Have you ever used a fitness ball? A Fitness Ball is a large ball – about 14-32 inches in diameter (the size you should get depends on your height – the taller you are, the bigger the ball) filled with air and generally used for physical therapy, exercise and athletic training. It’s also known as: stability ball, exercise ball, body ball, Swiss ball, Balance Ball , birth ball, gym ball, therapy ball, yoga ball, Swedish ball and Ab ball. This ball is great for working the whole body.
There are tons of exercises you can do on it to help build muscles and help with your balance. I recommend the Body Balance Ball by Gaiam

Abdominals + Core

Ball Crunch – There are a few ways you can do a crunch. You can do it with your lower back on the Balance Ball or your back on the ground and calves on the ball. Either way you would place your hands behind your head as you would in crunch position and crunch your body in and out making sure to look up as you do this as to not hurt your neck. More difficult option: grasp the ball between your calves and crunch the your knees toward your chest bringing the ball towards your body in and back out again. Repeat moves as many times as you can – 12-15 reps is recommended.

Side Ball Crunch – To work your obliques try the side ball crunch. Lie on your side on the Balance Ball , arms crossed over chest and crunch your body to the side back and forth. Repeat on other side. Do as many reps as you can – 12-15 reps is recommended.

Jacknife – Place your ankles on top of the Exercise Ball , stretch out so your legs are extended and with your chest facing the floor. Hold yourself up onto your palms as if you were in push-up position with your ankles on the ball. Keeping your weight on your arms, breathe out while rolling the ball in, bending your knees and hips and extend your legs back after a short pause breaking in as you return to the start position. Repeat move as many times as you can – 10-12 reps is recommended.

Butt + Legs

Reverse Extension – Great workout for the butt. Lie on your chest on the Exercise Ball , roll yourself forward onto your hips with your palms touching the ground below you for balance, but your weight is all on the ball. With your feet together, raise your legs up (backwards) and back down again, repeat never touching the ground. Squeeze your butt and abs as you do this workout. Repeat as many reps as you can do. 12-15 is recommended.

Wall Squat – The is one of my favorites. Stand with your back facing a wall. Place a ball between your lower back and the wall. Squat down slowly until the legs form 90-degree angles at the knees making sure to put your weight into your heels. Use The ball will roll from the lower back to the shoulder blades supporting you along the way. Slowly stand up again, and repeat as many reps as you can do. 12-15 is recommended.

Hamstring Curl – Lie on your back with your calves & ankles resting on the Exercise Ball . Now raise up your hips and exhale as you bring your knees in towards your chest and the ball rolls so that now the bottoms of your feet will be on the ball. This is a balancing act and works those hamstrings like crazy! Repeat as many reps as you can do. 10-12 is recommended.

Arms, Chest + Back

Plank – Pretty similar to a regular plank, only you are balancing your forearms on the ball instead of the ground! Place your forearms on the ball and stretch both legs out, holding yourself up onto your toes – stretched out as flat as a board and hold the position as long as you can. For a more advanced move, try balancing on your palms!

Balance Push-ups – Lie on your chest on the Exercise Ball , roll yourself forward until your shins are resting on the ball and with your palms touching the ground below you. While balancing on the ball, do as many push-ups as you can without falling off the ball!

Ball Bridge – Squat down and place your shoulder blades/upper back onto the ball. Cross your arms over your chest and push your hips up until your back is parallel to the ground. Go back down again and repeat as many times as you can.

Share with us your favorite exercises using a fitness ball in the comments below. And let us know if you have any questions about any of them.

Want to try these exercises out but don’t have a ball ? Check out the Gaiam Exercise Ball Just make sure you note the size on any ball you pick out, the taller you are, the bigger the ball.