My Favorite Exercise Ball Workouts for the Core

One of the most rewarding benefits about exercise ball workouts for me is the effect that they have on my core. No matter what type of exercise I am doing on the exercise ball it involves engaging the core (stomach and back) to stabilize myself. Of course there are certain exercise ball workouts that specifically target those areas as well. A couple of my favorite workout exercises for the core are:

Ball Crunch:

A. Lie on exercise ball with back supported underneath you on the ball. Walk yourself forward or backwards until your shoulders are off one end of the ball, your feet should be flat on the floor, knees bent and aligned over your ankles, hands behind your head with fingers unclasped. Instead of hands behind my head, I sometimes use a 2-4 pound medicine ball and bring it back behind my head.

B. Tighten abs, exhale, and start to curl torso upward, bringing ribs towards hips keep chin level. Slowly lower to starting position and repeat. With medicine ball straighten arms and bring ball up over head toward knees as you curl upward and slowly lower back down bringing ball back behind head.(I do 12-15 reps).

Ball Rotation:

A. Start out sitting on a exercise ball holding a dumbbell or medicine ball (2-4 pounds) in both hands, walk feet out until your back is resting and supported on the ball from shoulders to buttocks, knees should be bent and aligned over ankles, feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbell or medicine ball out in front of you, arms extended so dumbbell or medicine ball is above the chest, your elbows should be slightly bent. Your head and neck should be aligned with the spine.

B. Keeping your shoulders and hips aligned with each other rotate your torso and move the dumbbell or medicine ball to one side of your body, return back to the center and then rotate to the opposite side.(I do 12-15 reps).