Tone Your Muscles Faster With These Stability-Ball Moves

POPSUGAR Studios
POPSUGAR Studios

Don't just walk by your stability ball! It's one of the best fitness tools you can own, so put yours to good use with these incredibly effective moves. Get ready to target your arms, abs, butt, and legs — you'll definitely be sore tomorrow. Remember, size does matter! It's best to work with a ball appropriately sized for you, so check out this exercise ball chart to see which dimension best fits you.

01
Lunges on a Ball
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Lunges on a Ball

Doing lunges with your back leg resting on a ball offers the instability you need to make your lower body work even more.

  • Place the top of your left foot on the ball. Keep your right knee soft — do not lock your standing knee.
  • Reach your arms forward at shoulder height. If balancing in this position is too challenging, open your arms out to the sides. Inhale to prepare.
  • Exhale and actively pull your deep abs toward your spine. Bend your right knee, engage your right glute, and lunge. The ball will move back and your shin will move to top of the ball. Make sure your right knee doesn't move beyond your toes.
  • Inhale to straighten the front leg. Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.
02
Standing Ab Rollout
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Standing Ab Rollout

If this core move is too difficult to do standing up, do it with your knees on the floor.

  • Place your palms on the ball, and stand with your legs wide, about three or so feet apart. Walk the ball out so your back is straight and your hips are in the same line as your ankles.
  • From here, lean your body forward, allowing the ball to roll down your forearms. Stop once your elbows reach the ball and you're balancing on your tiptoes.
  • Then use your core and legs to get your body back to the starting position. Keep your abs engaged throughout this move.
  • Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
03
Plank With Leg Lift
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Plank With Leg Lift

Planks are effective on their own, but add a stability ball in the mix and you'll really feel the burn in this core and butt-toning move.

  • Lie on an exercise ball under your belly and walk your hands out until the ball is under your shins. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders.
  • Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your abs and stabilize your torso.
  • Lift your left leg up, squeezing your glute, then slowly lower your leg back onto the ball. Switch sides and lift the right leg keeping your pelvis square. This counts as one repetition. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps on each side.
04
Ball Pike to Plank
Megan Wolfe Photography

Ball Pike to Plank

Pretty challenging, but oh so effective.

  • Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your shins on the ball.
  • Do not allow your lower back to arch. Keep your feet, pelvis, and shoulders in one long line.
  • On an exhale, pull your abs deeply to your spine and use your abs to fold your body in half, pulling the ball forward toward your hands as your pelvis moves up in the air.
  • Your toes will move onto the top of ball and your back will become perpendicular to the floor, like a handstand. Allow your head to fall between your arms, keeping your neck long and in line with your spine.
  • Lower yourself back into a plank position and do not allow your pelvis to sag below your shoulders.
  • Do two or three sets of 10 reps.
05
Back Extensions
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Back Extensions

This may look relaxing, but you'll really feel this in your back and upper body.

  • Lay your belly on a ball and find stability by spreading your legs wide and planting your toes on the floor.
  • Bring your arms in front of your ball, make fists, and point your thumbs out to the sides.
  • Take a breath in and, as you exhale, raise your upper torso as much as you can, so your chest comes off the ball, and lift the arms out wide. Inhale to slowly lower your torso back to the starting position. Keeping your movements slow allows you to work your abs.
  • This counts as one rep. Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
06
Crunches
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Crunches

Doing crunches on a ball is so much more effective than doing them on the floor.

  • Sit on the ball. Place your hands behind your head, and walk your feet away, resting your middle back (not your upper back) on the ball. Keep the knees bent at right angles.
  • Exhale and lift your upper body by about 45 degrees, pulling the deep abs in toward the spine, and inhale to return to lower to the starting position.
  • Complete three sets of 15 to 20 reps.
07
Kneeling Ball Roll Out
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Kneeling Ball Roll Out

If you only have the time (or the patience) to do one abdominal exercise, make it this highly effective move.

  • Kneel with the ball in front of you and lean into the ball as you place your forearms on the ball. You should already feel your abs working here, so be sure to pull your navel toward your spine.
  • Push your arms into the ball as you roll it away as far as you can without compromising your form — breaking at the waist or over-arching your back. Hold this plank-like position for two to three seconds.
  • Slowly return to the starting position by contracting your abs and rolling the ball back toward your knees. That completes one rep.
  • Do three sets of eight to 10 reps.
08
Ball Leg Lifts
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Ball Leg Lifts

This exercise will tone your thighs, especially your inner thighs, and also your core.

  • Lie on your side on the floor with your arms crossed in front of your body. If this is uncomfortable, bend your bottom elbow and rest your head on your hand.
  • Place a large exercise ball in between your feet and slowly lift the ball up toward the ceiling using only your hips and butt. Return to the start position. This counts as one repetition.
  • Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.
09
Superman Ball Lifts
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Superman Ball Lifts

This is a butt-challenging variation on your standard Superman.

  • Lie on your belly, and hold an exercise ball between your feet.
  • Engage your abs, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
  • As you inhale, squeeze the ball and lift your knees, arms, and chest off the floor. Hold for a count of 10, and then slowly release your body back to the floor.
  • Complete two sets of 10 lifts.
10
Lying Hamstring Curl
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Lying Hamstring Curl

Here's a great one for toning the tush and backs of the thighs.

  • Start by lying flat on your back with an exercise ball under your heels. Bridge your hips up, and hold that position through the entire exercise.
  • Flex your feet and dig your heels into the ball. Place your arms straight out to your side for support — don't use them, though; they are just for support.
  • Slowly roll the ball toward your body as you curl your heels. Keep your hips in the bridge position; don't thrust them toward the ceiling as you do the move.
  • Then slowly return to the start position (straight legs, hips bridged) to complete one repetition.
  • Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
11
Ball Pass
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Ball Pass

Check out this effective ab move.

  • Lie on your back, holding an exercise ball above your chest, extending your feet up toward the ceiling.
  • On an exhale, move your arms and legs away from each other, lowering both toward the ground. Inhale to bring them back toward each other, and transfer the ball from your hands to your legs.
  • Then lower your arms and legs toward the floor away from each other.
  • Bring them back together, transferring the ball back to your hands.
  • Continue like this, completing 10 to 20 reps.
12

Essential Flat-Belly Exercises

Get strong, sculpted abs with these moves incorporating a stability ball, which is a great tool for making basic exercises even more challenging. Whether you're lying on a stability ball or simply holding it, you'll quickly learn how much harder your body has to work — especially when it comes to the abs! Here's a series of moves that really focus on strengthening and toning your entire core. Hit play, and get ready to feel the burn!

13

Tone Your Abs and Booty With Two Easy Moves

We love the versatility of the exercise ball and decided to share our two favorite moves with you: learn how to work your abs without crunches and your backside without squats.

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6 Must-Do Moves With a Stability Ball
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6 Must-Do Moves With a Stability Ball

After warming up with light cardio for five minutes, work your way through this series of six exercises.