Exercise Balls: The Secret To A Full-Body Workout At Home

If you’ve ever wondered how to get a full-body workout at home without investing in equipment, look no further than the humble exercise ball. 

No, not the big blue balls that are used in yoga classes and Pilates studios those are too expensive to use every day. 

Instead, I’m talking about using an inexpensive exercise ball (which costs less than $10) and doing some simple exercises with it. 

Takeaways
Exercise balls are an affordable and versatile piece of workout equipment that can be used for a full-body workout at home.
Exercise balls can help you build core strength, improve balance and stability, and increase flexibility.
Exercise balls can be used in conjunction with other pieces of workout equipment, such as dumbbells and resistance bands, for a more challenging workout.
Bodyweight exercises, stretching, and stability ball exercises are all great ways to incorporate exercise balls into your fitness routine.
There are plenty of resources available online to help you get started with exercise ball workouts, including workout guides and instructional videos.

You can do these exercises anywhere: at home, on vacation or even at the office!

Plank Pikes (Abdominal Muscles)

Lie on your back with an exercise ball placed between your ankles.

Keep your back straight and core tight as you press up through the balls of your feet and roll onto the ball, holding for a moment before lowering yourself back down for another rep. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Looking to add some variety to your at-home workouts? Check out our guide on the benefits of using dumbbells in at-home workouts to learn how this versatile piece of equipment can help you build muscle and increase strength

Squat With Leg Lift (Glutes And Hamstrings)

This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings, which are the largest muscles in your body. You should feel it working these muscle groups when you do this move. 

This is a great exercise to do if you have mobility issues that prevent you from doing squats or lunges. If done correctly, this move will increase strength in both of these important areas of the body.

To start out with this exercise, begin by standing on top of an exercise ball with feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out at sides (like Superman). Next, bend knees until they’re 90 degrees and lean forward slightly so that head is above shoulders until arms are parallel to floor (see picture below). 

Now slowly extend one leg back while keeping other leg bent at 90 degrees; repeat eight times before switching legs. Once finished with set on one side lower yourself down slowly into squat position again then stand up while still balancing on ball as pictured above

Squat With Leg Lift Exercise Table

Muscles Worked	Equipment Needed	Difficulty Level
Glutes, Hamstrings	Exercise Ball	Intermediate
Quadriceps, Core	None	Beginner

Triceps Push-Ups (Triceps)

Triceps push ups are the perfect way to work your triceps. To do them, sit with your back straight and knees bent. 

Place a fitness ball between your lower back and the wall for support. Place hands on floor about shoulder-width apart, then bend elbows and lower yourself until upper arms are parallel to floor (or as close as you can get). Extend arms again and repeat 15 times for 3 sets.

Modify this move by placing hands on edge of bench or bed instead of floor. This will reduce the amount of weight placed on wrists, making it easier to perform the move without pain or discomfort in the hands/wrists/elbows region. 

If you can’t do it at all because of joint issues, simply sit on ground instead! Remember: modifying exercises allows us all enjoy them—even if we aren’t able bodied at first!

Whether you’re short on equipment or just looking to switch up your routine, bodyweight exercises can be a great addition to your workout regimen. Check out our guide on bodyweight exercises for a full-body workout at home to learn some of the best moves for building strength and improving flexibility.

Bicep Curl With Hip Raise (Biceps, Glutes And Hamstrings)

This exercise is great for your biceps, glutes and hamstrings.

• Bend at the waist with your hips in line with your knees to begin this move (the bench should be under your butt).
• Keep your abs tight as you bend your arms and lift them off the floor behind you (with palms facing down).
• Lower back down to starting position, but keep going until only a few inches are left between you and the floor—you’ll feel this one in those biceps!

Bicep Curl With Hip Raise Exercise Table

Muscles Worked	Equipment Needed	Difficulty Level
Biceps, Glutes, Hamstrings	Exercise Ball, Dumbbells	Intermediate
Core	None	Beginner

Butt-Kicks (Quads And Glutes)

Stand with your feet together, holding the exercise ball in front of your body. When you’re ready to begin, raise one leg out behind you and kick it back as far as it will go.

Lower that foot to the floor, then repeat on the other side.

If you want to give this move a little more intensity, try raising both legs at once so they are parallel with each other (and perpendicular to the floor) before kicking them back behind you. These should be straight when they leave the ground and not bent or angled at all.

Single-Leg Deadlift (Hamstrings And Gluteus Medius)

The single-leg deadlift is a great way to strengthen your hamstrings and gluteus medius. This exercise is similar to the regular deadlift, except you are only lifting one leg off the ground at a time. To do this exercise correctly:

Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms hanging straight down by your sides, palms facing forward.

Bend both knees slightly and keep them bent throughout the entire exercise (a).

