Summary: Learn how to use your exercise ball with these fun exercises.

Do you have an exercise ball but don’t know how to use it?

Many of us have pieces of exercise equipment stuffed into closets, having bought them at the spur of the moment or because of the latest trend, but then never pulled them out again. Personally, I bought an exercise ball a few years ago when I was unemployed so I could sit on it at my desk while I was job searching. It was very trendy at the time. Years later it was still sitting in a corner of my studio, partially deflated because I had completely forgotten about it.

  

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Well if you’re anything like me and have one of these sitting around, but don’t have the heart to toss it out, I have some great workout moves you can try to both make use of that purchase and tone up your body.

1. Stability Ball Squats: Placing your ball on the wall at the height of your lower back, lean against it with your feet about 6-12 inches out from your body. Squat down so that your thighs become parallel with the ground and the ball will roll up to your shoulders, then return to standing.
2. Hamstring Curl: Lay on your back and place your ball under your calves. Using your glutes and abs, lift your lower half into the air with your shoulders and arms pressed down to the ground. Using your legs, roll the ball closer to you until your heels are on top of the ball, then roll it back out, all while keeping your lower half in the air.
3. Ball Pass: Lay on your back with your arms stretched over your head holding on to the ball. At the same time, lift both your arms and your legs to meet each other above your body and pass the ball from your arms to your legs. Lower back down, then repeat to pass the ball back to your arms.
4. Ball Lunge: Standing up, place the ball behind you and put one of your feet on top of the ball and the other foot a little bit in front of you. Warning – this takes some balance! Lower down until your front leg is parallel to the ground, but make sure your knee doesn’t go over your toes! Lift back up to standing.
5. Knee Tucks: Put your hands on the ground in plank position, but put both of your shins up on the ball. Pull your knees in towards your torso so the ball rolls forward. This is another exercise that requires good balance! Push your knees back out to plank position, rolling the ball back out.