How To Use An Exercise Ball For Abs

How to use an exercise ball for abs is quite simple, and will yield faster and more significant results from abdominal workouts than traditional sit-ups and crunches. Exercise balls come in several sizes which are selected by the height of the user. Most come with a hand pump to help inflate the exercise ball easily, and the ball may need to be re-inflated every week or so depending on how frequently and aggressively it is used.

Things You Need:

• Exercise Ball for your height
• Chair or Bench
• Free Weights

How to Use an Exercise Ball for Abs

1. Lean on the Exercise 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.
2. Lay with your back arched over the Exercise 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 Exercise 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.
3. Position yourself in a standard push-up form and balance with your toes pressing on the top of the Exercise Ball. While maintaining balance in the push-up position, carefully roll the Exercise 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.
4. Rest your mid-lower back on the Exercise 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.
5. Balance on the Exercise 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 oblique crunches by bringing your upper shoulder upwards, tightening the abdominal muscles, then returning to the start position. Alternatively, you can bring the upper leg toward your elbow to intensify the move by raising the leg, bending the knee and bringing it upward as you crunch up. 10-20 reps.