Keeping your back straight and chest up, lift one foot off the floor (b). Your weight should be on your heels as you rise up onto tiptoe (c). 

As you stand tall again with both feet flat on the ground, slowly lower yourself back down until there is slight tension on that thigh before repeating with other leg (d). Perform 10 reps before switching legs; then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps altogether for 30 total reps per side.

Resistance bands are a simple but effective way to add resistance to your at-home workouts. Check out our guide on the best resistance bands for at-home workouts to find the right band for your fitness level and goals

Frog Pump (Inner Thighs, Gluteus Medius, Abdomen)

Frog pump (inner thighs, gluteus medius, abdomen)

The frog pump is a great exercise to target the inner thighs, glutes and abdominal muscles. To do it:

Lying on your back with the ball under one leg and bent at 90 degrees in front of you, lift opposite arm and leg off floor. Then lower them together in a controlled motion so that both feet touch down flat on the ground before repeating for reps or time.

Be sure not to let your body roll over, as this could cause injury to your neck or back. Also make sure that when you lift either foot off the floor it stays slightly flexed so that there is no tension in any other part of your body besides where you’re working out (the hamstrings). 

This will help ensure safe execution of this move without putting excessive strain on other parts of your body. 

Note: The frog pump requires more flexibility than many other exercises; if it feels too difficult at first try doing lunges instead until you feel ready for this move.

Superman Crunches (Lower Back, Glutes And Hip Flexors)

The Superman crunch is a great exercise for strengthening your lower back, glutes and hip flexors.

It’s also great for improving posture as it works to strengthen the muscles in your core.

In addition to these benefits, doing this exercise regularly will help you achieve a flat stomach and define your abs by toning them up over time.

To do a Superman crunch:

Lie face down on a mat or carpeted floor with arms extended overhead (you can rest your hands on the floor if needed).

Lower down into a prone press position then raise one arm and one leg up simultaneously so that they form an “L” shape with the body (this resembles Superman flying through the air). The lifted arm should be parallel to the ground while holding onto something if needed, such as a towel or towel rack handle above head level). 

The lifted leg should have bent knees with toes pointing upward toward ceiling above hips level). Keep other limbs straight throughout the entire movement—no wiggling!

Creating a home gym doesn’t have to break the bank. Check out our guide on creating a home gym on a budget: affordable workout equipment to learn some creative ways to get in a great workout without spending a lot of money.

Wall Push-Up/Tricep Extension (Chest And Triceps)

This exercise is a great way to target the chest and triceps. It’s also a great way to build upper body strength and endurance, which can help you with your daily tasks.

To do this move, stand in front of a wall about 2 feet away from it–you’ll want some room for your elbows to bend without hitting the wall. 

Place an exercise ball between your upper back and the wall, with your hands placed side by side on top of the ball. 

Make sure that when doing this move, you keep your elbows close to your body; don’t flare them out too wide or allow them to drop down so far that they’re past parallel with where you start off standing upright. 

Next, push into the ball as if trying to push yourself against it until all five points are touching again (hands still on top). 

Slowly return back down into starting position over 5 counts; repeat 10 times total before resting for 30 seconds between sets

Figure 8 Exercise Ball Exercise For Lower Body Toning.

You will need an exercise ball for this exercise.

Position yourself in a sitting position with your feet on the floor and the ball between your legs.

Lift your feet off of the floor, keeping them as close to your body as possible, then raise them towards your chest and hold for 2 seconds before lowering back down to rest on top of the ball again. 

Repeat this movement 10 times for 3 sets if you’re new to it or 15 times if you’re more advanced with this figure 8 exercise ball workout routine!

Exercise Ball Crunch For Stronger Abdominals

The exercise ball crunch is a great exercise to strengthen your core. To do the crunch on an exercise ball, start by sitting upright with your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Place an exercise ball between your lower back and wall or between two sturdy chairs.

To perform a basic crunch on the ball, place both hands behind you with palms down.

Then slowly lift up off the chair or wall while keeping your knees bent at 90 degrees. As you begin to roll forward towards your feet, lift up off of them so that they point toward ceiling in front of you as if you were rolling into a sit-up.

Slowly bring yourself back down until just before hitting bottom before repeating for 10 more repetitions.

Once complete, rest for 30 seconds then repeat this move 3 times (for 3 sets).

Stretching is an often overlooked but crucial part of any workout routine, particularly for athletes. Check out our guide on stretching for athletes: how to improve performance and prevent injuries to learn more about the benefits of stretching and some of the best stretches for athletes in every sport

Conclusion

The best part about exercise ball workouts is that there are so many variations, and you can find one that fits your needs.

 If you want a more challenging workout than what we’ve outlined here (which is totally fine!), try adding some weight to your feet or changing the incline of your body when doing exercises like squats or push-ups. 

The most important thing is that you have fun with it!