Do you ever get bored with certain fitness equipment or tools? I usually do when I’m feeling in a rut and sick of my “usual” exercises with them. Lately I’ve felt that way about the stability ball, but at Mania I learned a few new moves that have inspired me to start using my stability ball once again. None of these exercises are anything super crazy different, but just involve a new way to switch things up from your everyday traditional moves.

I thought you guys might want some inspiration too!

Elbow Plank Knee Drives

• Roll into an elbow plank on the stability ball (traditional move).
• Alternate tapping each knee into the ball (makes it a little harder).
• Here’s the part I love –> Instead of just gently tapping your knees into the ball, drive your knees in to hit the ball hard. The force from your legs causes the ball to roll around a bit, which causes YOU to use more core to stabilize yourself in the plank. LOVE.
• Variations – Do this on the same leg, alternating legs, cross knees, etc.

Slowed down stability ball curl ups

• Walk yourself into the position for a stability ball crunch (traditional move).
• Keep your lower back on the ball, and work SLOWLY (that’s the difference) to curl up and back down. Make sure to never lower past a point where you can’t see your knees. That one instruction makes a huge difference in how much you feel your core working.

• Next variation: Roll down each shoulder-blade, and then back up through the center. Example: Roll down your right shoulder-blade to target your obliques before curling up in the center. You could stick to each side or alternate sides.
• Final variation: Roll to each direction before curling back up. Example – Left, right, center. Then right, left, center, and so on.

Stability ball side planks

• This exercise takes your standard side planks (traditional move) and adds a stability ball, but by your feet.
• Version 1: Assume your side plank position with your top leg on the ball and your bottom knee down on the ground in front of the ball.
• Version 2: Top leg on the ball, bottom leg out straight with your foot behind the ball.
• Version 3: Top leg on the ball, bottom leg out straight under the ball.
• Variations –> Elbow, straight arm, hip dips, just hold, etc. Part I LOVE in any of the positions —> Using your top foot, roll the stability forward and back. Killer!

Stability Ball Hover to Elbow Plank

• Place your forearms on the stability ball as if you were going to assume an elbow plank position.
• Lift your knees so they are hovering over the ground, making sure they are underneath your navel.
• Hold there, then roll out to elbow plank (traditional move), then roll back in, and repeat.
• Variations – single leg, add the drive ins once out in elbow plank, etc.

Hope you like these!

What’s a piece of fitness equipment that you’ve felt in a rut with before?