A fitness ball training routine can improve your Abs and core strength
First lets look at the main benefits of fitness ball training:
- Easy to use, supports and cushions your body.
- Helps increase flexibility, strength and endurance.
- Strengthens and tones muscles.
- Trains your body in functional movement.
- Challanges your body to improve alignment and balance.
- Forces your body to strengthen stabalizing muscles.
- Targets abdominals and lower back.
- Strengthens your Core to improve posture.
- Stabilizes the spine.
- Helps you control weight.
Well the reason they work so well is because they are inherently unstable. When you sit or try to support yourself on the ball the body has to work extremly hard to keep you from falling off!
Now try adding some exercises and not only are you having to control your body and stop yourself from falling but you also need to focus on the exercise you are performing as well.
This creates more effort on your part and it also brings into play those core muscles I have mentioned in an earlier section.
Regular training with a stability ball can improve and strengthen your core as well as help to define and shape your Abs. Not only can you perform all of your standard Abs type training but you can also perform exercises such as the bench press or flyes using the ball as a support instead of the bench.
This adds an extra dynamic to the more convential exercise as those core muscles are being called into play during your fitness ball training routine, as well as making the exercises much more physically demanding.
Some good examples of standard fitness ball training routines include:
Leg Raises
This is a variation of a core exercise, similar to the superman but is performed with the body on the ball, stomach down, using an alternate leg and arm raise.
Performing this as a fitness ball training program again helps bring into play the core muscles much more as it takes alot more control and focus to keep from falling off the ball.
So as I mentioned whilst on the ball in the above position stretch out one arm and the opposite leg, hold the position for a while, then change sides. This is a very effective exercise and quite difficult to perform at first but after practice it does get easier whilst still being very challenging.
Hip Extension
To perform it lay on your back on the floor with your feet on top of the ball. Keep your legs at an 90 degree angle to the floor and keeping your back flat raise up your hips so you shoulders and upper back stay in contact with the floor. Remember to keep your belly button sucked in towards your spine (not to much!!) as this will help engage your TA muscles. This is a good Ab developer and core stabalizing exercise.
Pelvis Tilt
Incorporate this into your abs day along with a couple of other exercises and you will easily develop strong abs (of course you still need a good diet and exercise routine to help shift those few extra pounds so you can see them underneath the spare tyre!!).
Lie on the ball resting your waist and back on the ball.
Place your hands on your thighs, keeping your feet flat on the floor a shoulder-width apart.
Lifting your pelvis, raise your hips a few inches, then lower back to the start.
Use your abdominals to lift your hips.
Abdominals / Obliques
This exercise stimulates the obliques as well as the abs by incorporating a slight twist into the movement.
- Do not place your hands behind your head and pull up as you will be placing pressure on your neck!!
Keep your feet placed on the floor.
Curl your trunk while squeezing your abdominals. As you begin the curl, rotate the right side of your body toward the left leg. Slowly return to the start.
Repeat but alternate the starting side (i.e. curl left to right knee).
Try incorporating a fitness ball training routine into your usual routine the extra focus makes the exercises more challenging especially if you are remembering to activate your TA muscles as well!!
