Core Exercises on the Therapy Ball

Incorporating a therapy ball into your core workouts increases how hard your muscles have to work because it adds an element of instability when you are doing the exercises. Your core muscles, which include your abdominals, obliques, lower back and hips, are commonly overlooked during most strength training workouts. Taking the time to do core exercises on a therapy ball offers an array of benefits.

  1. Benefits

    • Because of its instability, a therapy ball increases the challenge of core exercises. Your surrounding stabilizing muscles have to work harder to keep you balanced on the ball. The increased core strength will help you improve your posture and make you more stable as you perform any physical movements. You’ll be able to maintain a safer spine position when pulling, pushing and picking things off the floor, for example. Because of these benefits, the therapy ball is used by physical therapists to help people rehabilitate from injuries.

    Ball Basics

    • Before you begin your core exercises, select an appropriate sized ball based on your height. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, an individual 4’10” and shorter should use a ball sized 30 to 35 cm. A person 4’8” to 5’5” should use a ball sized at 45 cm. Individuals who stand between 5’6” to 6’0” would do best with a ball sized 55 cm and a person who is between 6’0” to 6’5” should use a ball sized at 65 cm. The ball that is appropriate for you is one that allows you to sit on the ball with both your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees when your feet are flat on the floor.

    Training Principles

    • Although you may not be using any weighted implements, the core exercises you’ll be doing on the therapy ball are still considered strength training activities. Your muscles have to overcome the resistance of your own body weight. Therefore, perform your core workout two to three days per week and on nonconsecutive days. Be sure that the area where you’ll be doing the exercises is clear of obstacles in case you lose your balance.

    Ab and Oblique Exercises

    • Therapy ball exercises that target your abdominals include the crunch, forward roll and knee tuck. For the crunch, lie on your back on top of the ball with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and then crunch straight up toward the ceiling. The forward roll is done while kneeling on the floor with your elbows resting atop the ball in front of you. Roll the ball out away from you until your hips are completely straight and your torso and thighs create a straight line. Then, roll the ball back. The knee tuck is performed by getting into a push-up position with your shins set atop the ball. Pull your knees to your chest to roll the ball under your hips and then extend your legs to return the ball to the starting position. For your obliques, perform the side crunch and torso rotation. Side crunch is like a regular crunch, except that you lie sideways on the ball with your legs splayed out in a staggered position for balance. You crunch up on your side. The torso rotation is done on your feet. Hold the ball in front of you with your arms extended and rotate your torso left and right.

    Hip and Back Exercises

    • To target your hips and back, perform the bridge, the leg curl, the squat with a ball and the hip extension. Bridge is done by lying on your back on the floor with your heels and lower calves atop the ball. Pick your hips up off the floor as high as you can, holding the top position for a moment before lowering them back down. The leg curl is similar to the bridge, except that at the top position, you bend your knees to roll the ball toward your hips. To perform the squat with a ball, stand and place the therapy ball between your back and a stable wall. With your feet placed hip-width apart, bend your knees to lower into a squat while rolling the ball down the wall. Hip extension is completed by lying on your stomach atop the ball with your legs extended and feet on the floor. With your hands behind your head, bend forward to lower your head toward the floor and then straighten back up to return to the starting position.