Everyone is familiar with exercise balls due to their versatility and extensive application. The exercise ball can be used for something as simple as sitting to performing all sorts of exercises.
Exercises for Building a Stronger Upper Body
Pelvic Rolls
Place your hands on the ball. Kneel on the ball and spread your legs as wide as your hips. Keeping your back flat, roll forward on the ball without moving your knees. Repeat as many times as you easily can for stronger back muscles.
Lats
Get down on your knees so that your upper body forms a 90-degree angle with the floor. Keep the ball in front of you. Keep one arm on the ball as if you want to use your hand as a saw. Straighten the hand while rolling the ball forward till your entire arm becomes parallel to the ground.
Shoulders
Get down on your knees. Keep the ball on one side of your body. Keep your elbow on the ball with your palm facing outward. Roll it forward slowly so that your palm almost touches your head. Repeat with the other hand.
Back Extensions for flexibility
Lay down on the exercise ball, upside down, so that your pelvis till your lower chest is resting on the ball and your entire body makes an angle of 30 degree with the floor. Keeping your hands on the ball lifting up your upper body so that your lower back rotates slightly upwards. Pause for as long as you can and return to the starting position.
Exercises for a Powerful & Sculpted Chest
Push-Ups
Stand with the exercise ball right in front of you with your legs shoulders width apart and feet resting firmly on the floor. Lean forward so that you make an angle of 45 degrees with the floor. Keep both your palms on the ball and lower your chest so that it almost touches the ball. Pause for a second. Feel those chest muscles compress. Return to the starting position and repeat. Do three to four sets of 10-16 repetitions.
Chest Press
Hold two dumbbells in your hands. Lie down on the exercise ball so that your entire neck is resting on the ball as well as your lower back. Keep your legs shoulders’ width apart and your feet completely resting flat on the floor. Your hands should be resting, side by side, close to your chest with your dumbbells almost touching your pectorals. Lift both arms together so that the dumbbells become parallel to your chest. Return to the starting position and pause for a second. Repeat. Do three to four sets of 10-16 repetitions for excellent results.
Declining Push-Up
With your exercise ball resting firmly on the floor, assume the push-up position by resting your toes on the exercise ball. Your toes should not be that wide that they slip from the ball. Your upper body should be slightly lower than your lower body. Keep your palms slightly wider than your chest and resting completely on the floor. Lower your upper body so that your face gets close to the floor. Hold it there and then lift up your body to the starting position. Three to four sets of 10-16 repetitions will sculpt your lower chest and make your pectorals strong.
Alternate Chest Press
Grab two dumbbells which you can easily manoeuvre. Lie down on the ball with your entire neck and lower back comfortably resting on the exercise ball. Your legs should be as wide as your shoulders and your feet should be resting firmly on the ground. Instead of stretching both arms forward while holding the dumbbells, alternate your chest press movement starting from the right hand. Stretch your right hand completely forward so that the dumbbells are exactly above your chest and parallel to it. Return to the starting point and do the same movement with the other hand. Keep alternating till you complete 10-16 repetitions. Perform three to four sets of the exercise for building a strong and shaped chest.
Incline Press for a sculpted upper chest
Keep the ball between yourself and a wall. Grab some dumbbells in both hands. With your back pushing against the ball and the wall supporting the ball, rest your entire back from the point where your shoulder blades end to the point where your buttocks end. Your knees should be at a 45 degrees angle from the floor and your feet should be resting flat on the floor. Your dumbbells should be resting side by side with your chest. Push the dumbbells forward so that they form a straight line, from your fingers to your shoulders. Return to the starting position. Pause and repeat. Perform three to four sets of 10-16 repetitions.
Build Thunder Thighs
Single Leg Press
Squeeze the exercise ball between your back and a wall. Push against the ball so that your upper body is at an angle of 45 degree from the floor. Your knees should form an angle of 90 degrees with the floor. Lift up one of your legs as if you are about to push something with it. Stretch it completely forward so that the rest of your body becomes parallel to the ground. Hold for a second and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement with your other leg. Do 3-4 sets of 10-16 repetitions for building powerful thighs and glutes.
