30 Stability Ball Exercises to Sculpt Your Core
Ready to ditch the boring routine and add fun and challenge to your workout? Look no further than the stability ball, a versatile piece of equipment that can transform your entire body.
Why Use a Stability Ball?
Imagine a fitness tool that strengthens your core, improves your balance, and boosts your flexibility – all while sculpting your muscles. That’s the magic of the stability ball. Its wobbly surface forces your core to engage constantly, making every exercise more effective.
30 Exercises for a Total-Body Blast
This article offers 30 stability ball exercises that target every major muscle group, from your abs and glutes to your shoulders and back.
Getting Started
Before you dive in, remember proper form is key. It ensures you get the most out of each exercise and avoids injuries.
Exercises for Every Fitness Level
This list offers a variety of exercises suitable for beginners and seasoned gym-goers alike. Beginners can start by mastering the basic movements and gradually progress to more challenging exercises.
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30 Best Stability Ball Exercises for Your Core
Bear in mind, that proper form is imperative. The reps of each exercise below are suggestions.
Only perform these moves if you can maintain proper form.
If you’re a beginner, review, and master each exercise before adding a therapy ball.
1. Swiss Ball Wall Sit
- Stand with your feet, pointed out, slightly wider than your shoulders with your back to a wall. Your feet should be approximately 2 feet away from the wall. Place a ball behind your lower back.
- Slowly start to lower into a squat. Keep a neutral torso and your core engaged, continuing to press your back into the ball until your thighs are parallel with the ground.
- Press evenly through your feet as you rise back up. Repeat 10 – 12 squats for 2 – 3 sets.
2. Stability Ball Forearm Plank
- Set yourself up in a plank position with your forearms on the ball. Keep your elbows directly underneath your shoulders and a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels.
- Engage your core and don’t forget to breathe! Hold for a minute to start. Add more time with strength.
3. Swiss Ball Reverse Crunch
This exercise targets your lower abs while challenging your balance on the stability ball.
- Starting position: Begin by lying on your back with your lower back resting on the stability ball. Your knees should be bent with feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Arms can be crossed over your chest or extended out to the sides for added balance.
- Engage and lift: Brace your core and slowly lift your hips and knees off the floor, bringing your knees in towards your chest. Imagine curling your pelvis under your body.
- Squeeze and hold: Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement and hold for a second.
- Lower with control: Slowly lower your hips and knees back down to the starting position.
- Repeat: Complete 10-12 repetitions for 2-3 sets.
4. Swiss Ball Knee Tuck
- Again, start in the basic plank position. As always, check your alignment. You want your wrists under your shoulders and the ball under your shins. Keep a neutral spine.
- Engage your core as you roll the ball towards your hands, tucking your knees into your chest. Pause.
- Return to start by straightening your legs and lowering your hips back down.
- Repeat 10 – 12 knee tucks for 2 – 3 sets.
5. Jackknife and Push-Up
Take your knee tucks a step further by adding a pushup!
- Set yourself up in a plank position with the tops of your feet on top of the ball. Using the tops of your feet, roll the ball in for a tuck.
- Immediately straighten your legs sending the ball back.
- Once you return to a neutral spine, lower into a pushup. As soon as your arms straighten, start to roll the ball back in. Complete 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
6. Stability Decline Push-Up
- Start in the basic pushup position with your feet on the ball and your hands under your shoulders.
- Keep your hips neutral, creating a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels.
- Bend at the elbows, lowering your upper body until your head is nearly on the floor. Pause. Press back up. Complete 10 – 12 pushups for 2 – 3 sets.
7. Swiss Ball Crunch
Target your core muscles by adding an exercise ball to your basic crunch.
- Lie on your back over the stability ball. Bend at the knees and have your feet planted firmly on the ground about a hip-width distance apart. Bring your fingertips behind your ears.
- On an exhale, engage your core as you crunch up. Pause and then release back down. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
8. Ball Side Crunch
Fire up your obliques by performing a side crunch on the ball.
- Place the exercise ball under your right hip, quad, and obliques. Bend your left knee, firmly planting your left foot on the ground. Stretch the right leg out, pressing the inner edge of your foot into the ground.
- Bring the fingertips of both hands behind your ears.
- On an exhale, take a side crunch to the right. Hold and then release back to the starting position.
- Complete 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets before switching to the left side.
9. Seated Swiss-Ball Russian Twist
- Sit on a Swiss ball, feet flat on the floor (hip-width apart), core engaged, back straight, holding a plate sideways in front (chest level).
- Lean back slightly, core tight, creating a diagonal line from head to heels.
