9 Fun Exercises With an Exercise Ball

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Author Name: Mia Barnes
Date: Friday February 14, 2020

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Want to make fitness more fun? Get on the ball! Exercise balls offer a fabulous way to shake up your routine and even become more productive on the clock. Exercises with an exercise ball can help you extend your range of motion and tighten your core.

Fitness balls introduce stability work into traditional moves, which blasts your core. You also incorporate more muscle groups as you maintain your position. Get ready to bounce and balance your way to your healthiest body ever. 

For Your Lower Body 

Do you want lean legs? Your ball is your new best friend. Try these three moves to tone your thighs and calves. 

Wall Squats 

To perform this exercise, place your exercise ball between your lower back and the wall. Place your feet slightly wider than hips’ distance apart. Make sure when you execute the move, your knees don’t shoot out over your toes. Then, perform a squat — you can do reps or hold with your knees bent at 90 degrees for an isometric exercise. 

Glute Bridge With Hamstring Curl

Lie down on your back and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle with your heels atop the ball. Lift your hips off the floor — this is the bridge portion. Then, extend your legs with your hips off the floor, rolling the ball forward. Maintain the elevation as you roll the ball back toward your glutes by using the strength of your hamstrings. 

Hip Abduction 

To start this exercise, lie on your side, leaning your torso against the ball. Stabilize your core while kneeling on the leg closest to your ball. Lift the other leg as high as possible and lower it. Repeat as many reps as you can perform. 

For Your Upper Body 

If you thought pushups were challenging before, wait until you try them with your fitness ball! 

Leveraged Pushups 

Start this movement in a plank position with your feet on top of the ball. Lower yourself down the way you would in a standard pushup. Balancing on the ball will engage your core, while the change in angle increases the workload on your shoulders and arm muscles. 

Triceps Dips

You can do this move with or without a wall behind the ball for additional stability. Place your palms on top of the ball with your legs bent — you can extend them to make the move harder. Your tush should barely touch the ball behind you. Then, bend your arms at the elbows and extend. 

Balanced Arnold Press 

Sitting on an exercise ball alone engages your core. Keep your spine straight and your feet flat on the ball. With a dumbbell in each hand, do a biceps curl so that your palms face toward you. As you lift them overhead, rotate your palms to face forward. This move is excellent for golfers and tennis players. 

For Your Core 

Summer is nearly here, and the beaches are reopening. Many people like to get in shape before going on vacation so they can fully enjoy every experience. Exercises with an exercise ball promote a stronger core, which can help you keep your balance and feel better about yourself and your abilities. 

Ball Planks 

To perform this activity, start the way you would if you were doing a ball pushup. Challenge yourself to see how long you can hold the pose. 

Ball Sit-Ups 

If you have degenerative disk disease, the ball is a godsend because it eliminates the hard surface behind your back. Plus, you increase your range of motion as the ball allows you to extend further than an unforgiving floor. Experiment by reaching side to side or climbing an imaginary rope to engage your obliques.

Ab Rolls

Start by kneeling with your forearms resting on the ball in front of you. Place your hands in prayer position. Lean your body forward, rolling the ball in front of you as you do. Then, engage your abs to move the ball in toward your body. 

Bonus — Replace Your Office Chair With a Ball 

Do you want to incorporate more fitness into your nine-to-five? You can replace your traditional office chair with an exercise ball. You’ll need to engage your core the entire time you work, and many people with back pain report that making the switch improved their symptoms. 

Try These Exercises with an Exercise Ball 

Exercise balls don’t cost much, but they are among the best fitness tools available. Try these moves to tone your entire body. Exercises with an exercise ball can be fun and effective, which can lead to you seeing results in less time.

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