We may not think much about balance and stability, but those elements are very important for everything we do, from daily chores to exercise.
Below we have a list of stability ball exercises that you could easily turn into a workout. You’ll find that working on balance and stability is very beneficial. You don’t have to do advanced or intense exercises to improve your core. The Stability Ball exercises help you work all of these areas (abdominal, lower back and obliques) with a variety of simple and easy to follow exercises below.
Stability Ball: Dead Bug
Benefit: Increase strength in the muscles of the core and protect the low back. Adding a stability ball to the exercise allows you to increase spinal stability as you engage your core muscles.
How to do it: Start by lying flat on your back holding a stability ball between your hands and knees. The ball should not touch your thighs, forearms or chest. It is held in place using only the palms of your hands and the tops of your knees. Now press your low back into the floor and extend the left arm and right leg in a controlled manner while keeping the ball in place by pressing up and in with your left knee and down and away with your right hand.
Stability Ball: V-Pass
Benefit: Challenge your entire body with this next-level stability ball exercise. It works your core as you pass the ball between your hands and feet, and you have to engage your inner thighs and arms to keep the ball from falling to the ground.
How to Perform: Lie faceup on the floor, holding a stability ball overhead with both hands, your legs together and extended straight on the floor. In one motion, brace your core and lift your arms and legs off the ground, placing the ball between your feet. Squeeze the ball with your legs and lower your arms and legs back to the floor. Repeat, passing the ball back to your hands. That’s one rep.
Stability Ball: Bird Dog
Benefit: strengthens the core—more specifically, the abdominal muscles, lower back, butt, and thighs
How to do it: Start with your belly on a stability ball, with your legs straight and your hands and toes touching the floor. Reach your opposite arm and leg out until they are parallel to the floor. Hold a moment at the top. Return and repeat, alternating sides.
Stability Ball: Cobra
Benefit: Back and Core.
How to do it: Kneel down in front of a stability ball. Rest your chest against it, and slowly roll forward until your legs are straight behind you. Engage your abs, squeeze your butt muscles, and tuck your chin as you start lifting your torso off the ball. Take your time drawing your shoulder blades down and back toward your spine, and simultaneously life your arms and extend them toward your feet. Rotate your hands so your palms face down, and then, slowly return to starting position.
- Point to Remember.
The more you can strengthen that connective tissue and those stabilizers muscles, the better your body will perform no matter what activity you’re doing. Good Luck!
