This Total-Body Exercise Ball Workout Will Make Your Abs Work Overtime
When top trainers want to develop stronger, firmer abs, they don't do more crunches. They do an exercise ball workout using that big, bouncy ball you'll find stashed in a corner of the gym. Known as the Swiss ball, this equipment is a crazy effective tool for building total-body strength, and it's particularly amazing at working your abs, explains Ashleigh Kast, trainer at Drive Clubs in New York City and founder of Sophisticated Strength.
"The exercise ball is great for helping to build awareness of good trunk position and is a great tool for challenging stability, which is what core training is all about," Kast explains. Remember, your core is more than just your abs, it's also about building strong glutes, hamstrings, back, and hips.
This exercise ball workout designed by Kast will strengthen your entire core while also training your arms and shoulders and helping to improve your balance - it's efficient and effective. And that's a workout everyone can all get behind.
How to do it: Do 8-10 reps of each exercise one after the other, or pick a few of your favorites and add them to your regular routine.
1. Alternating Ball Climber
A. Start in a push-up position with palms resting on top of the ball.
B. Pull right knee under torso while keeping spine long. Return to high plank and switch legs. Do 8-10 reps on each side.
2. Wall Squat With Reach
A. Place ball against wall and stand in front of it with back pressing against ball. Squat by sliding butt toward ground and extending arms in front of body at shoulder height.
B. Stay in squat position and reach right arm overhead, then left arm. Then stand to return starting position. Do 8-10 reps.
3. Stir the Pot Plank
A. Start in forearm plank on the ball. Make big or small circles to the right and left by moving elbows. Do 8-10 reps on each side.
4. Reverse Lunge Rotation
A. Stand tall and hug ball at chest.
B. Step right foot back and lower into lunge while rotating torso to the left. Return to standing. Do 8-10 reps on each side.
5. Single-Leg Deadlift
A. Stand tall and hug ball at low belly.
B. Hinge at hips and lift right left back while lowering torso toward floor. Return to standing and switch sides. Do 8-10 reps on each side.
6. Swiss Ball Rollout
A. Start in a forearm plank with arms resting on top of the ball.
B. Reach elbows forward to move ball away from body while keeping spine long. (The ball may only move a few inches, that's totally fine!) Then return to a plank position. Do 8-10 reps.
7. Swiss Ball Leg Curl
A. Start face-up on mat and place heels on top of the ball.
B. Lift hips and keep them lifted as you straighten legs. Then, curl ball back toward you with control. Do 8-10 reps.
8. Swiss Ball Side Plank
A. Start in a side plank on right side with knees on floor and right elbow resting on top of ball
B. Reach left arm to sky and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.
CREDITS: Trainer, Ashleigh Kast; Gym, Drive 495; Clothing, Lululemon; Hair, Jeffrey Jagling; Makeup, Satsuma Soma
Follow Redbook on Facebook.
You Might Also Like
