The Swiss ball is a highly effective exercise tool for improving your body’s balance and core strength while getting lean and toned. The instability of the ball is what the body responds to in order to remain balanced. It is filled with air and is available in various diameters—most commonly between 35 and 85 centimeters. It can be combined with weighted resistance or used effectively by itself for any body part, with a nearly unlimited range of angles and exercises.
The Swiss Ball Jackknife is a strength builder—primarily in the trunk and hips. For proper performance, you need to use coordination, timing, accuracy, and strength.
Step 1 Assume a push-up position with your arms shoulder-width apart and your shins resting on the Swiss ball.
Step 2 Bend your knees, rolling the ball in toward your chest, keeping your arms straight the whole time.
Step 3 Extend your legs and repeat for 20 repetitions.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep a tight core throughout
•Proper breathing
•Keep your shoulders above your hands
AVOID
•A haphazard pattern
•Rounding your back
•Excessive speed
The Swiss Ball Crunch is a highly effective core strengthening exercise. A small step forward or backward can greatly decrease or increase the tension on the abdominal muscles.
Step 1 Begin by lying on your back on a Swiss ball with your head and neck supported, legs bent, your palms placed on your ears, and your elbows flared outward.
Step 2 Raise your head and shoulders off the ball while contracting your trunk toward your waist. Keep your lower back grounded on the ball.
Step 3 Lower your torso and repeat for 25 repetitions.
CORRECT ACTION
•Maintain a precise and short range of motion
•Tension on the abdominals
•Contract the muscles at the top of your abdominals
AVOID
•Using the neck
•Bouncy and speedy repetitions
•Raising your lower back off the ball
The Swiss Ball Forward Roll is a key stabilizing exercise from which many movements can build. When holding this position, many of the key core muscles are activated. Recent studies have shown that the Swiss Ball Forward Roll activated more muscles in the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack muscle”) and obliques than sit-ups and crunches.
Step 1 Kneel on the floor with your wrists resting on a Swiss ball with your upper back straight and firmly supported, your feet shoulder-width apart, your hips raised, and your arms outstretched to your sides.
Step 2 Roll the ball forward slowly, until your elbows are over the center of the ball.
Step 3 Hold this position for five seconds, then slowly reverse the movement and repeat ten times.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep a tight core throughout the movement
AVOID
•A haphazard pattern
•Dropping your hips
The Swiss Ball Pike is a challenging core-strengthening exercise that requires balance, stability, and precision in order to complete with accuracy. It is a particularly effective abdominal-strengthening exercise.
Step 1 Begin in a standard push-up position with your body straight, your core contracted, and shins resting on a Swiss ball.
Step 2 Start by raising your hips toward the ceiling like a drawbridge, while keeping your core in check, rolling the Swiss ball in.
Step 3 Hold for 5 seconds; lower and repeat 5 times.
CORRECT ACTION
•A controlled range of motion
•Be sure to lift using primarily your lower-back muscles
AVOID
•Excessive speed
•Dipping below parallel to the ground
•Using too much neck
This exercise increases your ability to support your own body weight. It is a great exercise for the abdominals, and helps build upper-body strength. It can be made easier by just performing a plank (not raising your feet off the Swiss ball).
Step 1 Position yourself on all fours, with a Swiss ball by your feet. Plant your hands on the ground with your arms fully extended, and place your left foot on top of the Swiss ball.
Step 2 Carefully place your right foot on top of the Swiss ball too, and extend your legs fully.
Step 3 Raise your right foot off the ball and remain suspended in the plank position for 30 seconds (building up to 60 seconds). Replace your right foot and repeat with the left.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep your abdominal muscles tight and your body in a straight line
AVOID
•Bridging too high, since this can take stress off the working muscles
The Swiss Ball Walk-Around is a challenging core-stabilizing exercise that requires balance and precision to complete with accuracy. It will pay great dividends if you make it a regular part of your workout. This is also a great exercise for shoulder stabilization—the purpose is to load each shoulder independently while maintaining a strong core and contracting the postural muscles.
Step 1 Begin in a push-up position with your shins on a Swiss ball.
Step 2 Walk sideways on your hands, moving one hand at a time, while turning the body so that it rotates around in a half circle.
Step 3 Walk back to the starting position. Complete five half circles and returns in each direction.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep your body elevated parallel to the ground or higher
•Be sure to keep the Swiss ball still and centered
AVOID
•Excessive speed
•Dipping below parallel to the ground
•Excessive strain on the wrists
This exercise, which is a little harder than it looks, is a great ab-strengthening exercise and is a great workout for your obliques. Try the exercise without the ball first until you get used to it, then add the ball in. It also works your inner thighs (sartotius and pectineus).
Step 1 Lie on your back, bring your arms out to your side at shoulder width, and bend your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to your body. Hold your Swiss ball between your knees. Your calves should be parallel to the floor.
Step 2 Press your shoulder blades into the floor and move your legs and the Swiss ball toward your left. Your hips should roll along with your body, but try to keep the rest of your torso on the floor.
Step 3 With your leading knee held as low to the floor as feels comfortable, pause for 5 seconds. Slowly, with control, pull your knees back to your original center position. Pause for another 5 seconds.
Step 4 Repeat the exercise on the other side. Complete 20 repetitions.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep your thighs perpendicular to your body
•Keep your arms and torso flat on the floor
AVOID
•Fast or jerky movement
The Swiss Ball Push-Up is a fantastic upper-body strengthening exercise and a highly effective core exercise that improves both power and stabilization in the key core muscles and takes the classic push-up to a greatly increased level of challenge and effectiveness.
Step 1 Begin in a facedown position on your toes with your shins planted on a Swiss ball, and your hands on the floor a little less than shoulder-width apart directly beneath your chest.
Step 2 Start by lowering yourself until your forearms are parallel to the ground, and then push your arms to full extension.
Step 3 Keep your core engaged and your body in a straight line as you lower again. Complete 12 repetitions.
CORRECT ACTION
•Slow and controlled repetitions
•Keep your torso stabilized and your upper body straight
•Keep your hands in line with your chest
AVOID
•Excessive speed
•Shallow or bouncy repetitions
The Hip Crossover helps strengthen and tone the abdominals, and improves core stabilization. All floor exercises are best performed on a yoga or exercise mat.
WARNING Those with lower-back problems should avoid this exercise.
Step 1 Lie on your back, with your arms extended out to your sides. Place your legs on a Swiss ball, with your glutes close to it.
Step 2 Brace your abdominal muscles, and lower your legs to one side, as close to the floor as you can without raising your shoulders off the floor.
Step 3 Return to the starting position, and then switch to the other side. Work up to completing 20 repetitions in each direction.
CORRECT ACTION
•Keep the movement as smooth as possible
AVOID
•Swinging your legs excessively
