PLANK: BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE
HOW TO DO IT:
1. Kneeling in front of stability ball, place elbows on the ball and brace abdominals
2. Flex shoulders, lift up on toes and roll out into a plank
3. Brace abdominals and keep shoulders over elbows while holding plank
4. Hold for 30 or 60 seconds, or until fatigued
*For a more advanced exercise, place shins on top of ball and maintain forearm plank position
KNEELING ROLL OUT: BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE
HOW TO DO IT:
1. Kneel on the floor behind a stability ball
2. Rest hands on the ball about shoulder width apart
3. Roll the ball forward keeping back aligned; extend the body and reach out with hands and arms
4. Flex the shoulders while extending the hips
4. Flex the shoulders while extending the hips
5. Roll back to the kneeling start position
*For a more advanced exercise, balance on the toes instead of on the knees
HAMSTRING CURL W/ PIKE: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
HOW TO DO IT:
1. Lie on the back with arms outstretched and palms up
2. Place ankles and heels on the ball with toes pointing straight up
3. Contract abdominal muscles and elevate hips
4. Squeeze glutes to pike your hips from the floor
5. Bending the knees, roll the ball inward to bring your heels close to your buttocks
6. Slowly return to the start position while maintaining level hips
BENEFITS
The biggest benefit of training with a stability ball is its effectiveness in targeting core muscles. Core training can improve posture, making you seem taller and leaner. Training on an unstable surface may also improve balance and joint stability and concentrating on balancing on the ball can have neuromuscular (brain-body) and fine motor benefits.