- Twist your torso to one side, sliding the plate sideways to touch the Swiss ball beside your hip (squeeze obliques).
- Reverse to center with the plate held sideways in front.
- Repeat the twist to the other side, sliding the plate sideways.
- Move slow and controlled, and focus on quality twists.
- Modify: Feet closer together for balance, hold plate further out for difficulty.
- Dismount: Slowly roll off the Swiss ball with the core engaged.
10. Swiss Ball Rollout
- Start in a kneeling position with your shins on the mat and your toes untucked. Place the stability ball in front of your thighs with your hands resting on top.
- Engage your core and slowly roll the ball in a straight line in front of you, the ball rolling down your forearms.
- Once the ball reaches your elbows, reverse the movement, returning to the kneeling position. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
11. Prone Ball Dumbbell Triceps Extension
- Lie face down on your exercise ball with a dumbbell in each hand. Straighten your legs and tuck your toes.
- Keep your chest and head up. You want a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels.
- Keep your upper arms tucked into your sides. On an exhale, straighten your arms sending the weights behind you, engaging your triceps.
- Inhale your arms back in. Repeat 10 – 12 times for 2 – 3 sets.
12. Hip Raise
- Lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Place both heels on a workout ball. Have your knees bent at 90-degree angles.
- Press through your heels to lift your pelvis and lower body in line with your knees and shoulders. Pause. With control, lower your torso back down to the mat.
- Repeat 10 – 12 times for 2 – 3 sets.
13. In & Out
The In & Out is a fun exercise that is all about control. Take your sweet time with this one!
- Start in your high plank position on the yoga ball. Check your alignment. Hands under your shoulders, shins on the ball. Hips level, a line from shoulders to feet.
- Slowly pick up your left leg and lower it down the ground beside the ball.
- As you are doing this, continue to press into the ball with your right leg and squeeze your glutes for stability.
- Return the left foot to the ball and repeat the same motion with your right leg. Complete for 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
14. Hamstring Leg Curl
This is a great leg exercise to target your hamstrings, glutes, and core with this deceptively simple move.
- Start on your back with your feet on top of the ball. Your arms should be by your sides.
- Squeeze your glutes as you lift your pelvis off of the ground into a bridge pose. Slowly bend your knees, bringing the ball towards your pelvis.
- Pause. With control, return to start. Complete for 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
15. Prone Cobra
- Start by lying on your belly on top of your exercise ball. Your lower abs and pelvis should be resting on the ball. Have straight legs and tucked toes. Bring your arms out to a “t”.
- This is a 2-part motion. Engage your glutes and core as you lift your head and chest up and back into a backbend.
- Simultaneously, reach your arms back and rotate so that your thumbs are facing towards the sky. Spread wide through your collarbones. Pause. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets. (pharmacy)
Note that this is a backbend so warm up appropriately before performing.
16. Swiss Ball Chest Fly
This exercise challenges your chest muscles while also engaging your core for stability. It’s a variation of the traditional dumbbell chest fly but uses the unstable surface of the stability ball to increase core activation.
- Starting position: Begin by lying on your back with the middle and upper part of your back resting on the stability ball. Your knees should be bent with feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing together towards your chest. Extend your arms straight up above your shoulders, elbows slightly bent.
- Lowering the weight: Slowly lower the dumbbells down to the sides, keeping them in line with your chest. As you lower the weights, your elbows should flare out slightly but remain tucked in close to your body. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement. Lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in your chest muscles.
- Squeeze and return: Once you’ve reached the bottom of the movement, pause and squeeze your chest muscles, bringing the dumbbells back together at the top starting position.
- Repeat: Complete 10-12 repetitions for 2-3 sets.
17. Back Extension
Adding an exercise ball to your back extension is a great way to light up your back body!
- Place your heels against a wall, toes tucked, and lie face down on your stability ball. The ball should be resting by your hips. Bring your hands behind your head as if you are doing a crunch.
- On an exhale, engage your whole back body and lift your chest bringing your spine back to neutral. Hold. Slowly lower down. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
18. Reverse Hip Raise
- Lie over the ball on your belly and hips. Roll forward enough that you can comfortably plant your forearms onto the ground.
- Engage your abdominals and simultaneously lift both legs off of the ground, creating a straight line from your heels to your head.
- Pause. Slowly lower both legs to the starting position. Complete 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
19. Push-Ups
Tired of boring old pushups? Add a physical therapy exercise ball!
- Set yourself up in the basic pushup position with both hands on the ball under your shoulders. Start to bend your arms, lowering your chest toward the ball. Keep your head and neck neutral.
