How to Do Prone Glute Lift Stability Ball Exercises

The stability ball, also known as the Pezzi ball, Swiss ball, fitness ball and exercise ball is one of the most lightweight and affordable pieces of exercise equipment commonly available. It’s just a simple sphere of highly durable plastic. At first glance it looks like an oversized child’s toy, and in a sense it could very well be. It’s dense exterior is made of a type of PVC invented by an Italian plastics manufacturer way back in 1963. It was originally used for various forms of recuperative physical therapy, and still is for that matter. Stability balls became particularly popular when they were incorporated with Pilates, a form of low-impact, low speed resistance exercise/aerobics that focuses on toning and firming muscles. Many people consider it similar to isometrics in the way it can be used to isolate and work various muscle groups. With that these exercise balls became a firm staple of many gyms and exercise regimens throughout the country. By providing an unstable surface to work on rather than a solid one, the muscles of the body immediately contract to maintain the body’s balance and stability. This means that even an action as simple as sitting on a stability ball causes the body to work many of the different muscle groups. This is an effective exercise tool for the everyday individual with a razor thin budget and no space to store bulky, heavy, or oversized fitness equipment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Practice space (preferably with hard floors)
• Stability ball

1. Kneel in front of the ball.
2. Lay your stomach over the stability ball. Stabilize your body by keeping your hands flat against the floor. Straighten your legs and touch the ground with the tips of your toes.
3. Keep one leg touching the ground and raise the other back as high as you can. Raise the leg at the hip, not the knee. Keep the knee locked, nor should you allow your hip to rise off the ball, your hip will try to twist to help raise the leg, do not let this happen.
4. Slowly lower that leg back to the ground until it touches the ground. This is one prone glute lift.
5. Complete ten repetitions to adequately work that glute. To work the other you must repeat the same process with your other leg.

Tips & Warnings

• It is important to use a stability ball that is right for your height. To make sure your stability ball is the right size, sit on it. If your hips are level with or slightly above your knees then you've got the right size ball. Make sure to breath steadily throughout this exercise. You should inhale as you let your leg back down and exhale as you raise it.