Ask any fitness coach, and they will tell you that Swiss ball exercises or full body ball exercises offer more advantages over other fitness equipment or bodyweight exercises. But how to add a Swiss ball to your exercise routine and benefit from it? How to do these exercises safely and minimize the risk of injury? Here, we have included step-by-step directions on doing Swiss ball exercises for the core, upper body, and lower body. We also have discussed the benefits of these exercises. Read on.
What Is The Swiss Ball And How Does It Work?
The Swiss ball is also known as the exercise ball, gym ball, balance ball, gym ball, or pezzi ball. It is soft and comes in different sizes. It is made of elastic and filled with air. It was developed by Aquilino Cosani, an Italian plastics manufacturer, and was known as the gymnastik. Initially, it was used for physical rehabilitation, but in the 1980s and 1990s, American therapists started using these balls in the athletic arena. Later, these balls became a key tool in the fitness industry. The Swiss ball, mainly used for abdominal exercises, works by acting as a surface, weight, and workout machine. The instability of a bouncy round ball works on all the major and minor muscle groups in your body. It also adds resistance to your movement, thereby making you use muscle strength and muscle power to complete the exercise. Beginners interested in medicine ball exercises can first try these as the Swiss ball is much lighter than a medicine ball. The Swiss ball is used in balance ball exercises, pilates ball exercises, and yoga ball exercises. It works on a deep core muscle, the transverse abdominis. The benefits of adding the Swiss ball to your workout routine are that they aid core stability exercises, help you build a strong core and get flat abs (or belly), improve balance, and reduce back and neck pain (1), (2), (3). A stability ball is a fantastic ab exercise equipment, providing excellent support and versatility to enhance your core workouts. Here are 30 Swiss ball exercises you can try out. Sobiya, a lawyer and a blogger, shared her weight loss success story in her blog. She explained how she used a yoga mat, a stability ball, a pair of dumbbells, and a jump rope to help her shed those stubborn pounds. She said, “I noticed that I just needed a few things and a strict disciplinary measure, to keep myself motivated and in the loop. By the end of 3 months, I found myself to be 5 kilos lighter (i).”
30 Best Swiss Ball Or Stability Ball Exercises
Always warm-up with stability ball stretches before starting any exercise. Here’s a warm-up routine for you.
Warm-Up
Head tilts – 1 set of 10 reps Neck turns – 1 set of 10 reps Arm circles – 1 set of 10 reps Wrist circles – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder circles – 1 set of 10 reps Waist circles – 1 set of 10 reps Side lunges – 1 set of 10 reps Calf raises – 2 sets of 10 reps Spot jogging – 3 minutes Jumping jacks – 2 sets of 20 reps Ankle circles- 1 set of 10 reps Standing side crunches – 1 set of 10 reps
Let’s begin with the Swiss ball exercises for the upper body.
Upper Body Swiss Ball Exercises
1. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Target – Triceps, biceps, wrist flexors and extensors, shoulders, core, and glutes.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 90 secs
2. Swiss Ball Tricep Dip
YoutubeTarget – Triceps, biceps, wrist flexors and extensors, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, and calves.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 90 secs
3. Swiss Ball Rear Deltoid Row
YoutubeTarget – Back of your shoulders, biceps, wrist flexors and extensors, hamstrings, glutes, and core.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps Rest – 60 secs
4. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
YoutubeTarget – Chest, shoulders, core, biceps, and triceps.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 20 secs
5. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Shoulder Press
YoutubeTarget – Shoulders, biceps, triceps, and chest.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 20 secs
6. Swiss Ball Decline Push-Up
YoutubeTarget – Biceps, triceps, chest, upper back, shoulders, wrist flexors and extensors, and core.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 60 secs Tip: Increase the reps as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise.
7. Swiss Ball Incline Push-Up
YoutubeTarget – Biceps, triceps, chest, upper back, shoulders, wrist flexors and extensors, and core.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 50 secs Tip: Increase the reps as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise.
8. Swiss Ball Lat Pull
YoutubeTarget – Lats, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and chest.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 50 secs
9. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Fly
YoutubeTarget – Chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and upper back.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 50 secs Tip: Increase the reps as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise. These were the exercises for the upper body. Now, let’s move on to the core.
