10 Gym Ball Exercises

10 Gym Ball Exercises can help anyone sneak in a good, quick workout, especially on those days when everyone seems to need something and there just isn't enough time. Using a Gym Ball increases resistance. Gym Ball exercises also help work more muscles at one time, speeding up a full-body workout without skimping on quality.

10 Gym Ball Exercises

1. Push-ups: Position yourself in a standard push-up form and balance with your toes pressing on the top of the Gym Ball. Perform push-ups while using the ball for balance, keeping the abs tightened for support and balance control. 10-30 reps.
2. Incline Push-ups: Position yourself in a standard push-up position with feet on the floor, but with your hands positioned on top of the Gym Ball. Perform push-ups bringing chest to the ball and extending arms while pushing up, away from the ball. 10-30 reps.
3. Oblique Crunches: Lean on the Gym Ball with your mid-lower back, legs bent at 90 degree angles and your hands clasped behind your head. Alternate touching your left elbow to your right knee and right elbow to left knee, raising one foot off the floor at a time, balancing with the other. Tighten the abs as you turn to reach for the knee with the opposite elbow. 16-32 reps.
4. Reverse Crunches: Lay with your back arched over the Gym Ball, feet on the floor with legs at 90 degree angles, and a chair or bench behind you. Grabbing the chair or bench for support, carefully balance on the Gym Ball while you lift both feet off the floor, tightening the abs and pulling knees up directly in line above the hips, keeping legs at 90 degree angles and knees together. This is essentially a reverse crunch with the added benefit of the reverse stretch of the abs from arching over the Exercise ball. 10-15 reps.
5. In and Outs: Position yourself in a standard push-up form and balance with your toes pressing on the top of the Gym Ball. While maintaining balance in the push-up position, carefully roll the Gym Ball toward you by pulling your knees toward your chest, keeping your feet on the ball. Then carefully roll the ball back to the start position with your feet still on top. 10-12 reps.
6. Weighted Crunch: Rest your mid-lower back on the Gym Ball as in the first exercise, with legs at 90 degree angles and feet on the floor. Gripping free weights, rest the weights on your shoulders, securing them with both hands, and perform standard crunches tightening the abdominal muscles with each move. 16-32 reps.
7. Chest Press with Crunch: Rest with your mid-lower back on the Gym Ball, gripping free weights, and legs bent at 90 degree angles with feet on the floor. Bring the weights up to chest level, elbows pulled back and kept close to your sides. Slowly push the weights up, and a semi-forward angle, and away from your chest while exhaling fully. Inhale as you bring the weights back toward your chest, keeping your elbows pulled close to your body as you pull back. 10-15 reps.
8. Side Crunches: Balance on the Gym Ball with your hip, using your legs extended straight out either together or in a slight V-shape for support. Your hands may clasp behind your head, or the upper hand behind the head with the lower hand resting and ready to support you if you begin to lose your balance. Perform side crunches. 10-20 reps.
9. Weighted Obliques: Resting with your mid-lower back on the Gym Ball, legs at 90 degree angles, grip one weight in both hands. Bring shoulders up slightly, extend the arms with elbows slightly bent. Slowly move the weight in an exaggerated figure-eight motion, keeping hips still. To intensify this move, alternate lifting one knee up, opposite side to the figure-eight motion. 10-12 reps.
10. Row: Get into a standard push-up position, but with the Gym Ball under your chest for support. Grip weights in both hands, extending arms towards the floor. Perform a row, bringing the elbows back, keeping the weights in line with your chest, and keeping your arms close to the body. Extend the arms and repeat. Move slowly to intensify the exercise. 10-20 reps.