Split Lunges
Stand with the exercise ball resting behind you on the floor. Your legs should be shoulder width apart. Lift up one of your legs so that your toe and you shin rest against the curvature of the ball. Bend forward while bending your knee so that it becomes parallel with your pelvis. Pause to feel the stretch. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement with the other leg.
Pelvic Thrusts
Lie down on the exercise ball with your entire upper body resting on it. Keep your hands on your hips. Lower your hips so that your knees make an angle of 45 degrees with the floor. Then lift up your entire lower body so that it becomes parallel to the ground. Pause and repeat. Do 3-4 sets of 10-16 repetitions.
Glute Bridge for flexible lower back
Lie down on the floor with your feet resting on the exercise ball in such a way that your legs form an angle of 30 degrees with the floor. Lift up your body from the floor so that only your upper body from your shoulder blades to your head is resting on the floor. Pause for a second and return to the starting position. Repeat as many times as you can.
Hamstring Curls
Lie down on the floor exactly as you were in the above-mentioned exercise. Forming a 30-degree angle with the floor. Lift up your entire body while your feet rest flat on the ball and your neck rests on the floor in a way that your shins are at 45 degrees from the ball. Pause and repeat.
Quad Dips
Keep the ball behind you. Sit upright on the floor with your right knee forward in a way that it forms an angle of 90 degree with the floor while resting the other knee on the floor and the foot resting against the ball. Your upper body should be kneeling forward with the fingers of your hands touching the floor. Push your back backwards so that your upper body aligns with your lower body and you feel your quads compress. Repeat the motion with the other leg
Exercises for Power Abs
Crunches
Lie down on the ball. Your body, from the shoulders to your buttocks resting firmly on the ball and hands clasped behind your head. Your legs should be shoulder width apart and feet resting flat on the floor. Do a crunch by rotating your upper body forward in a way that your back follows the curvature of the ball. Pause when you feel those abs crunch. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Reverse Crunch
Lie with your back on the floor. Keep the ball behind your buttocks and grab it with your ankles and buttocks. Lift your lower back slowly and roll your knees towards your chest. Pause and repeat.
Reverse Crunch Twist
This is similar to the reverse crunch except that when you lift up your lower back twist it to the right and left.
Knee tuck
Get into a plank position with your shins balanced on the ball. Tuck your knees in so that the ball rolls with them. Bring your knees as close to your chest and roll back.
Roll Out
Get down on your knees while keeping the ball in front of you. Spread your legs as wide as your hips. Keep your forearms on the ball and roll the ball forward till your arms are completely straight. Pause and repeat.
Side Roll Out
Assume the roll out position above and instead of using your forearms, keep your right palm firmly on the ball and your left palm on the side of the ball. Roll the ball to the left using your right hand till your hand is completely straight. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement using your left hand.
Exercises for stability & mobility
Plank
Lie down facing the floor with your toes dug deep into the exercise ball, your palms flat on the floor and your arms a little wider than your chest. Hold the position for as long as you can.
Russian Twist
Lie down on the ball facing upwards with your upper back resting on the ball. Your lower body should form an angle of 90 degree with the floor. Stretch your arms forward completely with your palms touching each other. Twist your upper body to the right and pause. Return to your starting position and do the same on your left side.v
Y-Raise
Lie down on the ball, resting your body from your pelvic muscles to your chest against the ball. Your toes should be pushing against the floor. Let your hands hang down from the ball with your palms facing each other. Lift up your hands slowly assuming the thumbs-up position till they become parallel to your shoulders. Pause and repeat.
T-Raise
Lie down on the ball with your pelvis and lower chest resting on the ball. Your toes should be pushing against the wall with your legs stretched and as wide as your hips. Keep your palms on the floor on the sides of the ball. Lift them up as if you are about to fly and are at the same level as your chest. Pause and repeat.
