Abdominal Workout Core With Stability Ball
- Pick 4 exercises and complete 2 sets x 15-30 repetitions.
- Complete the ab workout 3x a week.
Kneeling Shoulder Rollout
Start on your knees and place your hands on the ball with your arms outstretched.
Rollout out the ball keeping your hips parallel with the rest of your body.
Return to the starting position by pulling your arms back up the ball until you are in an upright position.
Russian Twist
1. Roll out onto ball in a supine position. The ball should be on your upper back.
2. Keeping your hips and body parallel to the floor (no sagging of the hips) rotate your shoulders to the right with your arms extended.
3. Remember to keep your trunk parallel with the floor.
Now rotate towards your left and repeat back and forth until the desired number of repetitions is met. The ball should pretty much stay in one place. Keep your body in a straight line and parallel with the floor. No sagging of the hips
Supine trunk rotation with toning bar
1. Lie on your back on a ball so that the ball is under your upper back.
2. Hold a toning bar up above your chest keeping your arms straight.
3. Holding this position rotate your shoulders and arms to the side so that your shoulders are 90 degrees to your hips.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side. Try to keep your hips facing the ceiling during the entire movement. Do not rotate your hips.
Oblique Crunch with toning bar
1) Lie with back on ball with knees bent.
2) Start position: Place toning bar across your chest.
3) Leading with the chin and right shoulder, contract abdominal muscles and raise right shoulder ball towards left knee.
4) Return to start position and repeat with other side.
Reverse Crunch with stability ball
1) Start position: Lie with back on floor with hips flexed at 90° and feet in air. Place a ball between your legs and squeeze with your lower legs.
2) Leading with the heels towards the ceiling, raise glutes (butt) off floor.
3) Return to start position.
4) Remember keep legs from swinging to prevent momentum throughout the exercise.
Leg knee drive with stability ball
1. Start by placing your hands on top of a stability ball and hold yourself in a pushup position.
2. Maintaining good balance raise your left leg up towards your chest and then return your foot to the floor.
3. Repeat with the other leg.
4. Keep your abs drawn in tight and control the leg movement.
Crunch on Ball with Bar
1) Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2) Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3) Place hands across your chest holding the bar. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
4) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up.
5) Return to start position.
6) Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.
Oblique Crunch with Medicine/Stability Ball
1. Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2. Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3. Place hands above head holding a medicine ball. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
4. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise your right shoulder up toward ceiling and bring medicine ball towards opposite hip.
5. Return to start position and repeat with the other shoulder.
6. Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.
Single Leg Alternating Pull In
Rollout on the ball until your shins are on the ball and you are forming a bridge.
Keeping this position roll one knee in towards your chest.
Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
Stability Ball Pull In
1. Roll out onto ball in a prone position. The ball should be under your shins.
2. Keeping your hips and body parallel to the floor (no sagging of the hips) bring your knees in towards your chest.
3. Remember to keep your trunk parallel with the floor.
4. Now extend them back to a parallel position. Repeat until the number of repetitions is met. No sagging of the hips.
Med ball toss and crunch
1) Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2) Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3) Hold medicine ball above your head with your arms semi-straight.
4) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up.
Now throw the ball to your partner as you crunch up.
5) Stay up until your partner throws the ball back and then return to start position.
6) Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position.
Prone Knee Tuck on ball
1. Start in a push up position with your feet on top of a stability ball.
2. Slowly bring your knees in towards your chest and then return to the starting position.
3. When your legs are extended make sure to keep your hips parallel with your body and do not let them sag towards the ground.
Kneeling Twist on Ball with Bar
Start Position: Position yourself on the ball by placing your shins on top of the ball and balancing in this position.
Take a bar and place on your shoulders while maintaining balance.
Twist your shoulders back and forth keeping good posture.
Use the tops of your feet to help control the movement of the ball by placing them against the ball.
One Arm Bride on Ball with Reach
Starting Position: Start on your knees with one forearm on the ball.
Roll yourself out towards the ball using the one arm to support your weight until your body is semi straight.
Return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
Crab Walk with Bar on Ball
Lie on your back on a stability ball.
Holding a bar overhead start walking in a circular motion around the ball. While completing this walk transfer the bar to one hand and bring out to the side.
Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side.
Alternating Crunch
1) Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2) Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3) Place hands behind head with elbows back and out of sight. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
4) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up and rotate your shoulders to the left.
5) Return to start position and repeat to the other side.
6) Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.
Two Arm Bridge
Rollout on the ball until just your feet are on the ball and you are forming a bridge.
Keeping this position lift and hold for the prescribed number of seconds.
Elevated Feet Pushup
1) Lie face down on a ball with hands palm down, fingers pointing straight ahead, and aligned at the nipple line.
