Top 10 Best Stomach Exercises with an Exercise Ball

by Chris
(NY, NY)

I think the exercise ball is a great tool for stomach exercises, and you can do a whole bunch of different exercises just with the ball.

Here are my Top 10 favorite stomach exercises with a ball.

It's hard to rank them, so I'll just put them in the order that I think of them.

1. Regular Crunches on the Ball

This was the first stomach exercise I learned on the ball.

2. Oblique Crunches on the Ball

Similar to regular crunches, but I like the extra love handle work.

3. Side Crunches for the Obliques

I normally place my feet against a wall so I don't slide. You get more range of motion with the ball. I never really liked side crunches on the floor, but I really feel the muscle work when I use the ball.

4. Roll-ins with the feet on the Ball and the hands on the floor.

This one took me a while to master, but I use it often in my stomach workouts.

5. Planks with the elbows on the ball

This one is hard for me so I don't do it as much as I should.

6. Frog kicks with the feet on the ball.

This is basically a plank variation with the hands on the floor and the toes on the ball. While keeping your hands on the floor you bring one knee towards your elbow.

7. Roll outs with the hands and elbows on the ball.

This one kind of looks like the Torso Track machine or an ab wheel. Your hands go on top of the ball while you're kneeling on a mat. You then let the ball roll forward and use your abs to pull yourself back up to the starting position.

8. Ball Clam Shells.

I don't know what other people call this one, but basically, you lie on your back with a ball in your hands above your head. Bring your legs up and your arms up and put the ball between your legs. Then, open up your body like a clam by lowering your legs and letting your arms go over your head. Then bring the ball back up to your arms. Keep repeating by opening and closing like a clam.

9. Ball Piques.

These are similar to roll ins, except you keep you legs straight.

10. Cable Ball Crunches

This is one of my favorite stomach exercises. I love how the tension from the cable machine really gives my stomach a good burn.

It takes some maneuvering to get into the right position, but it's worth it. You have to attach a rop to the bottom of a cable machine.

And, you basically hold the rope just behind your head as you crunch on a ball. It's hard to do this one in a busy gym, but if a cable machine is free I like doing this one.

If you're not using an exercise ball for your stomach workouts, you're missing out. Any of the exercises above are good for your stomach.