This Workout Burns All The Extra Fat On Your ABS & Legs
Stability balls (also known as exercise balls, balance balls, Swiss
balls, or fitness balls) are not just for maternity or to roll around on.
Although they look unimportant, they actually bring a whole range of
benefits when used correctly! These benefits include:
⚫ Improved strength.
⚫ Cardio endurance.
⚫ Core stability.
⚫ Balance.
Basic moves, for example, push-ups, squats and planks, being performed on
an unstable surface, like the stability ball, means that muscles get more
attention. Stability balls can also be beneficial for getting back into
shape, if you have been out of training for whatever reason. This is
because they reduce muscle and spinal strain during certain
movements.
If you only use a stability ball for crunches or comfort to sit on, then
try and enjoy a new way to adjust traditional exercises into multi-muscle
movers that will benefit your body and give you satisfying results.
Below is a workout compiled to give you enough to learn new techniques
and feel the difference!
After you complete the warm-up, perform each exercise for the recommended
number of reps, back-to-back with little or no rest in between.
Perform the full circuit one to three times total on up to four
non-consecutive days a week for best results.
You will need a set of dumbbells (five to 25 pounds, depending on your
fitness level) and a stability ball.
Warm-Up:
Get your body ready for the workout ahead of you with this complete body
move exercise.
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin holding the ball, standing with your feet slightly wider
than hip-width apart.
⚫ Then lower into a small squat, tapping the ball lightly to the
floor.
⚫ Stand up, drawing your abs in tightly and keeping your arms
extended and raise the ball overhead.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Atlas Squat:
Want more of a core challenge? Hold the stability ball overhead the
entire time.
How To Do It:
⚫ Start by standing with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart,
holding the ball overhead.
⚫ Lower into a deep squat, sitting back into your hips and keeping
your knees behind your toes while keeping ball overhead.
⚫ You can avoid straining your neck by keeping your chin pointing
towards your chest.
⚫ Return to the starting position.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Stability Ball Plank:
This is much more difficult than regular planks!
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin with elbows on top of the ball, lined up under your
shoulders, hands clasped together, feet hip-width apart.
⚫ Brace your abs and keep your chest and stomach off the ball
completely.
⚫ Now write your full name, first, middle and last, with your
elbows on top of the ball.
⚫ Make this harder by bringing feet together or easier by widening
your stance.
Y-And-I Extension:
Use the ball to increase your range of motion and challenge your balance
with this great back-strengthening exercise.
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin balancing on the ball, with the ball positioned between
your belly button and pelvis.
⚫ Your legs should be extended straight back, hip-width
apart.
⚫ Extend your spine and lift your chest off the ball, reaching your
arms into a Y position in front of you, with thumbs pointed up.
⚫ Lift your rib cage off the ball, further extending your spine, as
your arms reach down by your sides into an I position, squeezing your
shoulder blades back and together with your ⚫ thumbs still facing up.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Reaching Rear Lunge:
Challenge the muscles from your ankles all the way up to your hips with
this rear lunge.
How To Do It:
⚫ Stand about one foot in front of the ball with your right knee
bent, the top of your foot pressed into ball, holding dumbbells by your
sides.
⚫ Hinge forward from your hips, bending your left leg as your right
leg extends back, moving the ball away from your body.
⚫ Reach with the dumbbells, on either side of your left leg, toward
the floor.
⚫ Go as low as possible without rounding your back.
⚫ Return to the starting position.
⚫ Perform 15 reps.
⚫ Repeat on the opposite side.
Marching Press:
Engage your shoulders, abs and thighs by balancing on the ball during
your overhead press.
How To Do It:
⚫ Sit on ball with feet hip-width apart, arms bent by your sides,
holding dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing front.
⚫ Press the weights overhead.
⚫ Your arms should be slightly in front of your body at the top of
extension, never behind your head, as one foot lifts off the floor.
⚫ Make sure to keep your shoulders stacked over your hips.
⚫ Return to the starting position.
