6 Best Gym Ball Exercises for Weight Loss

Gym ball exercises for weight loss aren’t often used, but they should be. If your focus is to lose weight and tone muscles rather than add muscle mass, you should incorporate gym ball exercises in your routine.

Almost every fitness establishment has a gym ball. It’s used for improving stability and mobility but can also be used for exercises to help burn calories.

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Gym Ball Exercises for Weight Loss

The following are six gym ball exercises for weight loss you should incorporate in your workout routine if you have access to a gym ball.

1) Overhead Squat

To do overhead squats, hold the gym ball straight over your head. Engage your core for balance and stability.

Once you’ve found a sure-footing, proceed to do normal squats. However, you must ensure that you’re pushing through with your heels to maintain pressure on the quads.

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2) Jack Knife

To do this exercise, place your ankles on the gym ball and palms on the ground. At the starting position, your back and legs should make a straight line, while your arms are parallel to the ball.

Use your core muscles to pull the ball towards yourself while keeping your ankles on it. Your knees should move to your chest when you do the exercise. If you start getting cramps, stop immediately. As a beginner, your core muscles won’t be used to such a movement, so it’s important to take it slow and steady.

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3) V-sit

To do v-sits, lie on a mat, and keep the gym ball between your ankles. Raise your upper and lower body at the same time so that the arms and legs are parallel to each other.

Transfer the gym hall from between your ankles to between your palms, and move back to the starting position. Repeat the motion, but transfer the gym ball back between the ankles. This gym ball exercise requires focus and coordination.

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4) Stir the Pot

To do this exercise, keep your toes on the floor; straighten your legs, and keep your forearms on the gym ball.

At the starting position, the body should form an incline position. Keep your core muscles engaged, and slowly rotate your forearms to replicate the motion of stirring a pot.

You should be able to feel your core muscles taking the pressure as you do the exercise.

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5) Glute Bridge

To do a glute bridge, lie on a mat. Put your ankles on the gym ball, and lift your hips. This is your starting position.

Pull the gym ball towards your posterior using your glutes and hamstrings. It’s important that you maintain a strong muscle-mind connection during the exercise for proper muscle engagement.

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6) Decline Push-up

Another gym ball exercise for weight loss is the decline push-up.

To do decline push-ups, place your ankles on the gym ball and palms on the floor. This is your starting position.

Keeping your ankles and the gym ball steady, proceed to do push-ups. This exercise is like normal decline push-ups, but your feet are on a gym ball and not on an elevated surface.

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Bottom Line

Gym ball exercises for weight loss will only be useful if you’re following a calorie-deficit diet. If you don’t follow one, your body will not be motivated to burn the stored calories to generate energy.

Pro-tip for weight loss: Diet is key.