Five Stability Ball Moves that Work

Stability ball exercises can be incorporated into any workout. They can shape your legs, shrink your belly fat, and help give you that body you have always wanted. Celebrity and fitness centers swear by their ability to work.  Regular exercises, such as crunches, can take up to three months to see results. Putting a stability ball behind your crunches will force the muscle to contract harder than normally, giving you quicker results. It can also build balance and strengthen you core, giving you that lean  and sexy look.

Make sure to choose the proper sized ball for your body type. A good rule of thumb is to sit on the ball and make sure your body and knees are bent at a 90 degree angle.  Different sizes can range from 34cm to 85 cm.

Pike

Get into a push up position. Make sure the balance ball is resting underneath your feet. Tighten your abdominal muscles and roll the ball into your stomach. This will raise your butt in the air and you should feel your abdominal muscles tightening. Hold this position for about 10 second. Then roll the ball back to the starting position. Make sure to keep your feet in the center of the stability ball at all times.

Wall Squat

This is sure to work your ankles, calves and thighs. Take the stability ball and place it up against a wall. Hold up the ball using the middle of your back. Roll the ball down with you while in a squatting position. Make sure your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Feet should be shoulder width apart. Using your feet, push off from the floor to stand in the beginning stance. Continue the sequence in a controlled motion.

Crunches

You can do any set of crunches on a stability ball. To get the most out of your crunches try doing different things. Lay on your back with the ball in your hands placed on your stomach. Using a controlled motion, lift the ball off of your stomach and over your head. Keep a firm grasp on the ball. While doing this raise your legs up to the ceiling. Lower your legs and the ball back to the starting position. Repeat the sequence 10 times.

Arm Raises

If you don’t have weights but would like to give your arms a workout then using a stability ball can help. Place the ball between your feet on the floor. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. You might want to use a stability ball that has a little weight to it but not too much that you risk straining something. Reach down and grab the ball with both hands.  Raise the ball over your head in a slow motion. Raise the ball back to the starting position.

Leg Lifts

To give your lower body a great workout you can incorporate the stability ball into your workout also. Lay on your back with the stability ball between your ankles. Grasp the ball with your ankles, lift the ball straight up into the air and lower to the starting position. Repeat. Always remember to use controlled motions.