Fitness From the Pro

Let’s talk about doing abdominal exercises with the stability ball. Using the stability ball increases your core intensity because the ball is an unstable surface. So just to stabilize yourself on the ball, the core has to be engaged. You can also use the stability ball to workout other body parts besides the abdominals.

Here are a few good abdominal exercises to do on the ball:

BALL CROSSOVERS:

• Lay on the ball with the small of your back into the ball.
• Press your lower back into the mat.
• Engage your abdominal muscles.
• Place your right hand on the floor.
• Place your left hand behind your head.
• Lift your left shoulder towards the right knee, while simultaneously lifting the the foot off the floor.
• Lower the upper body back down, while replacing the right foot on the floor.
• Repeat.
• Switch sides.

PASS AND CATCH:

• Lay Supine on the floor.
• Place the ball between your feet.
• Stretch out your arms overhead.
• Press your lower back into the mat.
• Engage your abdominal muscles.
• Inhale and lift your head, neck, shoulders and arms off the floor. Simultaneously, exhale as you lift your legs with the ball up to meet your arms.
• Pass the ball to your hands.
• Lower your arms overhead and lower your legs at the same time and inhale. (Watch not to lower your legs too low that you start arching your back.)
• Lift head, neck, shoulders and arms with the ball up, while lifting the legs.
• Place ball in between your feet.
• Lower upper body and legs down.
• Repeat the series, passing the ball to hands and then back to your feet.

KNEELING AB ROLL OUT:

• Kneel behind the ball.
• Make fists with your hands and place your hands on the ball.
• Engage your abdominal muscles.
• Roll the ball forward so the forearms are resting on the ball.
• Make sure your in a straight line with a tight body from your knees to your shoulders.
• Exhale, push down on the ball and roll back to your starting position.
• Maintain your alignment as you roll the ball back.

The last two abdominal exercises are very intensive, and are great for the entire abdominal area.

Coming up on another blog will be other exercises you can do on the ball while working other body parts. Like I said earlier, anything you do on the ball will work your abdominal muscles, just because the ball is an unstable surface.