your exercise ball and have the added challenge of balance and core control. There are two ways to do pushups that will tone your triceps, anterior deltoid or front of your shoulder and pectoralis major, which is the front of your chest. Walk out and in to challenge each arm individually along with your shoulder girdle. The shell exercise puts it all together by contracting your arms, back, shoulders, chest, abdominals and hip flexors. Perform arm exercises every other day to allow for muscle rebuilding.
Walk Out and In
Step 1
Familiarize yourself with the stability ball by laying your pelvis on top with your hands on the floor. Tighten up your buttocks and squeeze your legs together. Raise both legs off of the floor. Keep your body rigid as you walk your hands forward and allow the ball to roll down your legs.
Step 2
Pause as the ball rolls under your thighs. Lift your abdomen up underneath and concentrate on your lumbar vertebrae lifting slightly toward the ceiling. Tuck your pelvis under. This is a plank position.
Step 3
Walk your hands back in toward the ball. Push through each arm. Keep your core position rigid. Continue to walk out and in until you feel muscle fatigue in your arms.
Pushups
Step 1
Add a pushup to your walk out. Stop walking out when your pelvis is on top of the ball.
Step 2
Keep your body rigid. Inhale and lower your face down to the floor. Exhale and push back up. Allow your legs to rise up as your torso lowers down. Like a teeter-totter.
Step 3
Challenge your strength by walking further out and trying a pushup with the ball at your knees, shins, ankles or feet. Keep your abdomen lifted and your buttocks and thighs squeezed. Continue until you feel muscle burn in your arms and chest.
Negative Pushup
Step 1
Place your hands on top of your stability ball. Put your shoulders directly over your hands. Straighten your body into plank position on the balls of your feet.
Step 2
Squeeze your buttocks and thighs and compress your bellybutton inward toward your spine. Inhale as you slowly lower your chest down toward the ball.
Step 3
Choose to either push back up to plank position or to lower your knees to the floor. If you choose to only lower down, this is a negative pushup and is appropriate for gaining strength in your arms and chest.
Shell
Step 1
Start the shell by performing the walk out exercise. Walk out to your thighs and make your body rigid.
Step 2
Inhale through your nose. Exhale and compress your abdomen upward as you lift your buttocks up into the air. Roll the ball down your legs to your shins. Bend your knees in toward your belly button. Keep your shoulders directly over your wrists and hands.
Step 3
Return to your starting position by controlling the reverse motion. Straighten your legs as the ball rolls up toward your thighs. Finish in a thigh plank position. Continue until you feel too fatigued to remain in control.
References
- "Strength Training on the Ball"; Colleen Craig; 2005
- "Anatomy of Strength Training"; Pat Manocchia; 2010
- American Council on Exercise: Stability Ball Pushup
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