Crunches (stability ball)

  1. Lie with your back arched over a stability ball holding a weight behind your head.
  2. Place your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Your butt and back should drape over the ball so you feel a mild stretch in your abs.
  4. Keeping your abs tight, lift your shoulders off the ball to curl your trunk up and forward.
  5. Lower back down and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Be sure to: Use the plate to help support your head and think about rolling your chest toward your belly button.

You should feel it: Working your abdominals.

Reverse crunches (stability ball)

  1. Lie face up on the ground with physioball hooked between your heels and hamstrings
  2. Roll the ball up to your chest slowly, rolling the pelvis off the ground and tucking the knees to the chest
  3. Slowly return to start position and repeat

Be sure to: Keep belly-button in. Abdominals must be drawn in to get the full benefit.

You should feel it: Working the core and stretching the lower back

Leg curl (stability ball)

  1. Lie face up on the floor with your legs straight and your heels on top of a stability ball about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from ankles to shoulders.
  3. Keeping your hips tall and your toes pulled toward your shins, pull the ball toward your butt with your heels.
  4. Slowly extend your legs to push the ball away from you.
  5. Continue for the remainder of the set.

Be sure to: Initiate the movement by firing your glutes, keeping them contracted throughout the movement. Do not let your hips drop as you pull your heels toward your butt.

You should feel it: Working your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

Knee tucks – rotational (stability ball)

  1. Start in a push-up position with your hands on the floor and your toes on a stability ball.
  2. Pull your knees toward your chest while rotating your hips to one side.
  3. Reverse the pattern to return to the starting position.
  4. Repeat the movement, rotating your hips to the other side.
  5. Continue alternating to complete the set.

Be sure to: Think about pushing the floor away from you with your hands and keeping your abs tight throughout the move.

You should feel it: Working your torso and shoulders.

YS – Dumbbells – rotational (stability ball)

  1. Lie face-down on a stability ball with your legs straight and your back flat.
  2. Hold a pair of 1 to3 pound weights with your arms straight down in front of you.
  3. Glide your shoulder blades toward your spine and lift your arms up and slightly out to the sides.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Be sure to: Initiate the movement with your shoulder blades, not your arms.

You should feel it: Working your shoulders and upper back.