How to Do Squat Exercises with a Cardio Ball

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By Lori Newell
eHow Contributing Writer

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Squats are one of the best exercises to tone your thighs and buttocks. Doing squat type exercises with a cardio ball can add an extra challenge to the exercise by adding light resistance as you hold it and squat. You can also work the muscles from a different angle by putting your foot on the ball.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Any sized cardio ball

Basic Squat

Step 1

Stand with the feet wide apart and the toes pointing forward. Hold the ball in your hands and reach the arms out in front of you so the ball is chest height.
Step 2

Bend your knees, hinge forward from the hips and reach the buttocks back as if you were about to sit in a chair. Keep your back straight and hold the ball out and away from the body.
Step 3

Keep your abdominal muscles in tight. Focus on pressing into your heels as you come back up. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Step 4

You can make this more challenging by lifting the ball up overhead as you squat and then bring it back to chest height as you stand up.

Step Out Squat

Step 1

Stand with the feet together. Hold the ball in your hands and reach the arms out in front of you so the ball is chest height.
Step 2

Bend your knees and step the right foot out to the side. Squat down with equal weight on each foot. Make sure you go down equal on both legs and do not lunge into one leg more then the other.
Step 3

Keep your back straight and hold the ball out and away from the body. Keep the abdominal muscles in tight.
Step 4

Push off the right foot and step the right foot back to the left, so the feet are together again. Repeat to the left side.
Step 5

You can make this more challenging by lifting the ball up overhead as you squat and then bring it back to chest height as you come back to center.

One Legged Turned Out Squat

Step 1

Hold onto a chair for support. Have the ball on the floor on your right side.
Step 2

Place the heel of your right foot on top of the ball. Your leg is straight out to the side with the knee pointing up to the ceiling.
Step 3

Bend the left knee and reach the buttocks back as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure you reach the hips back and do not extend the left knee beyond the left toes. Keep your abdominal muscles in tight.
Step 4

Repeat 8 to 12 times. Do the same with the left foot on the ball.

One Legged Turned In Squat

Step 1

Hold onto a chair for support. Have the ball on the floor on your right side.
Step 2

Place the inside of your right foot on top of the ball. Your leg is sideways with the knee pointing forward.
Step 3

Bend the left knee and reach the buttocks back as if you were about to sit in a chair. Make sure you reach the hips back and do not extend the left knee beyond the left toes.
Step 4

Keep your abdominal muscles in tight. Repeat 8 to 12 times. Do the same with the left foot on the ball.

Wall Squat

Step 1

Stand with your back to a wall with the feet hip width apart. Place the ball between your low back and the wall.
Step 2

Step out away from the wall enough so that you are really leaning into the ball. Bend the knees and slide the ball down the wall.
Step 3

Do not drop the buttocks any lower then the knees; pretend there is a chair behind you and do not go below that level. Keep your abdominal muscles in tight.
Step 4

Repeat 8 to 12 times.