10 Best Stability Ball Exercises For A Full Body Workout

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 e all have grown up rolling, catching, kicking, dribbling, and tossing it. It is one toy which we were all drawn to as children. Yes, you have guessed it right; the undoubted answer is the ball. While playing with the ball, we soaked with many positive qualities; it contributed to physical and mental development in our growth period. Well, my intention is not to get you arrested in the nostalgic thoughts of the good old toy. My intention is to connect the good old fun toy to the evolved fitness equipment, the ‘stability ball’. Yes, the big, bouncy ball can make our job of getting fit seem fun.

Guys, your workout equipment need not have to be something; solid and rigid to handle; it could be as light and round as a stability ball.

The stability ball is fitness equipment that has always taken the side end in the gym and is; overlooked. Developed way back; in 1963 by Aquilino Cosani, an Italian plastics manufacturer, stability ball was initially named ‘Pezzil Ball’

Stability ball, also known by other names, swiss ball, fitness ball, an exercise ball can improve strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination, balance.

The stability ball; is a training aid aimed primarily at the stretching and strengthening of the abdominal, groin, lumbar, and upper leg muscles of the body. The development of these areas; is referred an important stabilizing feature in any sport.

Let’s explore some of the easy stability ball workouts in this blog…

SIDE BEND WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding, a swiss ball in your hands.
2. Keeping your spine neutral, lift your arms overhead.
3. With your lower body stable, bend your body to your left (holding the ball overhead) to crunch your waist.
4. Hold the crunch for a count of 10 seconds and return to the starting position.
5. Now, bend to your right to crunch on the other side of the waist.
6. Perform the side bend with the stability ball ten times on each side.

LEG LIFTS WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Lie down on the floor face-up, your legs straight with a stability ball placed between your calves.
2. Now, activate your core and inner thigh muscles to lift both your feet off the floor until your legs are lifted straight up (your legs should reach a 90-degree angle).
3. Hold the position for 10 seconds.
4. Under control, slowly lower the legs until the stability ball is just a few inches off the floor.
5. Each time you lift your legs with the ball and lower the legs counts as one rep. Repeat for a count of 10.

WALL SQUAT WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Stand with a stability ball positioned behind your back and pressed against a wall.
2. Your feet should be 6-8 inches in front of your shoulders with toes pointed out.
3. Brace your core and squat down with your arms and knees out, allowing the stability ball to roll down your back until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
4. Hold the squat for 30 seconds.
5. Straighten your legs with your bodyweight localized on your heels and slowly move up to the starting position.

Also read: 7 Best Resistance Band Exercises For Toning Arms

AIR SQUATS WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Start with your body straight, feet shoulder-width apart and arms stretched out in front of you, holding the stability ball.
2. Brace your core, keep your chest up, bend at your knees, drive your hips back and squat down.
3. Once your thighs are parallel with the ground, pause for 30 seconds.
4. Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.
5. Perform the exercise for 10-15 counts.

LATERAL LUNGES WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Stand straight next to the stability ball placed at arm’s length on the floor. Place your left leg on the stability ball and take a slow, lateral lunge to the right.
2. Bend your leg that you are standing to about a 45-degree angle, shifting your body weight on it.
3. Go as low as possible, maintaining stability and body posture.
4. Squeeze your glutes, pause here for 30 seconds.
5. Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes; return to the starting position.
6. Perform the lunge for 10-15 counts on each leg.

STABILITY BALL PLANKS

1. Kneel with stability ball in front of you resting your forearm on top of the ball.
2. Your hands should be placed separately and not interlocked on the ball to create more core strength.
3. Move your legs straight behind you with your feet resting on your toes. Your legs should be hip-width apart; hip raised to form a straight line with your body.
4. Hold the plank position for 30 seconds, keeping your core engaged.
5. Slowly drop your knees and return to the starting position.
6. Perform this exercise for a count of 10-15 reps.

Also read: 6 Best Whole Body Kettlebell Workout For Women

STABILITY BALL ROLL ON

1. Get your knees down on the exercise mat with a stability ball placed; in front of you.
2. Place the ball within your arm’s reach and your fists on top of the ball.
3. Your elbows should be bent; at 90-degree angle, and your lower back; should be arched.
4. Roll the ball forward with your fists and straighten out your arms and body.
5. Extend your body as far as you can keeping, your gaze straight; and your hips in line with the rest of your body.
6. Once your body is fully flexed, hold the position for 10 seconds.
7. Slowly roll back up to the starting position.

AB CRUNCHES WITH STABILITY BALL

1. Lie on the stability ball with your back pressed on the ball and your feet planted on the floor.
2. Maintain a 90-degree angle from your ankle to your knees to hips.
3. Keep your hands supporting the back of your head. Now roll your glutes off the ball by walking your feet away from the ball to crunch your abs.
4. As you perform the ab crunch, roll your shoulder forward.
5. Hold the crunch for a count of 20 seconds.
6. Roll back on the ball to return to the starting position. Perform the ab crunches for ten counts.

SIDE STRETCHES ON STABILITY BALL

1. Lie on your right side pressed against the stability ball with your legs extended and feet rested on the floor.
2. Use your right arm to support the stretch.
3. While maintaining a right plank over the ball, draw your left arm straight to the sky.
4. Hold the plank position for 10 seconds.
5. You’ll feel a stretch between your shoulders and lats. Hold the flex for a count of 10 seconds.
6. Perform the side stretch on the opposite side.

Also read: 15 Minutes Skipping Rope Workout For Fat Loss

BACK STRETCHES ON STABILITY BALL

1. Sit on the stability ball, slowly lay with your back against the ball, such that the ball is under your lower back area with feet out.
2. Keeping your feet hip-width apart, stretch your back and arms overhead.
3. Go as far as you can go without pain. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
4. Slowly come back to the original position.
5. Perform ten reps of the stretch.

The stability ball can make your job of getting fit seem more fun…when your body responds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, it recruits more muscle units without increasing the load…

The versatile piece of fitness equipment will challenge your range of motion, level up your workouts, improve body awareness and movement…

Also read: 5 Easy Total Body Chair Workout You Can Do Sitting Down

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