As you know, exercising with a fitball will not only improve your stability but also strengthen your muscles. Last time we focused on fitball exercises to shaping abdominal muscles. Today we will show you another 13 effective fitball exercises. In addition, you will have great fun when doing these exercises.
Before you start exercising with fitball, make sure it fits you. Just sit on it and if your knees and hips are at right angles, you have found “the right one”.
1. Military Press
Get ready, your hands will workout. Military press on the fitball not only engages the hands but also the whole center of your body. This exercise focuses the most on deltoid muscles, but to avoid fitball fluctuations you have to engage also your waist. Take one-arm dumbbell and push them up. At the same time tighten the abdomen and maintain tension on the shoulders. Repeat as many times as you can.
2. Triceps extensions
This exercise focuses on the triceps and is good for both men and women. Overall elbow stretching is necessary for contractions of triceps. But make you that you achieve the greatest possible stretching. Repeat until you can.
You might be interested in these products:
3. Chest Fly with dumbbells
This exercise is suitable for the development of internal and external muscles of the chest. Exercise on the fitball you will improve the range of movement, but if you are inexperienced, you should be careful. Do not stretch your hands too hard to not to stretch your shoulder muscles and elbow joints. Repeat until you can.
4. Circling
Place on the forearms – to the position of the plank on the fitball and gently do movements with balls in both directions using the hands, keeping the center of the body tight and raised. Beginners repeat 10 times and advanced 15 to 20 times.
5. Push-ups
Push-ups on fitball make classic push-ups even harder. Christie McGonagle from Model Fitness uses modification of this exercise to isolate the movement. She suggests not to return back to the position of plank when doing push-ups. Stay in the position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat until you can.
6. Pressures with barbells from stretch to inclined position
Lie on the fitball so that you have the upper back on it – the lower back and butt keep loosely unsupported. It is the same position you would be if you do pressures with a barbells when lying, except that your lower back is off the bench. Push the scale up from this position. Before lowering the weight, lower your back to the floor so that you are in the pressure position on an inclined bench.
Lower the weight slowly while you are in an inclined position. Now that you have fully lowered the weight, bridge the hips back to the lying position. Push the dumbbells up again and repeat the procedure. Do 10 to 20 repetitions.
„You are stronger in the lying position. If you push the weight off from the lying position and then go into an inclined position, you can overload the muscles more eccentrically with more resistance than normal. The eccentric part of repetition is very important for muscle growth and this is a great way to do this with the help of a Swiss ball.“.
– Jason Ferrugia, trainer
7. Reverse dumpers
Do you suffer from chronic back pain? If yes, then this exercise is for you. We engage the same muscles as in Salabhasana variations, but when using the fitball we lift up a few degrees more. Do 8 to 10 repetitions per set.
Next we will introduce fitball exercises for lower part of the back.
8. Squats with jumps
This movement is very fast and intense. Hold the fitball at chest level, drop to squat position. Keep your hands away from your body during the jump. Pull the fitball back to the chest while returning to the squat position. Beginners repeat 10 times, advanced 15 to 20 times.
9. Hamstring and Glutes Bridge
Active feet are the key to a safe glutes bridge. Use the fitball to focus on your hamstrings and practice your ass. At the beginning lie on your back and place the fitball under your heels. Your hands stay flat on the ground as you lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Remember to involve your ass. Advanced can improve their exercise by raising one leg while in the glutes bridge position. Make 15 to 20 glutes bridges.
10. Extending the hips when lying with the bends of the knees
This exercise is another variation of the glutes bridge. Lie on the ground, put your calves on the fitball, hands on the sides of your body, your palms should face up. Lift your hips until you reach a straight line, feet-hips-shoulders. Keep your loins raised and pull the fitball together by bending your knees. The hips should remain in the line with the shoulders and knees. Do not let your ass to drop to the floor! Slowly straighten the legs and lower the waist to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 15 to 20 times.
11. Crunch and Leg Curl
This exercise is “two in one”, focusing on the abdominal muscles and leg muscles. Begin with your back on the ground, keeping your feet straight and the heels on the fitball. Put your hands behind your head. Inhale and exhale while pushing your knees to your chest. Stay in this position for 3 seconds and return to the original position. It is like an ordinary sit-ups, but with the difference that you have your feet on the fitball. Click here and check sit-up and leg extension from Franklin’s iBodyFit. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.
12. Leg strokes when lying on the abdomen
Strengthen your lower back with this easy movement. Place the fit under your hips near your belly button, your hands leave on the ground with your shoulders. Make sure you can move your feet freely. Your toes should point to the ground, keep your feet straight during exhalation, then raise your feet toward the ceiling – as high as you can. Inhale as you slowly lower your legs. Check out this exercise here. This exercise is all about slow and controlled movements. Therefore, you should not lift your feet quickly and cheat. Try to do 15 to 20 slow repetitions.
13. Feet on the fitball
Lie on the ground, bend your knees and put your calves on the fitball. Make sure the ball is as close to your ass as possible. Straight your hands on the sides of your body with palms facing up and it would be best if you have them in a 45 degree range. Close your eyes and rest for 5 to 15 minutes. This is a great regenerative pose that you will benefit from even after a stressful day or when you need to relax your nervous system.
What do you think? Will you try these effective fitball exercises? We believe that you will sweat but also have fun. If you like the article, share it.
