Stability Ball Exercises To Strengthen Your Abdominals

Stability Ball Exercises To Strengthen Your Abdominals
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Albert_Lee]Albert Lee

There are some stability ball exercises that are designed to take care of your core, or abdominal muscles.

1. Begin your abdominals-strengthening stability ball exercises by placing the ball beneath your lower torso and hips, and while keeping your knees slightly bent or fully straight. Put your hands behind your head or your back, then slowly roll down the ball as you would on a slide. Make sure that your body is straight as you do this, and that you pull in the muscles of your abdominals as you slide down the ball.

2. It can be difficult to balance on a stability ball, so increase your endurance and sense of balance by placing the ball under your abdominals and hips. Place your hands on the floor, keep your legs straightened, then lift your feet off the floor. Keep your body upon the ball, and straight, for about twenty to thirty counts. You will find that your body is most stable if you pull your abdominal muscles in.

3. Continue this part of the stability ball exercises by raising one of your arms out to your side. Make sure that you do not roll off the ball or place your feet back on the floor. Do this for the other arm. This exercise is designed to firm your arms and legs, as well as to contract and stretch your hard-to-reach abdominal muscles. It is in fact difficult to carry out, so do it slowly, and stop it if you begin to feel sharp pain in your arm muscles.

4. Continue this set of stability ball exercises by placing the ball in front of you, then laying your hands upon it, so that your arms are parallel to each other. Imagine that a string is being threaded through your belly button, and someone is pulling it backward into your spinal column. This will force you to tighten your abdominal muscles. As you tighten these muscles, roll forward slowly and roll the ball along with you. Roll the ball as far away from you as possible without bending your back or straining your back muscles.

5. To return to your original position, pull your elbows toward the surface of the ball, then squeeze your abdominal muscles inward. If you have back problems, you can substitute this exercise for a simple abdominal contraction. Lie down on your back, then place your knees, shins, and feet on the ball. Put your hands behind your head, then contract your abdominal muscles. Do not bend your back, and breathe steadily.

Stability ball exercises are ineffective without the proper diet, or without exercises accessories, such as dumbbells, resistance cords, or an exercise mat.

If you are interested in carrying out stability ball exercises, seek the advice of your nutritionist, or a local gym instructor. If wrongly carried out, stability ball exercises can be dangerous and can lead to injuries.

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