Squat and Overhead Press Throw to Partner with a Medicine Ball

Start by standing 5–6 feet away from your partner. Hold the medicine ball at chest level. Using an overhead press, toss the ball to your partner. Stay square to your partner. Your partner should catch the ball in an overhead position. Be sure to keep your abdominals contracted, your chest out and up, and your shoulders back and down. Continue for 30–90 seconds.

Variations: Try throwing the ball in different directions so your partner moves around to catch it (e.g., toss the ball side to side).

V-Sits With Rotation and Pass to Partner with a Medicine Ball

Sit on the floor about 1–2 feet away from your partner with your knees bent. Sit upright with perfect posture, abdominals contracted tightly throughout the entire exercise. Start by holding the medicine ball into your chest. Now you and your partner recline back a few inches while maintaining perfect posture. Hold that position as you both rotate one way and then the other. Return to the starting position and, once you’re upright, throw the ball to your partner. Your partner will catch it, and you’ll both repeat the exercise. Repeat for 30–90 seconds.

Variations: Try facing the same direction and tossing the ball laterally to your partner.

Partner Sprint and Roll with a Medicine Ball

Stand side-by-side with your partner. Start by rolling the ball forward on a diagonal so that it will intersect your partner’s path. You and your partner both sprint forward. Your partner catches up to the ball and rolls it forward and diagonally into your path. Continue sprinting and rolling for 60–120 seconds, going each way.

Partner Side Swing Pass - Medicine Ball Exercise

Stand side-by-side about 2 feet from your partner. Maintain perfect posture and keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise. Keep your arms straight and swing the ball from the outside of your body to the inside; then toss the ball to your partner. Your outside leg will pivot as you rotate across your body. Your partner catches the ball and repeats the exercise. Continue for 30–90 seconds each side.

Lunge and Chest Pass to Partner with a Medicine Ball

Start by standing tall with perfect posture, facing your partner. Lunge forward as you throw the medicine ball to your partner using a chest pass. Your partner will catch the ball while performing a backward lunge. Repeat, lunging forward and backward. Remember to push off the front leg and be sure that your front knee stays over your front foot while lunging. Continue for 30–60 seconds each side.

Variations: Add a small step forward for deeper lunge progressions.

Medicine Ball Partner Shuffle Drill

Stand facing your partner. Shuffle for about 10 feet, going one way, while simultaneously tossing the medicine ball back and forth to your partner. Repeat, going the opposite direction. Continue for 60–120 seconds.

Kneeling Partner Twist with a Medicine Ball

Kneel back-to-back with your partner. Keep your
abdominals contracted and maintain perfect posture. Slowly twist to one side and pass the ball off to your partner. Return to the other side to retrieve the ball. Continue for 30–90 seconds, going one way. Repeat, going the other direction.

Variations: Do this exercise while standing.

Medicine Ball Partner Chest Pass

Single-Leg Partner Chest Pass. Stand facing your partner, each of you balancing on one leg. Keep your abdominals contracted and your body erect and stable. Pass the ball back and forth to each other using a basketball chest pass. Continue for 30–60 seconds on each leg.

Variations: Try hopping side to side, front and back, while passing.

Medicine Ball Partner Exercise

Partner Floor Slams. Start by standing upright and holding the medicine ball over your head. Keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise as you squat and throw the ball to the floor so that it bounces up toward your partner. Your partner catches the ball and quickly throws it back to you. Be sure you both maintain good posture. Continue for 60–120 seconds.

Variations: Try throwing the ball in different directions so your partner moves around to catch it (e.g., slam the ball side to side).

Core exercises with a fitness ball - REVERSE CRUNCH

Reverse crunch

If you're comfortable using the fitness ball and want to try an advanced core exercise, consider the reverse crunch:

• Lie on the ball on your stomach, with your feet touching the floor behind the ball. Lean forward until you touch the floor with your hands. Walk your hands away from the ball until you feel the ball reach your upper thighs. Keep your shoulders directly above your hands.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Press your knees into the ball, as shown. Then use your abdominal muscles to bring your knees toward your chest. Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat.

Core exercises with a fitness ball - Side Exercise

Side exercise

This core exercise is done on your side:

• Lie on your right side, with the ball between your legs. Straighten your arm along the floor.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Keeping the ball between your legs, raise your legs off the floor as shown. Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat. Also try the exercise lying on your left side.

