8 Best Exercise Ball Exercises

by westcoastsciApr 6, 2018Exercises, Health and Wellness

What exercises can you do on a ball?

Swiss ball or exercise ball is another popular piece of equipment used in many gyms and clinics. Our therapists at Westcoast SCI will often prescribe many different exercises with the swiss ball to help clients improve core stability and overall strength.

The Swiss ball works in a similar way to a BOSU ball and TRX suspension training, it adds instability to your movements, making exercises more difficult. Adding Swiss Ball exercises into your regular routine, challenges your balance, and will force you to activate your core muscles. The swiss ball can be used against different surfaces, for example the ground or the wall, which allows you to challenge different muscle groups.

Exercises

High Plank | Keeping your feet raised on a Swiss ball increased instability and makes a regular plank more challenging

Swiss Ball JackKnife | For a progression from the high plank, try Swiss ball jackknife. Maintain a nice plank position, slowly pull your feet in toward your chest, then slowly return to the starting position. Keep your core engaged and movements slow and controlled.

Swiss Ball Hip Raises | Hip raises on a Swiss ball gives some exercise to your hips and glutes. Slowly raise your hips off the ground while keeping them levelled, and then slowly back down to the ground.

Hamstring Curls | From there you can progress to the hamstring curls. Lift your hips up and hold them in a bridge position, slowly curl your feet in toward you, and slowly push them back to the bridge position. Maintain your hips levelled and core and glutes engaged during the exercise.

Wall Squat | Wall squat with Swiss ball includes a bit of instability compared to a regular wall squat. Remember to keep your back nice and straight.

Single Leg Wall Squat | Adding hip abduction also adds instability, while encouraging you to engage your hip abductor. Use your inside leg to push into the Swiss ball, and do a mini squat with your outside leg.

Swiss Ball Roll Out | With your knees on the floor, start with an elbow plank on a Swiss ball, keep your core controlled and engaged, slowly roll forward and then slowly return to the starting position

Swiss Ball Plank | A plank on a Swiss ball will make a perfect exercise to end your routine. You’ll find it harder than a regular plank because you’ll need to engage more muscles to stable yourself.