A 20-Minute Core-Strengthening Exercise Ball Workout

This six-move circuit will stabilise your core and set you up for success the saddle. 


BY DANIELLE ZICKL |

Exercise balls are a simple piece of equipment that offer several ways to get in a serious ab workout. And that’s helpful for cyclists, because a strong core is essential for maintaining power and stamina, and preventing injury on the bike.

To help you zero in on core strength, we have the perfect exercise ball workout—and all you need is 20 minutes to do it.

“A stability or exercise ball is a great piece of equipment you can use to create a dynamic workout virtually anywhere,” says Lindsey Clayton, cofounder of the Brave Body Project. “Because of the ball’s soft, bouncy quality, when you exercise with it, it will challenge you to maintain proper alignment, stability, and strength when performing movements. It’s like taking your basic abs moves and kicking it up a notch.”

To advance your ab workout and reap all the unique benefits of this piece of equipment, Clayton came up with this six-move exercise ball workout.

How to use this list: The exercises below are all demonstrated by Clayton herself so you can learn the proper form. Perform as many reps as possible of each move for 1 minute before moving on to the next. Rest for 1 minute between rounds. Compete 3 rounds.


6 Moves for an Exercise Ball Workout

1. Squat With Ball Overhead

How to do it:
  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold exercise ball overhead.
  2. Send hips back and bend knees to lower down as far as possible while keeping chest lifted and core engaged.
  3. Press through heels and continue to engage the core and glutes to stand back up.
  4. Repeat. Do as many reps as you can for 1 minute.

2. Mountain Climber

How to do it:

  1. With the exercise ball in front of you, start in plank position with elbows resting on top of the ball and core engaged so the body forms a straight line from head to heels.
  2. Draw right knee in toward chest, then return to plank.
  3. Bring left knee in toward chest, then return to plank.
  4. Continue alternating legs as fast as possible for 1 minute.

3. Walking Plank

How to do it:

  1. Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists, but instead of placing feet on the floor, rest shins on an exercise ball.
  2. Bend left elbow to place left forearm to the floor.
  3. Lower right forearm to the floor.
  4. Then, extend right arm to return hand to floor.
  5. Then, extend left arm to return hand to floor.
  6. Continue alternating which arm you start with each rep for 1 minute.

4. Plank to Pike

How to do it:

  1. Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists, but instead of placing feet on the floor, rest shins on an exercise ball.
  2. Engage core to lift hips straight up as you roll the ball forward to toes.
  3. Return to plank.
  4. Repeat. Do as many reps as you can for 1 minute.

5. Sit-Up

How to do it:

  1. Start by sitting on the exercise ball with feet flat on the floor.
  2. Lean back while walking yourself out along the ball until shoulders, upper back, and lower back touch the ball. Place fingertips behind ears.
  3. Engage core and keep chin lifted as you sit up, shoulders over hips.
  4. Slowly lower back down.
  5. Repeat. Do as many sit-ups as you can for 1 minute.

6. Jackknife Ball Pass

How to do it:

  1. Lie faceup on a mat, holding the exercise ball overhead, legs straight out in front of you.
  2. Engage core to lift head, neck, and shoulders off the mat as you bring the ball over chest and lift legs toward hands.
  3. Pass the ball from hands to feet at the top of the move.
  4. Lower legs slowly with the ball clasped between feet.
  5. Return the ball from feet to hands on the next rep.
  6. Repeat. Do as many reps as possible for 1 minute.

Images: Julia Hembree Smith

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