Swiss Ball Exercises For The Core
10. Swiss Ball Crunches
YoutubeTarget – upper abs, lower abs, middle abs, obliques, lats, and shoulders.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs
11. Swiss Ball Russian Twist
YoutubeTarget – Obliques, core, deltoids, and lats.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs
12. Swiss Ball Knee Tuck
YoutubeTarget – Core, shoulders, hamstrings, and quads.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs Tip: Increase the reps as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise.
13. Swiss Ball Pike Crunch
YoutubeTarget – Core, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 30 secs
14. Swiss Ball Crossover Crunch
YoutubeTarget – Core, obliques, and shoulders.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 30 secs
15. Swiss Ball Pelvic Tilt
YoutubeTarget – Abs, pelvic floor muscles, and glutes.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs
16. Swiss Ball Incline Plank
YoutubeTarget – Core
Steps
Sets And Reps – 2 sets Rest – 60 secs
17. Swiss Ball Decline Plank
YoutubeTarget – Core
Steps
Sets And Reps – 2 sets Rest – 60 secs
18. Swiss Ball Side Plank
YoutubeTarget – Core and obliques.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 2 sets Rest – 60 secs
19. Swiss Ball V-Pass
YoutubeTarget – Upper and lower abs, shoulders, glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 30 secs
20. Swiss Ball Mountain Climber
YoutubeTarget – Core, obliques, quads, and glutes.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 30 secs Doing these core exercises with the Swiss ball will help you strengthen and tone your abs. However, you may combine these with other core strengthening exercises to bring some variety to your routine and train your ab muscles. You can also tone your back with the stability or Swiss ball. Let’s explore some exercises in the next section.
Swiss Ball Exercises For The Back
21. Swiss Ball Arm And Leg Lift
YoutubeTarget – Lats, deltoids, glutes, and hamstrings.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs
22. Swiss Ball Back Extension
YoutubeTarget – Lats, deltoids, rhomboids, and glutes.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 45 secs
23. Swiss Ball Superman
YoutubeTarget – Middle back, shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 45 secs
24. Swiss Ball Prone Cobra
YoutubeTarget – Deltoids, rhomboids, and lats.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs Another exercise you can try is the ball lunges. You perform lunges but with the Swiss ball. These were the exercises for the back with a Swiss ball or stability ball. Let’s move on to Swiss ball exercises for the lower body.
Lower Body Swiss Ball Exercises
25. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl
YoutubeTarget – Hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 30 secs
26. Swiss Ball Wall Squat
YoutubeTarget – Glutes, hamstring, and quads.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 60 secs
27. Swiss Ball Single-Leg Bridge
YoutubeTarget – Glutes and core.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 5 reps Rest – 30 secs
28. Swiss Ball Hip Extension
YoutubeTarget – Calves, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 45 secs
29. Swiss Ball Hip Raise
YoutubeTarget – Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps Rest – 60 secs
30. Swiss Ball Glute Kickback
YoutubeTarget – Glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors, and lower abs.
Steps
Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps Rest – 45 secs Before you start using or buy one, here’s how to choose a Swiss ball for exercising.
Which Swiss Ball Should You Choose?
Swiss balls come in different sizes. Depending on your height, choose the perfect Swiss ball. If you are 4’11”- 5’4” tall, you should opt for the 55 cm diameter Swiss ball. If you are 5’4” – 5’7” tall, go for the 65 cm diameter ball, and if you are 5’1” – 6’7” tall, use the 75 cm diameter ball. Sit on the ball and check if your thighs and shins are at right angles with each other and your feet flat on the floor. Now, you are good to go and start exercising. Are exercise balls good for abs? Have a look at the infographic below to know more about the intrinsic benefits of a stability ball.Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team Yes, exercise balls are good for abs, but you need to learn the right technique from a trained professional irrespective of whether you follow Swiss ball or medicine ball exercises. Does sitting on an exercise ball strengthen your back? Swiss ball exercises are great for strengthening the back. However, if you have a back injury, you must do the exercises recommended by your doctor under the supervision of your physical therapist. How often should I do stability ball exercises to see results? For the best results, incorporate stability ball exercises into your daily workout routine. Are there any precautions or contraindications for stability ball exercises? Avoid doing stability ball exercises if you have any neuromusculoskeletal disorder. Consult a healthcare professional before attempting any ball exercises, and work under the supervision of a trained specialist to reduce the risk of injury and mistakes for fruitful session. What are some of the common mistakes to avoid when performing stability ball exercises? Choosing the wrong ball size, not inflating the ball properly, and poor technique are common mistakes to avoid while performing stability ball exercises.
