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A stability ball is one of the greatest tools in the marketplace for your home workouts. Stability balls are fun and versatile for exercisers of all levels. A ball that is not fully inflated is softer and provides more support, which is ideal for beginners. A ball inflated to be firmer recruits more stabilizing muscles, perfect for progressing trainees. Get on the ball with this complete guide.

Stability balls can help you on the path to becoming stronger and fitter. In the past few decades, they have emerged from use in rehabilitation to become a mainstream fitness tool. Here are some of the benefits of using a stability ball in your fitness regimen.

Easy to use for people of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Available in different sizes based on one's height.
Firmness can be adjusted for different fitness levels.
Lightweight, portable, storable and efficient.
Adds a fun factor to your workout with a little creativity.
Affordable compared with a bulky weight bench.
Combined with cardio exercise, working out on a ball can make for great-looking abdominal muscles.
Strengthens body core, including abdominal and
back muscles.
Improves flexibility.
Comfortable way to exercise abs because the ball follows the natural curvature of our spines.
Useful for a full body workout by itself or with other equipment.
Helps develop coordination and balance; because of the dynamic nature of the ball (rolling), stabilizing muscles in the torso must work to keep you balanced, recruiting muscles that you didn't even know you had!
Replace your computer chair with a ball; just sitting on it can improve posture.
Can be used in yoga.
Useful for people with injuries, pregnant women, seniors and kids.

Here are eight great abdominal exercises you can do with a stability ball.

Ball Crunch
This is great for your abdominal muscles.

Sit on the ball and roll forward until your back is comfortably supported by ball. The wider your feet,
the more stable you will feel; hip width is a good
place to start.
Slightly tuck your chin in and relax your head, neck and shoulders, gazing approximately to your knees.
Keeping your abs contracted throughout, slowly curl
your ribcage toward your hips before returning to the start position.
Do 5 to 15 repetitions.

Lateral Abdominal Flexion
You’ll feel this mostly on the sides of your abdomen.

Lie sideways over the ball with your legs extended
out to the side.
Position your legs apart and grip your abdomen to maintain balance (optional: place bottom knee on mat).
Keeping your lower abs contracted and your hands behind your head, slowly raise your torso, "hinging" at your oblique muscles.
Keep your abs tight to avoid rolling your trunk forward
or backward.
Do 8 to 15 repetitions.

Ab Roll-Ins, "Tuck and Extend"
This exercise is great for the lower part of the abdomen.

Begin in the body plank position, and roll out until the ball is under your quads (thighs) and your abs are contracted to keep your balance.
Continue to grip your lower abs, bending your knees
and tucking them toward your chest.
Let the ball roll from your quads down to your shins.
Hold for a moment and then slowly extend your legs back to starting position, letting the ball roll back up to your quads.

Ball Lift
What a way to help strengthen your abs!

Lie on the floor, legs extended out and holding the ball between your ankles, arms extended out like airplane wings to your sides.
Keeping your legs straight if possible (bend knees slightly if hamstrings are tight), use your abs to lift the ball until your legs are perpendicular to the floor.
Slowly return to the start, not allowing the ball to touch the floor if possible.
Do 8 to 15 repetitions.

Reverse Ball Curl
This is great for your abs!

Place the ball under your legs; legs are at a 90-
degree angle with shoes gripping ball.
Hands are relaxed at your sides.
Using your lower abs, slowly roll your knees towards your chest, contracting your abs and stretching your lower back as your hips lift off the floor.
Slowly roll back to the starting position.
Apply a little pressure into the mat with your hands
if necessary.
Do 8 to 12 repetitions.

Body Bridges

Lie on your back with your heels up on the ball and
your arms relaxed at your sides.
Slowly raise your hips and glutes toward the sky, contracting your abs, glutes and hamstrings, and keeping your hips square to the sky and stable.
Your bodyweight should rest comfortably on your shoulder blades, not your neck.
Hold your balance for a moment and return slowly to
the starting position, keeping your hips steady.
Do 8 to 10 repetitions.

Ball Drop and Twist
With this one, you’ll really feel the burn in your middle to side abdominal muscles.

Lie on the floor, your arms extended out to your sides like airplane wings, the ball firmly gripped between
bent knees.
Keeping your shoulders stable on the floor, drop both knees to one side as far as you can.
Return to the start and drop your knees to other side, twisting from the oblique muscles.
Do 5 to 10 repetitions on each side.

Oblique Crunch
To get those stubborn middle to outer sides of the abdomen, try this exercise.

Sit on the ball and roll forward until your back is comfortably supported. The wider your feet, the more stable you will feel; hip width is a good place to start.
Slightly tuck your chin in and relax your head, neck and shoulders, gazing approximately to your knees.
Keeping your abs contracted throughout, slowly curl
your ribcage in a diagonal direction so that one
shoulder moves toward the opposite hip before returning to the start position.
Do 8 to 15 repetitions.

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