- Pause when your chest is an inch over the ball and press through your arms to return to the starting position. Repeat 10 -12 reps for 2 – 3 sets or until you can no longer hold proper form.
20. Pike Crunch
Turn around the setup of the previous exercise for your Swiss ball pike crunch!
- Again, start in your push-up position, however, your feet are resting on the ball, hands are firmly planted on the ground under your shoulders.
- Slowly bend at the hips as you bring your feet toward your chest. Pause at the top of your pike. With control, straighten your legs returning to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 – 12 crunches for 2 – 3 sets.
21. Stability Ball Mountain Climber
Add a balance ball under your hands in your mountain climber exercise!
- Set yourself up in an inclined high plank position, and hands on the ball. With control, pull your right knee into your chest without losing a neutral spine.
- Return the foot to the mat and repeat with the left foot. Continue for 1 minute.
- Speed up and add more reps as you become more comfortable with the motion and stronger.
22. High Knees
- For this one, start in the upright standing position, feet hip-width distance apart, toes pointing forward. Hold your stability ball over your head with both hands firmly grasping.
- Lift your right knee to waist level as you bring the ball down to touch the knee. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left knee. This is 1 repetition.
- Repeat for 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
23. Scissors Crunch
- Lie on your back, holding the ball in both hands, arms extended.
- Lift and hold your head and shoulders off of the mat. Lift your right leg to a 90-degree angle as you hover your left leg just off the ground.
- Keeping your upper body lifted, start to alternate the positions of your legs. Don’t let your heels touch the ground in between reps. Repeat 10 -12 crunches for 2 – 3 sets.
24. V-Pass
- Lie on your back, holding the stability ball overhead with both hands. Both your arms and legs are extended.
- On an exhale, lift your arms and legs forming a “V” with your body and passing the ball from your hands to between your feet.
- Squeeze the ball with your legs as you lower back down to the ground. Repeat, passing the ball back into your hands. This is 1 rep. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
25. Oblique Crunch
- Set yourself up in the basic crunch position but with the ball under your lower back. Your feet are flat on the ground and your hands are behind your ears.
- Engage your core as you crunch, twisting until your right elbow is pointing toward your left knee.
- Pause. Release back down and repeat on the opposite side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee. Pause. Release. This is 1 rep.
- Repeat 10 – 12 crunches for 2 – 3 sets.
26. T-Raise
- Lie down with your belly on top of your stability ball. Your feet are on the floor with your toes tucked. Keep a flat back and your chest raised. You want a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels.
- Let your arms internally rotate and hang with your palms facing out.
- Contract your upper back, pulling your scapula together and engaging your core as you lift your arms out to a “T”.
- Your hands will be shoulder height and parallel to the ground. Hold. Reverse the movement back to the starting position. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
27. Y-Raise
Similar to the T-Raise, you can also create a Y shape with your arms.
- Set yourself up as you would in the previous exercise.
- This time, when you lift your arms, bring them to approximately 30 degrees from your body, creating the letter “Y”. Pause. Slowly lower.
- Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
28. Dumbbell Chest Press
- Lie back on your therapy ball. Have your upper body on the ball, knees bent and feet firmly planted on the floor. With a dumbbell in each hand, bend the arms to 90 degrees, palms facing toward your toes.
- Engage your core as you straighten your arms, pressing towards the sky. Hold at the top, then return the weights to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
29. Dumbbell Row
- Place the stability ball under your hips as you lie face down with your core engaged.
- Have a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing toward each other by your ribs.
- Bending at the elbows, bring the weight forward towards your shoulders. On an exhale, extend your arms behind you in line with your body. Retract your shoulder blades. Pause. Return the weight to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 – 12 rows for 2 – 3 sets.
30. Bridge Lateral Walk on Stability Ball
- Lie on your back with the stability ball underneath your shoulders. Keep your hips level with your feet on the floor in a reverse tabletop. Bring your hands to your hips.
- Start to walk your feet to the right. The ball will roll to your left shoulder. Pause. Reverse, walking your feet to the left, letting the ball roll to your right shoulder. Pause. This is 1 rep. Repeat 10 – 12 reps for 2 – 3 sets.
Want to take it even further? Add a theraband around your quads or above your ankles.
Stability Ball Workout Chart
The Takeaway
Stability ball exercises are a fun and effective way to add variety and challenge to your workout routine. With a stability ball, you can improve your core strength, balance, and flexibility, while sculpting a leaner and stronger physique. So, grab your stability ball and get ready to unleash your inner gymnast!
Bonus Tip
Choose the right size ball for you! A 45 cm ball is ideal for people under 5 feet tall, with larger diameters recommended for those who are taller.
I hope this revised version is more engaging!