Using and exercise ball for abs is probably the best decision you could ever make. The reason it could be one of the best decisions you ever make is because using an exercise ball takes all the stress off your lower back and puts all the resistance on your abdominals. Most people don’t use the exercise ball for abs because it is too bulky and takes up too much space in their house. Let me tell you one thing, an exercise ball is a necessity when you want to get abs.

Tips for purchasing an exercise ball for abs

If you are planning on purchasing an exercise ball for abs then you need to know how to decide what ball will work best for you. The process is simple, you want to make sure the exercise ball isn’t too big and isn’t too small for you body size. The two most common size exercise balls are 55cm and 65cm, I normally get a 55cm exercise ball because you can do more with it and it is almost perfect for any body size.

Another tip for purchasing an exercise ball is to not overspend on one. They come in many different types of materials and some exercise ball say they will help you burn more fat and get abs quicker, but the truth is an exercise ball for abs is only an exercise ball. There is no difference between a normal exercise ball and an exercise ball for abs. They range in price from around all the way up to 0, so make sure you don’t overspend because it can get tempting.

3 wonderful exercises using the exercise ball

Ab crunches on the exercise ball

Stabilize your body on a stability ball by finding your balance point for performing a crunch movement (your lower back will be on the top of the ball). Then simply crunch your upper body up while keeping your fingers on the sides of your head, chin up, and feet planted flat on the floor. Try to hold the top of the crunch for 2 seconds while forcefully exhaling and holding a tight contraction of the abdominal muscles. To make this exercise more challenging, you can move your arms straight out behind your head. For more advanced trainers, you can hold a medicine ball or weight out behind your head while completing the crunch . The addition of medicine ball in the exercise will add more resistance to the exercise making it more effective.

Stability ball plank hold

Stability ball plank holds are similar to floor planks, but the instability aspect of the ball will make this exercise much more challenging to your abs and core than standard floor planks. To do stability ball planks holds, position yourself on your toes and with your forearms on the top of a stability ball. Be careful if you’ve never tried this before as it takes quite a bit of balance. Hold the plank position on the stability ball while you make slight 1-inch movements back and forth in every direction with your elbows to make this even more challenging. Try to hold this for 60-90 seconds. Super-studs can try for over 90 seconds hold time on this one.

Advanced leg lift crunch

In the advanced leg lift crunch you will set your body up just like you would when doing the ab crunches, except for this exercise you will lift one leg off the ground and bring it towards your chest while at the same time you are doing a normal crunch. What this exercise does is targets your upper and lower abs while also targeting all the stabilizer muscles. This exercise is a little more advanced so I wouldn’t start off with this one. This is however one of the best exercises you can do on the exercise ball for abs.

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Repetition for using the exercise ball for abs

In my experience it is up to the person using the exercise ball in determining how many reps they can do and want to do. I don’t like to set a number because most people if they aren’t tired will not go past that number because their mind tells them not to. So what I like to do is do a certain amount of minutes on the exercise ball. When I first began using the exercise ball my stabilizer muscles were really bad so I had to train them slowly, so I started out with just 10 minutes of basic ab crunches on the exercise ball. Now that I have more advanced and have been using the exercise ball for abs for about 5 months straight I try to do at least 20 minutes of more advanced exercises and I do them 5 times per week. I love the exercise ball and that is why I do it more than any other piece of equipment when it comes to my abdominals.

Other great uses for the exercise ball

Another great use for the exercise ball is if you don’t have the space or the money to buy a bench to work out your chest. The great thing about a good exercise ball is the fact that you can use it to do the bench press and the ball won’t pop. Using the exercise ball to do a bench press is great because you are using your stabilizer muscles again and you also get a better range of motion than you would on a normal bench.

If you are a yoga or Pilates fan then you will love the exercise ball as well. In yoga and Pilates they teach you to stand tall and keep your muscles long and firm, and with the exercise ball you have to keep you muscles firm. You can easily do a full Pilates workout while sitting in front of your T.V. watching your favorite show, so there is no reason you can’t do a great workout if you own an exercise ball.

Things to remember about the exercise ball for abs

A couple things I want you to remember about the exercise ball for abs is that you should never overdue a workout and if you ever feel dizzy or a lack of oxygen stop what you are doing and call a doctor. There should never be a reason why you would endanger your life just to get a better six pack.