exercise ball exercises

The Exercise Ball is one of the best pieces of equipment that you can buy for strengthening and toning your abs. No matter what exercise that you choose to perform it will somehow and in some way exercise your core (abs, oblique’s, lower back, etc.) In saying that, there are some exercises that put greater emphasis on the abs. Here is my pick for the top 3 exercise ball exercises.

The weighted Crunch is my first pick. The reason why it is so much more effective on the Exercise Ball than on the ground is because the range of motion. When performing the exercise on the ball you can slightly hyper extend the back lengthening the abs before starting the contraction. And because you are on the ball you will need to balance. It is because the balance and full range of motion makes this such a great exercise. When you add weight it just makes it that much difficult for anyone at any fitness level.

My second pick is the jack knife on the Exercise Ball. For those of you who not familiar with the exercise, it is where your hands are on the ground and your knees on top of the ball. You simply pull your knees to your chest. To work more of your obliques just turn your hips so your left knee goes towards your left shoulder. Then repeat to the right on the next repetition. Performing the exercise this way really targets the lower abs and the obliques.

The plank on the stability ball is my third choice. The plank is excellent for training all the muscles that stabilize the spine. By performing it on the stability it just makes it more difficult. Start out by just have you elbows on the ball and feet on the ground. Once you can do this for a minute you can make the exercise even more difficult by placing your feet on the bench and your elbows on the ball.

I hope that you give each exercise a try. If you have any questions on how to perform the exercise ask one of fitness professionals at your local gym. You can also get a more detailed instruction at the Ab Ball site. If you are wondering how to incorporate this into a workout routine this exercise ball workouts site is a good place to start.

Thanks for reading and I wish you the greatest success.

David Renier