Waist Exercises With a Curved Ball

Exercise alone won't get rid of your love handles or muffin tops, but with a healthy diet and regular aerobic activities, you can lose overall body fat, which can lead to a slimmer waistline. A curved ball -- which is an inflatable half-dome ball attached to a hard, plastic base -- is an inexpensive fitness aid you can use to perform a variety of waist-trimming exercises. The instability of the ball requires more core muscle engagement, which can help tighten and tone your midsection.

  1. Crunch and Kick

    • Perform the classic crunch on the half-dome ball and add a kick movement to challenge and tighten your abs. Place the ball with the curved side up on a flat surface. Lie face up with your lower back centered on top of the ball. Bend your elbows, place your hands just behind your ears and flare your elbows out to the sides. Start by extending your legs, putting them together, contracting your abs and lifting your legs until they are just past horizontal. Simultaneously, pull your knees toward your chest and curl your torso toward your thighs. Lower your torso, kick your legs forward to the starting position and repeat.

    Side Crunches

    • Side crunches work those hard-to-tone love-handle or muffin-top areas. With the dome side up, lie on your right side with your right hip centered on top of the ball. Extend your legs straight and split them slightly wider than shoulder-width apart so your right leg is forward and your left leg is back. Bend your left elbow, place your hand just behind your left ear and hold your right arm across your chest. Crunch your torso toward your left hip as far as you can, pause for a count of two and then lower back to the starting position. Perform the exercise on both sides of your body.

    Half-Dome Trunk Twists

    • Target your obliques, the muscles on the sides of your stomach, with a back-and-forth trunk twist. With the dome side up, sit on the top of the ball with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abs and lean back 45 degrees. Start by bending your elbows, clasping your hands together and holding them in front of your stomach. While keeping your legs as still as possible, rotate your torso toward the right as far as possible, moving your elbow toward the floor. Then, return to the starting position and rotate toward the left. For more challenge, perform the exercise while keeping your feet a few inches off the floor or holding a medicine ball.

    Half-Dome V-Sits

    • Work your abs and challenge your ability to balance with an advanced version of the floor V-sit. Sit on the top of the ball with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor to the sides of the ball and lean back slightly. While keeping your knees bent, lift your right leg and then your left to a bent-leg, "V" position with your body. Hold the position for a count of two, lower your legs and repeat. For even more challenge, place your hands on the top of the ball next to your hips or raise your arms toward the ceiling.

    Exercise Tips and Considerations

    • Before beginning your half-dome exercises, perform a 10-minute warm-up to increase your heart rate and the blood flow to your muscles. Include activities such as jumping rope, riding a stationary bicycle or a slow jog. For best results, perform waist-toning exercises three times each week with a day of rest between workouts. Depending on your strength and skill level, perform one to three sets of 10 to 12 reps. If you are new to exercise or you haven't exercised for several months, get clearance from your doctor before engaging in a regular fitness regimen.