How to Do Ab Crunches With a Stability Ball
Although the stability ball is a popular modern fitness trend, its roots actually date back to the 1960s. Its popularity peaked because of an article published in the June 2000 issue of Physical Therapy. The article cited an experiment performed at the University of Waterloo, which used electrodes to test the effectiveness of various abdominal exercises. Traditional ab crunches were compared with ab crunches on the stability ball. The results were impressive. Ab crunches performed on the stability ball quadrupled the activity of the deep core muscles.
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Instructions
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How to Do Ab Crunches with a Stability Ball
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Choose the correct ball size by using this table:BALL DIAMETER USER HEIGHT30 cm. ball (12 inches) Child or non-sitting exercise42 cm. ball (17 inches) Under 5 ft.55 cm. ball (21 inches) 5 ft. to 5 ft. 7 in.65 cm. ball (25 inches) 5 ft. 8 in. to 6 ft. 3 in.
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Provide as much unobstructed space as possible. The floor should be clean, without any sharp objects.
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To lower yourself into the supine/incline position, start by sitting on the ball and placing your feet in a wide position to provide a stable base of support.
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Keeping your hands on each side of the ball and walk your feet forward. Your knees should stay bent. Let your hips flex and press the small of your back into the ball. If you are in the correct position, your fingertips will be able to touch the floor
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Once you have reached the supine/incline position, place your fingertips at the edge of your head. Avoid interlacing your fingers, as it will force you to initiate the movement from your neck, as opposed to your torso.
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Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, contract your abdominal muscles and draw your navel towards your spine. Keep your lower body stable. Flex your upper torso, bringing your ribcage towards your pelvis.
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Inhale and return to the starting position. Perform 8-16 repetitions.
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Tips & Warnings
Always remember to tighten your abdominal muscle as you perform the curl. Imagine that your belly button is the ignition button, and you need to press this button to activate the movement.
If you have trouble understanding the correct breathing pattern, think of the way that you blow up the stability ball. If you want it blown up, you add air. If you want to flatten it, you let the air out. Since you are trying to flatten your belly, you should let the air out, or exhale, during the curl.
For a few extra dollars, you can purchase balls that are burst proof. This is advisable if you have pets or small children.
To make the exercise more challenging, you can perform it while holding a small, weighted medicine ball.
If you have back problems, avoid hyper-extending your spine over the back of the ball.
