Stability Ball Exercises

A good way to mix up you work outs is to incorporate a stability ball into your strength training. You might be doing bench press with weights while your neck and head rest on the ball, but at the same time you are engaging your core and getting a killer ab work out as well. There are many different exercises that can be done with a stability ball, but to get you started we will go over 4 different moves that I use frequently.

***Note-stability balls are for those who are more advanced and ready for a challenge. If you are just getting in to exercise I would recommend starting with more basic strength skills and working up adding a stability ball.

1. "Ball Pass"
This is a great exercise to work deep into your abs without even realizing you are doing so.

• Lie on your back holding an exercise ball and lift your feet so your shins are parallel to the floor.
• Lift your head, neck, and shoulders, and place the ball between your legs.
• Now lower your legs and reach your arms back.
• Come back up and grab the ball.
• Continue to pass the ball back and forth from your hands to your legs 10 to 12 times.

2."Stability Ball Hyperextension"
This is a great exercise to work the lower back muscles.

1. Lie on the belly on a stability ball. Position the legs straight in back with the toes touching the ground,and place the hands behind the head with the head down.
2. Raise the upper body off the ball and slowly return. If you are a beginner, your range of motion may be smaller than if you are more advanced.
3. To make this exercise more difficult, hold a weight plate behind the head.

3. "Stability Ball Sit-Ups"
Want to mix up your everyday sit-up routine? Try using a ball to make things just a bit harder. You can do side to side sit-ups and front sit-ups to start with.


4. "Stability Ball Bench Press"
Allow your upper back, neck and head to rest on the ball. You can use dumbbells or a bench press bar to perform this exercise. The less weight you use the easier the exercise becomes.

Hold the weights above your chest, elbows at a 90 degree angle. Push straight up and slowly come back down to starting position. Be careful not to let your arms go deeper than a 90 degree angle.