6 Best Stability Ball Exercises for a Full Body Workout

Stability ball exercises are a great way to challenge yourself and tone up your body. Stability balls, also referred to as balance balls, exercise balls, fitness balls, or Swiss balls, are a great exercise tool to enhance strength, balance, and cardio endurance.

These stability ball exercises work wonders for the core muscles. They can also help improve your overall body strength, coordination, and flexibility while making sure your posture is correct and solid. Even though a stability ball might not help you develop serious strength like kettlebells or dumbbells, the bouncy ball can certainly work on your muscle endurance to a great degree.

So, if you need a break from heavy weights or simply want to try something new, incorporating stability ball exercises into your workout can be the best way to make your routine more interesting and fun.

---

Full Body Stability Ball Exercises

We’ve compiled a list of the six best stability ball exercises you can practice at least three times a week to benefit your entire body:

1) Stability Ball Roll Out

This is the simplest of all stability ball exercises. It targets the abs and challenges core stability and strength.

To do a stability ball roll-out:

• Kneel with your knees positioned at hip distance, and place your hands on the ball. Keep your toes on the ground for balance.
• Keeping your core muscles tight and back flat, start to roll forward till the ball reaches your forearms, and the body gets in a straight line from your knees to your head.
• As you roll the ball, make sure not to move your knees.
• Hold, and then roll back to the starting position.
• Repeat.

---

2) Jackknife

The stability ball jackknife is one of the best core stability ball exercises that strengthens the abs and hip flexors.

To do jackknives:

• Start the exercise in a high plank position.
• Place your shins on the top of the ball and hands under your shoulders.
• Engage your core, and keep your body in a straight line from toes to head.
• Keeping your knees bent and squeezing your core, roll the ball towards your hands till your toes rest on the ball. Make sure to keep your hips down as you roll the ball.
• Straighten your legs behind you, and return to the starting position.
• Repeat.

---

3) V Pass

The V pass is one of the best full-body stability ball exercises that challenges core stability and muscle endurance. In this exercise, you have to pass the ball between your feet and hands. Engage your arms and inner thighs to keep the ball from falling to the ground.

To do a V pass:

• Lie on your back, with your legs straight on the floor.
• Hold the ball over your head with both hands, and engage your core.
• Squeeze your abs, and lift your legs and arms to move the ball between your calf muscles, creating a 'V' shape.
• Lower down to the starting position, but with the ball between your legs.
• Pass the ball back and forth between your legs and hands, and continue the exercise.
• Repeat.

---

4) Hamstring Curl

Stability ball hamstring curls strengthen the glutes and hamstrings and also help engage the core muscles.

To do a hamstring curl:

• Lie down on your back, and place your calves on top of the ball. Keep your legs straight.
• Engage your core, and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips off the floor, creating a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
• Roll the ball by dragging your heels close to your hips or till your knees are at 90 degrees.
• Straighten your legs to roll the ball away from your butts, and return to the starting position.
• Repeat.

---

5) Squat

This stability ball exercise targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings while developing core and hip strength.

To do a squat:

• Stand straight with a stability ball between your back and a wall.
• Keep your feet hip-distance apart and straight in front of your body.
• Roll your body down the ball by bending your knees till your thighs get parallel to the floor.
• Hold, and press your heels firmly to return to the starting position.
• Repeat.

---

6) Single Leg Hip Thrust

This challenging stability ball exercise develops the hamstrings and glutes by strengthening one leg at a time. It also corrects any muscle imbalance between your legs.

To do a single-leg hip thrust:

• Lie on your back, and place both feet on a stability ball. Keep your legs bent at 90 degrees, and place your arms on the floor by your sides.
• :ift one foot off the ball, and move it straight out.
• Thrust your hips off the floor by squeezing your glutes and engaging your core so that your upper body is stable and straight.
• Slowly lower your hips to the starting position, and repeat the movement on the opposite leg.

---

Takeaway

To get the most out of the aforementioned stability ball exercises, make sure to choose the correct stability ball.

As there are a variety of exercise balls available, the best way to choose one is to sit on the ball and check if your knees and hips are at right angles to the floor. If they're so, you’re good to go, but if the posture feels uncomfortable, it means the size of the ball is not appropriate for you.