7 Best Abs Workouts You Can Do with the Exercise Ball

An exercise ball, also known as a stability ball, is one of the most underrated exercise tools. But the fact is it can offer you some unique benefits over bodyweight or other pieces of gym equipment.

Workouts using an exercise ball can enhance the range of motion when performing core strengthening exercises such as a crunch or a plank and activate more muscles in your abs. Plus, it can even create instability when exercising, thereby forcing your abs to engage more and making it harder to balance your body.

So, are you ready to achieve those six-pack abs?

Warm up your body with a few minutes of jogging or jumping jacks, and then follow the below-given exercise ball workouts that will challenge your core in all the right ways.

---

Exercise ball workouts to work your abs

1) Crunches

Doing a basic crunch on an exercise ball increases the activation of your abs more than the regular crunches.

Here’s how to perform a stability ball crunch:

• Sit on the ball and put your feet forward so that your neck, thighs, and shoulders are parallel to the ground.
• Keep your neck relaxed and put your hands behind your ears.
• Engage your core and lift your shoulders off the ball, holding the position once your body is at a 45-degree angle.
• Look up towards the ceiling and do not overstrain your neck.
• Pause and lower your upper body.
• Repeat 8 to 10 times.

2) Knee raise

Knee raise on an exercise ball helps activate your entire core muscle and targets your leg muscles.

Here’s how to perform a knee raise using a stability ball:

• Balance on the ball and keep your core engaged.
• Slowly lift your left foot off the floor and bring your left knee towards your chest.
• Now switch legs. Lift your right foot and bring your right knee towards your chest.
• This completes 1 rep.
• Repeat 10 times by alternating legs.

To make this workout a bit easier, do it near a wall so you can touch it for support and extra balance.

3) Squats

Squat using an exercise ball, and you’ll work your core, glutes, and quads all at once. Using the ball can help you maintain the proper form while protecting your lower back.

Here’s how to perform this exercise:

• Stand straight with the ball in between your lower back and wall. Keep facing away from the wall.
• Slowly lean against the ball and keep your entire body weight on your heels.
• Put your hands on your hips and slowly lower your body into a squat position so that your knees get bent at a 90-degree angle, and your thighs get parallel to the floor.
• Squeeze your glutes, engage your quads, core, and hamstrings and push through your heels to stand up.
• Repeat 10 to 15 times.

4) Roll-outs

An exercise ball roll-out can help target all your smaller core muscles and is quite challenging for your hamstrings too.

Here’s how to do this exercise:

• Kneel on the floor with your toes under your feet.
• Keep an exercise ball in front of you and put your forearms on the ball in a way that your arm makes a 90-degree angle.
• Now slowly push off from your toes and roll your body forward so that you get into a plank position.
• Make sure your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head.
• Pause, bend your knees and then roll back to the starting position.
• Repeat 10 to 15 times.

5) Glutes bridges

Doing this abs exercise on a stability ball will require you to have a stable and balanced core. This exercise has a double punch as it targets your core as well as your glutes.

Here’s how to do this exercise:

• Sit on the ball with both your feet on the floor.
• Move your feet forward and slowly roll your back onto the ball so that your upper back and shoulders are perfectly supported by the ball.
• Engage and lift your glutes off the ground, but your back and shoulders should still be resting on the ball.
• Pause for a second, and then lower your hips to the ground.
• Contract and lift your glutes off the floor again.
• Repeat at least 10 times.

6) Push-up with knee tucks

Push-ups with knee tucks on a stability ball are more effective than standard push-ups.

Here’s how to do this exercise:

• Roll your body gently on the exercise ball in a push-up position. Make sure the ball is under your shins.
• Keep your shoulders away and down from your ears, and start to balance yourself on the ball.
• Engage your abs, and don’t curve your lower back. Squeeze your quads and glutes for more balance.
• Breathe easily, and as you inhale, lower your body as down as you can into a push-up position while keeping your abs fully contracted to avoid any bending in your low back.
• At the top of the push-up position, contract your core and take your knees towards your chest.
• Again draw them back to the push-up position, and repeat the exercise.

7) Plank

Exercise ball planks will help you charge up your core and also engage your core muscles throughout the exercise.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Put your forearms on top of the ball with your knees bent on the floor.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Engage your pelvic floor and core to lift your knees gently off the floor into a plank position.
• Hold the position without letting your lower back bend towards the floor.
• Draw your knees back, and then repeat.

---

Summary

If you are just starting with your abs exercise routine, you may find these exercise ball workouts quite challenging. But don’t worry; over time, you’ll gain the right strength and confidence to perform them with ease. With that said, if you feel discomfort or pain, then stop and readjust the exercises as needed until you feel comfortable.