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Warm up
1. Drape over the fitness ball (stomach on the ball) and rock back and forth from your toes to your hands
2. Sit on ball and do hip circles about 10 to the right and ten to the left.
3. Sit on ball and bring hands into chest with elbows extended out to the side, slowly twist side to side
Upper body - Chest/Arms
1. Pushups- fitness ball @ upper thighs - Roll over the ball until upper thighs are sitting on the ball, perform pushups from this position
2. Pushups - ball @ knees - Roll over the ball until knees are sitting on the ball, perform pushups from this position
3. Tricep dips - place feet on the fitness ball, roll up on the ball until your calves are on the ball; perform tricep dips by bending at your elbows. Challenge: roll out until just feet are on the fitness ball and perform tricep dips
4. "The Squeeze" - Sit with ball in between forearms and squeeze for a slow count of eight, then hold for a count of eight
5. Tricep press - Lay on floor with knees bent and ball placed between arms and legs; squeeze ball to activate triceps
Core Muscles - Lower back
1. From knees - kneel in front of the fitness ball, stomach on the ball; lift up off the ball using your back muscles. Spread arms out to the side as you perform the exercise
2. From toes - Roll onto the fitness ball until lower pelvis touches and you are on your toes; bend and lift using your lower back muscles; hands can be placed behind your head
Abs
1. Sit ups - Sit on ball and roll feet out until the small of your back rests on the ball. Perform crunches on the ball making sure you focus on your abdominal muscles.
2. Obliques - Take the same position as above, this time curl side to side trying to reach your right elbow to your left hip and vise versa.
3. With one hand on the ground - crunch to the side (rib to hip)
4. With one hand on the ball - crunch to the side (rib to hip)
5. With both hands behind your head - crunch to the side (rib to hip)
6. Obliques - Straddle the ball; twist side to side and bounce the ball at each side
7. Reverse curl - place ball between legs; start with knees bent and lift feet up to the ceiling using your lower abdominals. Challenge: straighten legs
8. Ball overhead - hold the ball overhead, lay back down onto the ground, now roll up, "peeling" your spine off the floor
9. "The frog" - Roll over the ball into a plank/push-up position with your ankles on the ball, pull in the ball by bringing your feet into your chest in a "frog" position
10. Ball overhead - place ball overhead, bring it from midline and back overhead while lying on back
11. Tabletop - bent knees, lower and tap toes to floor iii. Both together
12. Ball overhead - place ball overhead, bring it from midline and back overhead while lying on back
Lower Body - Hip extensions
1. Isometric - Roll your back onto the fitness ball until the middle of your back is centered on it; extend your hips by keeping a "tabletop" position, do not let your hips drop. Hold while breathing for 8 counts, release and repeat. This can be varied by lifting one foot and holding
2. Pelvic lifts - place your feet on the fitness ball so that your knees are touching, support yourself with your arms on the floor, slowly lift your hips, hold, and lower. This mimics the floor pelvic lifts. Challenge: move to calves on ball, then heels on ball
Hamstrings/Quadriceps
1. Hamstring curls - Start heel on the ball and hips on the floor, pull ball into body using your hamstrings (back of legs) Challenge: pull hips up as you pull the fitness ball in to your body then have hips off floor the whole time during the exercise
2. Wall squats - Placing the ball between your back and the wall do ten good squats making sure that your knees do not go over your toes at the lowest position. Challenge: Lift one foot as it is done
Inner thighs
1. "The Squeeze" - Sit with fitness ball in between legs (either bent or straight) and squeeze for a slow count of eight, then hold for a count of eight
2. Remember to stretch yourselves out at the end to inhibit and extra soreness. Your muscles should feel fatigued by the end of the workout.
3. You can vary it by doing abs/core muscles and upper body M, W, F then abs/core muscles and lower body T, Th, Sat.
4. This is an excellent low impact way to strength train that is less stressful to your back. Doing these exercises will increase flexibility as well as strength.
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