Exercise Balls Workouts

There are many exercise balls workouts you can try as a means to stay in shape. These workouts require you to maintain your balance at all times, which helps work your abdominal muscles. Try a few different routines and then incorporate a workout using exercise balls into your weekly training schedule.

1. Chest workout. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them next to your chest while you sit down on your exercise ball. Slowly inch your feet forward as the ball slides up toward your head and stop when you are lying down on the ball and facing the ceiling. Keep your feet flat on the floor and stabilize your body. To start the exercise, press the dumbbells up off of your chest until your arms are fully extended. Keep your body still by squeezing your ab muscles during the lift. Lower the dumbbells back down to your chest to finish the repetition. Do ten full repetitions for three sets to thoroughly work your chest muscles.
2. Arm workout. Take your dumbbells and sit down on the exercise ball. Place your feet flat on the floor at shoulder width. Let your arms hang down by the sides of the ball and get a firm grip on the dumbbells. To start the lift, slowly curl each dumbbell up and rotate your hands so your thumbs are facing out. Stop the movement when your knuckles are facing the ceiling and hold the position for a count of one. Lower the dumbbells slowly back down to the starting position to finish the first repetition. Do three sets of ten repetitions for this exercise to pump up your biceps.
3. Shoulder workout. Sit down on the exercise ball with your dumbbells in the same position as you did for your arm workout. Bring the dumbbells up so your hands and forearms are facing away from you and your knuckles point up toward the ceiling. To begin the shoulder exercise, press your arms up until they are fully extended. Hold for a one-count and then lower your arms back down to the starting position. Do three sets of ten repetitions.
4. Leg workout. Place the exercise ball against a wall and turn around until it is centered in your lower back area. Lean back against the ball to stabilize it and put one hand on each of your hips. Spread your feet to shoulder width and make sure the ball is stable. To start the exercise, slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand back up to finish the first repetition. Remember to press against the ball with your back during the movement so it does no slip off and fall to the floor. Do 10 reps for a thorough quadriceps workout. 
5. Abdominal workout. Sit down on the exercise ball and work your feet forward until you are lying on the center of the ball facing the ceiling. Put your feet flat on the floor slightly past shoulder width. Bring your hands up by your head with your palms facing your ears, but do not touch your head. To start the ab workout, slowly lean forward for about six inches and squeeze your stomach muscles for a count of one. Return to the starting position to finish the first rep. Do three sets of 25 repetitions to get a great abdominal workout.