Exercise Ball Basics

Proper Alignment

While doing the exercises on this website, it is important to maintain proper alignment. This not only ensures your safety, but you also get the most out of each exercise.

It is far better to do less repetitions with good form, than more repetitions with bad form.

• Proper Sitting Position - Sit on the ball with your back straight and your feet shoulder width apart. Make sure that you do not lean forward or lean back while in the seated position. When you're doing exercises on your ball, you want to make sure that you tighten your stomach muscles. This will not only help you develop better balance, but it will also help you build a stronger core.
• Proper Neutral (Tabletop) Position - Begin with the ball under your abdomen and then slowly roll forward until the ball is under your knees or shins. Make sure your stomach muscles and butt muscles are tight. Tightening these muscles helps keep your spine straight. The spine should always be kept straight when doing exercises in this position. You do not want your back to sag down or arch up.

Reverse curl

• Start position: Lie with back on floor or bench with hips flexed at and feet in air holding onto a ball. Position arms at sides with palms down on floor.
• Leading with the heels towards the ceiling, raise glutes (butt) off floor or bench.
• Return to start position.
• Remember keep legs from swinging to prevent momentum throughout the exercise.

Prone Roll

• Start by kneeling on the ground and placing both arms on top of the ball.
• Keeping your abs tight and body parallel roll the ball forward letting your body roll forward with it.
• Reach a point where it is hard to maintain stability and then using just your arm bring the ball in towards your body.
• This is a great ab exercise but remember to keep your hips parallel with your body the entire time and just use your arm to move the ball forward and backwards.

Sit up

• Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.
• Walk feet forward allowing flexaball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on lower to mid-back region. Raise hips parallel to floor.
• Place hands across your chest. Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.
• Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders up.
• Return to start position.
• Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.
• Start by laying across a stability ball so that the ball is placed under your hip.
• Laterally flex your body and raise your upper body up towards the ceiling. Keep your body parallel the entire time.
• Repeat for the prescribed repetitions and then repeat with the other side.

Swiss ball plank

• Starting Position: Place forearms and elbows on the ball and form a plank or bridge position.
• Hold for the prescribed number of seconds. You should feel your abdominals working during this exercise.

Back Extension

• Lie face down on flexaball with knees and feet on floor.
• Flexaball placement should be at abdominal to lower chest region.
• With hands on chest, raise trunk 4-8 inches.
• Lower to start position.
• To increase intensity, position ball down towards hips, feet wide with knees off floor. Hands may be placed behind head and overhead to further increase.

Swiss ball wall squat

Place the ball in the small of oyur back, Stand with your feet shoulder width apart

Swiss ball press up

• Assume a prone position on the floor place the swiss ball under your feet.
• Position hands palms-down on the floor, approximately shoulder width apart. Raise yourself using your arms
• Lower your torso to the ground until your elbows form a 90 degree angle
• Raise yourself by attempting to push the ground away from you.