⚫ Perform 20 reps, alternating legs each time.
Stability Ball Pike:
Work your entire body with a major emphasis on the abs!
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin in a plank with the ball under your feet, shoulders lined
up over your hands.
⚫ Lift your hips and pulling the ball in closer to your
chest.
⚫ Try to raise your hips over your shoulders, if possible, and
press your feet down into the ball to make it easier to slide your legs in
during the pike.
⚫ Return to the start.
⚫ Too tough? Start with a small range of motion, lifting your hips
only slightly until you feel ready for more.
⚫ Try up to 10 reps.
Balancing Kickback:
Turn up your triceps work with this multi-tasking move that works not
only the backs of your arms, but also your legs and core!
How To Do It:
⚫ Stand about one foot in front of the ball with your right knee
bent, the top of your foot pressed into ball.
⚫ Bend your elbows behind your body, holding the dumbbells by your
sides.
⚫ Hinge your torso forward from the hips, bending your left knee
about 45-degrees as your right leg extends straight back behind your
hip.
⚫ Extend your arms straight back behind you.
⚫ Bend your elbows back in.
⚫ That’s one rep.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Stability Ball Push-Up:
Take your push-ups off solid ground for an extra core challenge!
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin in a plank with hands pressed into the ball.
⚫ Make it easier with your feet positioned wider apart or harder by
bringing your feet closer together.
⚫ Do a push-up by lowering your chest to the ball, bending your
elbows out to the side and avoid letting your hips sag.
⚫ Try to tap your chest on the ball if possible but don’t rest your
body on the ball.
⚫ Return to the starting position.
⚫ Try up to 15 reps.
Side Lunge Row:
Work your inner thighs, glutes and back with this balancing
exercise.
How To Do It:
⚫ Stand with your left leg extended straight to the side and your
left foot pressed on top of the ball, holding a dumbbell in your right
hand.
⚫ Lower into a single-leg squat by bending your right knee, pushing
your hips back.
⚫ Hinge slightly forward from your hips, reaching your right arm
toward the floor.
⚫ Row your weight back by bending your right elbow in by your side,
pulling the dumbbell to the side of your torso as your left knee bends,
curling the ball toward your body.
⚫ Extend your leg and arm back out.
⚫ Perform 15 reps.
⚫ Repeat on opposite side.
Stability Ball Hamstring Curl:
The backs of the legs can be tough to target, but this exercise is
guaranteed to make your hamstrings work!
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin in a bridge on the ball: Lie face up with your knees bent
and hip-width apart, feet flexed, heels pressed into top of the ball with
your arms extended by your sides pressed into the floor and hips
lifted.
⚫ Engage your abs and extend your legs out straight, keeping your
hips off the floor.
⚫ Use your abs and arms to help stabilise your torso.
⚫ Return to the start.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Knee Tuck:
Try this multi-muscle ab-strengthening move.
How To Do It:
⚫ Begin in a plank with the ball under your feet, toes pointed, abs
tight and shoulders over your hands.
⚫ Draw your abs in deeper and bend your knees into your chest,
pulling the ball in and keeping your shoulders lined up over your
hands.
⚫ Press your feet down into the ball to make it easier to slide
your legs in.
⚫ Return to the start.
⚫ Perform 20 reps.
Stretching:
After you’ve finished the final round of the circuit, finish your workout
with some stretches.
How To Do It:
⚫ Stand with your feet wide and your arms extended out to the sides
with the ball in front of you on the floor.
⚫ Bend your knees and hinge forward, placing the back of your right
hand on top of ball and keeping arms extended, turn your chest toward
ceiling.
⚫ Roll onto your right shoulder, looking up to your left
hand.
⚫ Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
⚫ Repeat on the opposite side.
⚫ Then open your chest toward the ceiling the other way (the ball
is between your arms on your chest side), turning toward the right,
looking up to your right hand.
⚫ Hold for 30-60 seconds.
⚫ Repeat on opposite side.
