My Top 10 Stability Ball Exercises

The video below is a demonstration of my top 10 stability exercises, showing that you can train anywhere with minimal equipment and still get a functional full body workout. I have included all the exercises below the video with a brief description and the muscle groups involved (enjoy) !

One point i would like to make before going into the exerciese descriptions. All exercises performed on a stability ball must be slow and controlled, to gain the full benefit and to challenge the muscle or muscles that you are working.

1:Stability Ball Press Up – (chest, shoulders, triceps, core) Place your hands down the side of the stability ball keeping the wrist in line with the forearm, tighten the core muscles and keep the body level from shoulder to ankle. Then perform a press up making sure to drop directly over the hands keeping the elbows slightly tucked in.

(progressions) : Bring feet closer together, or lift one foot slightly of the ground.

2:Stability Ball Crunch – (transverse abdominals - inner core) Start by lying over the ball checking to make sure the ball is rest on the lower back and hips (this will give support to the lower back throughout the movement). Place your hands either across the chest or at the side of your temples. Curl or crunch the body in an upward direction keeping the lower back in contact with the ball, hold for 2 – 3 seconds at the top, then lower and repeat.

(progressions) : Bring feet closer together or hold a small medicine out in front as you crunch.

3:Stability Ball Hyper Extension – (spinal erectors, glutes) This is very much the opposite of the exercise above, lie over the ball facing downward, placing the ball on the abdominals, space the feet apart a little and then let the upper body drape over the ball. The movement is to elevate yourself of the ball lifting the chest and shoulders in to air.

(progressions) : Again feet closer together, or place the feet against the wall allowing the body to drape over the ball more. this will give you a greater range of movement.

4:Stability Ball Side Bridge – (internal,external obliques) Place your elbow onto the centre of the ball and extend the legs out placing both feet on top of one another, push the hip up and elavete your arm into the air and hold for time.

(progressions) :Hold a small dumbell in your free hand adding extra resistance to the exercises.

5:Stability Ball Leg Curl – (hamstrings, spinal erectors)Lie on the floor placing you heels onto the top of the stability ball, keep toes pulled back towards you, next in one flowing movement curl the ball towards the hips and at the same time drive the hips in to the air, pause for about two seconds and return the legs to the starting position.

(progressions): Perform the same exercises but this time with just one leg, keeping the opposite leg elevated of the ball.

6:Stability Ball Plank – (rectus abdominis – entire inner core)Place the elbows on to the centre of the ball, extend the legs back keeping a little spacing between the feet. Tighten the abdominal wall and hold for time. Don’t hold your breath, shallow breaths should still allow you to keep the abdominals contracted.

(progressions) :Now move feet closer together and the elbows more out in front, this will very much increase the amount of tension through the abdominal wall.

7:Stability Ball Bulgarian Squat – (quadriceps, glutes) Step two feet out in front of the ball, then elevate one leg back placing the toes onto the ball, extend arms out to the side for additional balance, then drop down as if you were performing a squat only on one leg, keep knee soft and push through the heel.

(progressions):Add a little resistance by holding dumbbells by your sides

8:Stability Ball Jacknife – (rectus abdominis-lower)Place the body into a press up postion, with the ball behind you reach the toes up onto the centre of the ball one at a time. Then contract the abdominal wall and draw the knees in towards the chest, try to get the knees as close the chest as you can, pause for 2 seconds and then extend the legs back out and repeat.

(progressions) : Perform a full press up and then a jacknife. This will involve alot more muscle groups and proves a greater challenge.

9:Stability Ball Pike - (rectus abdomins – lower)This is very similar to the exercise above with one slight change, this time keep the legs straight and then draw the ball in towards the hips while at the same time driving the hips in to the air to form an inverted V.

(progressions) :If you can already perform theses you are doing well, now try to bring the hands closer together creating more instability.

10:Stability Ball Close Hand Press – (pectoralis major, triceps, rectus abdominis)Take a narrow hand position with the hands roughly six inches apart. Place the ball against a wall with your hands on top in the centre. Keeps the arms completely straight until you are ready to start, check the rest of the body is extended in a straight line behind you, keep the feet a few inches apart. Start the exercises by lowering yourself down onto the ball, keeping the elbows tucked in at all times, then drive up hard back to the starting position.

(progressions) :Place feet closer together or even lift one foot off the floor.

Workout – For an example of how to use some of these exercises in an actual workout, Marianne has kindly done a Stability Ball Workout.

Sizing : Not all stability balls are the same size, so it is important to select the right size of ball for your height, below is a guide to the size of the Stability Ball in relation to height.

55cm inflates to 21 inches ideal for height ranges of 5 -5’7″

65cm inflates to 25 inches ideal for height ranges of 5’8″ to 6’3″

75cm inflates to 29 inches ideal for someone Taller than 6’3″

Another to thing to consider is how firm the ball is. The harder and more inflated the ball is, the more difficult it will be to balance on, so this is another way of progressing your routine on the ball. If you are just starting out and have very little experience on the ball, it would be best to keep the ball just a little bit softer until such time as you need to step up the intensity.

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