Core exercises with a fitness ball -Abdominal ball raise

Abdominal ball raise

This core exercise is called the abdominal ball raise:

• Lie on your back and rest your legs on top of the ball with your legs about hip-width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles and squeeze your legs together.
• Raise the ball off the floor, as shown. To protect your lower back, focus on pulling your bellybutton in toward your spine and keeping your abdominal muscles contracted. Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat.
• For added challenge, raise the ball off the floor and let your legs slowly fall to the right. Stop before you reach the floor. Hold for three deep breaths, keeping your shoulders on the floor. Return to the start position and repeat on the left side.

Advanced plank - Core exercises with a fitness ball

Advanced plank

When you're comfortable with the plank, try the advanced plank:

• Lie on the ball on your stomach, with your feet touching the floor behind the ball. Lean forward until you touch the floor with your hands.
• Walk your hands away from the ball until you feel the ball reach your upper thighs (A). Keep your shoulders directly above your hands.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Push your body weight forward until your shoulders are in front of your hands and the ball is beneath your shins (B). Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat.

Core exercises with a fitness ball - PLANK

Plank

Try a plank on the fitness ball:

• Lie on the ball on your stomach, with your feet touching the floor behind the ball. Lean forward until you touch the floor with your hands.
• Walk your hands away from the ball until you feel the ball reach your upper thighs, as shown. Your feet will be suspended above the floor, and you'll be balancing on your hands and the ball. Keep your shoulders directly above your hands.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold for three deep breaths or as long as you can maintain your balance and form.
• Return to the start position and repeat.

Core exercises with a fitness ball - Bridge

Bridge

To work various core muscles in combination, try a bridge:

• Lie on your back with your legs resting on top of the ball.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Raise your hips and buttocks off the floor into a bridge (A). Hold for three deep breaths. Besides your core muscles, you'll feel the muscles along your backside — the gluteal muscles and hamstrings — contract to keep you in place.
• Return to the start position and repeat.
• For added challenge, raise your right leg off the ball (B). Repeat with your left leg.

Core exercises with a fitness ball - Abdominal Crunch

Core exercises strengthen abs and other core muscles

Core exercises strengthen your core muscles, including abs, back and pelvis. You can do many core exercises with a fitness ball, also called a stability ball.

Fitness balls come in various sizes. For most exercises, you'll want a ball that allows your knees to be at a right angle when you sit on the ball with your feet on the floor. The firmer the ball, the more difficult the exercise will be.

Do each core exercise five times. Breathe freely and deeply during each exercise. Focus on tightening your deepest abdominal muscle — the transversus abdominis — during each exercise. This is the muscle you feel contracting when you cough. As you get stronger, gradually increase to 10 to 15 repetitions.

Abdominal crunch

Abdominal crunches are a classic core exercise:

• Sit on the ball with your feet resting on the floor, about hip-width apart. Keep your back straight. Cross your arms on your chest.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Lean back until your abdominal muscles kick in, as shown. Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat.

Core exercises with a fitness ball

Core exercises strengthen abs and other core muscles

Core exercises strengthen your core muscles, including abs, back and pelvis. You can do many core exercises with a fitness ball, also called a stability ball.

Fitness balls come in various sizes. For most exercises, you'll want a ball that allows your knees to be at a right angle when you sit on the ball with your feet on the floor. The firmer the ball, the more difficult the exercise will be.

Do each core exercise five times. Breathe freely and deeply during each exercise. Focus on tightening your deepest abdominal muscle — the transversus abdominis — during each exercise. This is the muscle you feel contracting when you cough. As you get stronger, gradually increase to 10 to 15 repetitions.

Squat and reach

Squat and reach with the fitness ball:

• Hold the ball in front of you and bend your knees. Keep your back straight and your arms parallel to the floor (A). Don't let your knees extend beyond your feet.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Rotate your trunk and reach with the ball toward your left (B). Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat to the right.
• Vary the exercise by holding the ball in a downward position (C) or an upward position (D).

Medicine Ball Exercise 10

Reverse Curls
1. Start position: Lie with back on floor or bench with hips flexed at 90 degrees and feet in air holding onto a medicine ball. Position arms at sides with palms down on floor.
2. Leading with the heels towards the ceiling, raise glutes (butt) off floor or bench.
3. Return to start position.
4. Remember keep legs from swinging to prevent momentum throughout the exercise.

Medicine Ball Exercise 9

Lateral Flexion w/ Stability Ball
1. Starting Position: Lie on your side over the stability ball and spread your legs for balance.
2. Hold a medicine ball over your head and curl up towards the ceiling. Lay back down across the ball and repeat the movement.
3. Repeat with the other side.

Medicine Ball Exercise 8

Medicine Ball Obliques
1. Starting Position: Lie on your back and raise your legs with your knees bent.
2. Holding a medicine ball between your knees rotate your legs to the side and then return to the starting position. Repeat to the other side.