Work Your Muscles to the Core with an Exercise Ball! - By: Lisa Ray

If you are focused on improving your level of personal fitness, you have likely heard a great deal of information about the importance of building your core. But, you may be unfamiliar with what your core is and which exercises are crucial for strengthening it.

Your core refers to the muscles within your abdomen area and throughout your lower back. This important muscle group helps support the rest of your body. Here are some of the most basic exercise ball techniques that will help strengthen your core:

Back Extension

This ball exercise involves laying your torso across the ball while on your stomach. With your hands in the air or behind your neck, you should lift your torso area off of the ball. If possible, you should bring your shoulders up until your body is in a straight line. You don't want to hyperextend your back, but you want to work as closely as possible to a straight alignment to gain the most health and fitness benefits possible. (This is sometimes called a reverse crunch as it works your lower back.)

Ball Balance

This exercise also involves you laying on your stomach across the exercise ball, with your hands on the floor. Then, you will lift one hand and arm at a time, balancing for 30-45 seconds, working to maintain your balance throughout the exercise.

Butt Lift

With this exercise, start by sitting on the floor with your back against the exercise ball. (It helps if the ball is against a wall for added support.) Then, with your knees bent, you will place your head and neck onto the ball so that you can lift your butt off of the floor. As you lift your butt off of the floor, you will also want to flex your buttocks muscles, building balance and strength in your legs and buttocks area.

Hip Extension

For this exercise, lay on the floor and place your feet onto the exercise ball. You will keep your abs tight while lifting your hips off of the floor. While you are lifting your abs off of the floor, you will want to squeeze your legs and your buttocks, working to strengthen these areas as well as your overall core.

Situps

Another exercise that works to build your core is to lie on the exercise ball on your back, working to crunch your abs. For many, performing crunches on an exercise ball is more comfortable than doing them on a hard floor. This exercise is great for strengthening your core. It also happens to be one of my favorites.

Ball Rotation

This position involves laying on the ball with the center of the ball under your shoulders and lower back. Place your arms across your chest with your palms together and then twist your body from left to right, squeezing your abs and buttocks together to build strength and to increase flexibility at the same time.

To strengthen your core, try to incorporate one or more of these exercises into your workout. By working on these exercises over time, you will build strength, flexibility and balance. Your core will thank you!

About the Author

Lisa Ray loves using her exercise ball and has devoted an entire website to exercise ball exercises. Visit her site for free exercise ball videos as well as a free report on boosting your metabolism. http://www.exerciseballworkouts.net

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