2) Place hands slightly wider than shoulder width
3) Start position: Extend your arms and place feet at hip width with toes positioned onto a secure bench or chair.
4) Lower your body (legs, hips, trunk, and head).
5) Return to the start position by extending at the elbows and pushing the body up.
Remember to keep the head and trunk stabilized in a neutral position by isometrically contracting the abdominal and back muscles. Never fully lock out the elbows at the start position and avoid hyperextension of the low back.
Single Leg Crunch
1. Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2. Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3. Place hands behind head with elbows back and out of sight. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest. Extend one leg straight out and off the ground.
4. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up.
Return to start position and repeat with the other leg off of the ground.
Single Leg Curl ON ball
1. Start by rolling face down onto the ball so that the ball is under your hips.
2. Place your hands on the ground for stability with both legs elevated off the ground.
3. Curl one leg up towards your back and then return to the the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.
4. To add intensity you can place an ankle weight around your legs or attach your ankle to tubing or a cable.
Oblique Crunch with Ball
1) Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2) Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3) Place hands behind head with elbows back and out of sight. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
4) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise right shoulder up and twist towards left knee.
5) Return to start position and repeat with the other side.
Arm Rollout on the ball
1. Start by kneeling on the ground and placing one arm on top of the ball.
2. Keeping your abs tight and body parallel roll the ball forward letting your body roll forward with it.
3. Reach a point where it is hard to maintain stability and then using just your arm bring the ball in towards your body.
4. This is a great ab exercise but remember to keep your hips parallel with your body the entire time and just use your arm to move the ball forward and backwards.
Lateral Crunch on ball
1. Start by lying on your side across a stability ball with your knees on the ground.
2. Lift your shoulders up laterally so that you perform a side crunch.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the required repetitions.
4. Repeat with the other side.
Lumbar Roll
Start Position: Lie on your back and place a stability ball under your calves and knees.
Let your legs fall to one side while maintaining contact with the ball.
Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side.
Side Flexion Medicine and Stability Ball
Start Position: Lie on your side on top of the stability ball and separate your legs to maintain balance.
While holding a medicine ball in front of your chest laterally flex your trunk up towards the ceiling.
Return to starting position. Complete this on both sides.
Alternating Single Leg Bridge
Rollout on the ball until just your feet are on the ball and you are forming a bridge.
Keeping this position lift one foot off of the ball and hold for 1-2 seconds.
Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
Full Situp (w/ med and stability ball)
1. Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
2. Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips slightly to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.
3. Place hands on chest and hold a medicine ball. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
4. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up to a seated position.
5. Return to start position.
6. Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.
Kneeling Balance
Start Position: Position yourself on the ball by placing your shins on top of the ball and balancing in this position.
Use the tops of your feet to help control the movement of the ball by placing them against the ball.
Hold for the prescribed number of seconds.
Reverse Hyper on Ball and Bench
1. Start position: Lie face down on bench with hips and legs off ball. Grasp underside of bench or grasp handles (if applicable). Place a dumbbell between your feet. With knees slightly bent, raise legs to parallel with the floor.
2. Return to start position.
3. Remember to keep head and back straight in a neutral position throughout movement - hyperextension may cause injury. To decrease intensity, bend knees to 90° and perform movement.
Squeeze, Twist and Crunch
1. Start position: Lie back onto floor or bench with legs extended and straight up squeezing a stability ball and hands behind head. Keep elbows back and out of sight. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
2. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders off floor and twist your shoulders leading with the right shoulder.
Return to start position and repeat with the other shoulder.
Back Extension on Ball
1) Lie face down on flexaball with knees and feet on floor.
2) Flexaball placement should be at abdominal to lower chest region.
3) With hands on chest, raise trunk 4-8 inches.
4) Lower to start position.
5) To increase intensity, position ball down towards hips, feet wide with knees off floor. Hands may be placed behind head and overhead to further increase resistance. To increase stability, place feet against wall or stationary object.
Supine trunk twists with kettleball
1. Lie on your back on a ball so that the ball is under your upper back.
2. Hold a kettleball up above your chest keeping your arms straight.
3. Holding this position rotate your shoulders and arms to the side so that your shoulders are 90 degrees to your hips.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat to the other side. Try to keep your hips facing the ceiling during the entire movement. Do not rotate your hips.
Supine Twist with med ball
1. Lie on your back with the ball under your upper shoulders and hold onto a medicine ball above your chest.
2. Keeping the ball in front of your chest rotate your shoulders and trunk until the ball is facing the side.
3. Try to keep your hips somewhat stable and facing the ceiling during this movement.
4. The movement should initiate from your trunk. Alternate sides until the prescribed repetitions are complete.
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