Strong to the Core: 8 Must-Know Exercise Ball Core Exercises

If you haven’t yet used one, exercise balls are the bouncy balls you see at the gym, which are a great way to improve your cardio endurance, balance, and strength. The inflatable plastic balls that are hard to puncture, when used correctly, can be twice as effective some of the ordinary workouts to tone your core.

Some of the benefits of adding an exercise ball to your workout include the fact that they are a great means of attaining core strength, toning, and sculpting muscles. When your core muscles strengthen, you improve your balance and coordination.

This is why you should ensure you are doing your exercise ball core exercises the right way to ensure effectiveness.

Core exercise is extremely important for overall fitness. Stability balls strengthen your core since it is the foundation for your posture and day-to-day activities.

Even if you spend most of your time at home, or have a home office, you should always look for at home workouts for your core.

8 of the Best Exercise Ball Core Exercises

Core strength exercises strengthen your abdominal muscles, back muscles, and muscles around your pelvis. One of the most effective ways to do core exercises is by using a core exercise ball.

Here are 8 exercise ball core exercises you must know about.

1. Stability Ball Crunch

The stability ball crunch is one of the known core exercises. The first step is to lie face up on the ball. Ensure the ball is resting under your lower back. Your feet are completely resting on the floor with a hip-width distance between them.

Place your hands behind your ears and interlock them if you can to prevent them from coming apart.

Brace your core, tighten your glutes, and then slowly crunch your upper body upward as you would in a sit-up. Ensure as you move, your shoulders are raised and you tuck in your chin into your chest. Slowly lower your upper body back down to the start position.

That is one rep complete. That’s manageable, right?

2. Stability Ball Oblique Crunches

For this exercise, you start in the same position as you did above. To brace your core, pull your navel towards your spine. Follow this with tightening your glutes and slowly crunching up and to the right, to lift your shoulder blades off the ball and rotate your upper body to the right.

Lower your body back down on the ball, and repeat on the left side. Completing both sides qualifies as one rep.

3. Squat and Reach

Start by holding up the exercise ball in front of you while bending your knees. 
This exercise will work your core and your legs as well and ensure the ball is at the same level with your face. Ensure your back is straight and your arms are parallel to the floor.

Avoid letting your knees extend beyond our feet.

Tighten your abdominal muscles. Squat down and bring the ball all the way to your left side, above the left foot. Hold this position for three slow breaths, then untwist your trunk and return to a standing position, before you proceed to repeat the process for the right side. Doing it for both sides is one rep.

In order to have the best results, keep your butt down in the squats and hold your arms out completely straight in front of your torso. To keep your core in top shape, do about 10 to 15 reps.

4. Stability Ball Knee Raise

To do this exercise, ensure you are balancing on the ball with the core braced, still with the ball on your lower back. Light your left food off the grown and bring the left knee towards your chest. Slowly replace it and do the same for your left foot.

This exercise slowly graduates to the stability bicycle crunch. Brace your core and crunch up. Simultaneously raise your right knee towards your chest and rotate your upper body to touch the left elbow to the right knee. Lower your foot and upper body at the same time and repeat on the other side to complete one rep.

5. Abdominal Crunch

To do an abdominal crunch using an exercise ball, sit on the ball with your feet resting on the floor with the hip-width distance between them. Make sure your back is straight. Place your arms in a crossed position in your chest, and tighten your abdomen.

Start the work out by leaning back until you feel your midsection muscles tightening. Hold for three very slow breaths. Resume the standing position to complete one rep.

6. Stability Ball Tuck and the Stability Ball Pike

These two exercises are somewhat similar and easy to confuse. The ball tuck is a balancing act. Start by doing a high plank with your wrists being under your shoulders, core engaged and your feet are resting on the ball.

Maintain the hips level and use your core to pull knees towards your chest as you roll the ball towards you.

Straighten your legs to return to the start position, as you complete one rep. 
One variation of this exercise is to add a push up during the ball tuck.

Once you have mastered the ball tuck, you can proceed to the ball pike. Start in the same position as the tuck. Then proceed to engage the core, and pull your feet towards your arms.

Ensure you keep your legs straight, hike your hips high, and use your core to retain balance. Pull the ball away from your as you lower your hips to the start position completing one rep.

7. Ball Circle Planks

This plank is an advancement to the regular plank. To start, dig your forearms, including your wrists into the ball, to activate your core. Draw yourself in and brace your abs.

Keep your glutes and quads contracted while keeping your hips up. Then move the ball around in a circular motion, by only moving your arms.

Ensure the rest of your body is completely still. As you move the ball through the circular motion, you will feel your core muscles activate at different points. If you need to challenge yourself some more, make the circles bigger.

The key is to keep your body as still as possible.

8. Stability Ball Bridge

To work your core muscles for better core strength, start by forming a bridge. Lie on the floor on your back as you rest your legs on top of the ball. Tighten your abs, and raise your hips and butt off the floor.

Hold your breath for three slow breaths. This position works your core muscles, back muscles, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles as they contact to keep you in place.

Using the Exercise Ball Core Exercises to Work Your Core Will Make It Stronger

The Swiss ball, stability ball or exercise ball is a very powerful work out tool.

Ensure you follow through the workouts, ensuring that you use the right technique. It is extremely important that you buy an exercise ball for various uses.

Get in touch with us to buy your exercise ball, and various inexpensive workout equipment to use for a stronger more fit body.