Swiss Ball Exercises

The Swiss ball, also knows as a fit ball, gym ball and stability ball, is a really useful piece of exercise equipment.  By nature it is encourages compound exercises, and is why it is known as a stability ball, because many muscles are called upon to maintain stability whilst performing the exercises.

For this reason, the Swiss ball is a great piece of equipment to help you grow lead muscle, and burn fat.

Swiss Ball Exercises 1: Balancing

This Swiss ball exercise seems like too simple an exercise to have an effect, but it is effective.

Simply sit on the ball with your arms by your sides, and your feet flat on the floor.  Through virtue of the fact that you’re sat on a ball, it will have a tendency to roll in response to your body’s movements, and your body will have to compensate to keep balanced.  Try this exercise with your stomach sucked in, and keep your back straight.  If you want a little more challenge, tense your butt cheeks (nobody will know I promise!)  If this is still too difficult, lift up one left as well as sucking in your stomach and squeezing your butts cheeks.  You are likely to find it challenging for your core to keep balance.

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Swiss Ball Exercises 2: Push Up

The simplest Swiss ball exercise for push ups is to place your hands on the ball, and walk your feet outwards until you are in a push up position, of sorts.

Perform a slow push up, pausing at the bottom of the movement, before slowly pushing back to the start position.

If this is too easy, swap ends, and put your feet on the ball at hip[ distance, and perform push ups.  If this is too difficult, push your feet together on the ball, and perform the push ups.  If this is too difficult, get two balls, and do push ups with an arm on each.  The balls will have to be of a smaller size for this to work.

Swiss Ball Exercises 3: Superman Hold

Lie of top of the Swiss Ball on your stomach, and then raise your arms and legs as it you’re superman, and hold this position for as long as you can.  This is a much tougher exercise to do than it looks.  If you can hum the theme tune to superman whilst you do it, you’re too good!

Swiss Ball Exercises 4: Reversed Crunch

Lie on the floor as you normally would for crunches, but place your legs onto the Swiss ball for support.  Perform the crunches as normal – your legs will be supported lowering the risk of hip of back injury, and concentrating the effort on to lower abdomen.

Swiss Ball Exercises 5: Back Raise

Lie on the Swiss ball on your stomach with your feet firmly on the floor.

Arch your back up and reach as high as you can, hold then slowly lower back to the start position.  Repeat.

Swiss Ball Exercises 6: Hamstring Work

Lie on the floor, and place your heels onto the Swiss ball.  Dig your heels into the ball, and lift your hips so that your shoulders hips and feet are aligned.  Hold, then slowly lower back to the start position.

If this exercise is too easy, perform the exercise to the hold, then dig your hells in and pull the ball toward your butt.  Hold, then push the ball back, lower your hips, and repeat.

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Swiss Ball Exercises 7:  Swiss Ball Plank

Place your hand on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width, and your shins on the Swiss ball.

Tighten your abs, and keep your back straight – make sure it does not sag.  Hold this position for as long as you can.

Swiss Ball Exercises 8: Swiss Ball Roll

Start in the same position as for Swiss ball exercises 7.

Slowly bend at the knees, and roll the Swiss ball toward you so that you are in a tucked up position.  Hold, and then roll back out to the start position once more.

Swiss Ball Exercises 9: Russian Twist

Lie with your back on the Swiss ball so that your shoulder blades touch the ball, and your feet flat on the floor.  Hold a medicine ball in both hands above your chest.  Twist slowly to one side, until your torso is at ninety degrees to your starting position, hold, and then slowly return to the start position.  Perform the same exercise in the opposite direction.  Repeat.

Swiss Ball Exercises 10: Inner Thigh Squeeze

Lie on the floor on your back, with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your arms palm down by your sides.

Place the Swiss ball between your knees, and squeeze the Swiss ball between your legs.  Hold this position for as long as you can.  Repeat.