Exercise balls were created in the 1960s as a toy for children and were later adopted by physical therapists, according to “Strength Ball Training” by Lorne Goldenberg and Peter Twist. They are the perfect addition to any home or commercial gym, because they are inexpensive, versatile and require little space. Used by exercisers of all levels, the balls can be used to work the core (abdominal, hip, low back and gluteal muscles), improve flexibility and balance, or instead of a weight bench.
Crunch
The exercise ball crunch is a beginner abdominal exercise and makes a great introduction to using an exercise ball. Sit on the ball and walk out until the ball is under your lower back. Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and toes straight ahead, place your hands beside your ears. Engage your abdominal muscles and crunch up. Lower back down and repeat for the desired repetitions.
Bridge
A great beginner exercise, the ball bridge works the gluteal complex. Begin by sitting on the ball and walking out until your head and shoulders are on the ball. Keeping your feet shoulder width apart and toes straight ahead, place your hands on your hips. Drop your butt down toward the floor. Lift the butt up again until your hips are parallel to the floor. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Rotation
The exercise ball rotation improves the flexibility of the hips and lower back while strengthening the obliques. This exercise is often used to help relieve lower back pain. To begin, lie flat on your back with your legs on top of the ball with a bent knee. Extend your arms out to the side so that they are perpendicular to your body and your palms are up. Without lifting your shoulders, drop your knees to the right as far as you can control. Return to center and then drop the knees to the left. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Push-Up
The push-up, which works the core, chest, shoulders and triceps, is often difficult for many to do when they start exercising. The exercise ball allows a gradual progression of difficulty and is an excellent way of learning to complete a full push-up. Start by placing your belly on the ball and your hands on the floor in front of you. Keeping your shoulders over your wrists, take your feet off of the floor and walk forward with your hands until your knees are on the ball. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor. Push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired repetitions. To make this exercise more difficult, you can walk out further.
Knee Tuck
Once you are comfortable with the exercise ball push-ups, the knee tucks are a great exercise to improve abdominal strength and balance. Begin by getting into the exercise ball push-up position. Then, keeping your abdominal muscles tight, roll the ball in toward your belly with your knees. Return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Exchange
A more advanced abdominal exercise, ball exchange begins by lying flat on your back with your legs extended up straight and an exercise ball between your legs. Crunch up taking the ball into your hands. Lower both arms and legs without touching the floor. Bring both arms and legs back up to the top and place the ball back between the legs. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Leg Raise
Exercise ball leg raises work both the abdominal and inner thigh muscles. Begin by lying flat on your back, with your arms beside you and your legs up straight. Place the ball between your legs. Lower your legs as far as you can control without allowing your lower back to lift up off of the floor. Engage your abdominal muscles to pull your legs back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Russian Twist
The Russian Twist is an intermediate level exercise that works the obliques and the gluteal muscles. Begin by sitting on an exercise ball and walking out until your head is on the ball. Making sure that your feet are shoulder-width apart and your toes are straight ahead, take your arms up straight over your chest and clasp your hands. Rotate to the right as far as you can control; return to center before rotating to the left. Repeat for the desired repetitions. To make this exercise more challenging, you may add weight with either a dumbbell or a medicine ball.
Hyperextension
The hyperextension works the lower back. Start by placing your pelvis on the ball with your feet against a wall for support. Place your hands beside your ears and extend your upper body up off the ball. Lower yourself back down until you are parallel to the floor. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
Hamstring Curl
An advanced exercise, the hamstring curl begins by lying flat on your back with your feet on top of the ball. Lift your hips up off the floor into a bridge position. Maintaining the bridge, bend your knees and pull the exercise ball in toward your butt. Return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
About this Author
Jessica Pizano is a fitness and nutrition writer and a certified personal trainer who owns Fit to You, a personal training company. She began as a public relations writer in 1998 and has been published on eHow and LIVESTRONG.com. She hold’s a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hartford.
