Stability balls are a versatile piece of equipment to have in your home, office or gym, and have many uses during workouts. You can lift them up to use them as weights or sit on them to strengthen your core and improve your balance. It is important to have the correct size of ball for exercise. Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the floor. If your knees form a right angle, then you have the right ball.
Hip Lift
Hip lifts focus on the muscles in the back of your legs and hips, but they also use your core muscles since you must maintain balance on the ball. Start by lying on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the stability ball. Lift your hips off the floor by pressing your feet into the ball. Colleen Craig, in Abs on the Ball, suggests raising and lowering your hips slowly by focusing on one vertebra at a time. Placing the ball against a wall will make this exercise easier.
Sit-Ups
Perform sit-ups on a stability ball to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Lie on your back on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Curl your back until you are upright. The closer the ball is to your shoulders, the easier it is to sit up. Consequently, if you place the ball near your hips, you raise the degree of difficulty for the exercise.
Push-Ups
Push-ups work your chest and triceps muscles. As you spread your arms wider, the muscular focus shifts from your triceps toward your pectorals in your chest. Lie on your stomach on the ball and walk your hands out until your legs are supporting you on the ball and you are in the correct position for a push-up. The farther you walk, the harder the exercise will become. Pilates on the Ball, by Colleen Craig, reminds you to avoid locking your elbows or allowing your back to arch during the exercise.
Kneeling Side Lifts
Do kneeling side lifts to work your outer thigh muscles. Abs on the Ball advises starting out by kneeling beside your stability ball and leaning your closer forearm on the ball. Extend your far leg to the side. Raise the leg to hip height and lower it slowly. Abs on the Ball also suggests making five small circles with your foot while you keep your leg elevated to increase the difficulty of the exercise.
Back Extensions
Back extensions work your lower back muscles primarily, but the stability ball version uses additional core muscles as well. Kneel facing the ball and lean forward to curl your stomach and chest over the ball. Using your lower back muscles, slowly straighten your back to raise your head and chest. The farther you lean over the ball, the harder you make this exercise. It may be helpful to prop your feet against a wall or to have a partner hold them to keep you from sliding while doing back extensions.
References
- "Abs on the Ball: A Pilates Approach to Building Superb Abdominals"; Colleen Craig; 2003
- "Pilates on the Ball: The World's Most Popular Workout Using the Exercise Ball"; Colleen Craig; 2001
Member Comments