Another Great Abdominal Workout

Perform three sets of 12 reps on each exercise and take a 60 second break between each set.

1. Stability Ball Balance
This is a good warm up exercise to “wake up” your core so that it’s ready for the rest of the workout.

Instructions:
Climb onto the stability ball on all fours and try to balance on it for as long as you can. Remember to suck your belly button in to activate your core. It’s best to do this in an open space, preferably on some gym mats. If this is easy for you, then alternate lifting each limb off the ball at right angles.

2. Supine Lateral Ball Roll
This challenging exercise really gets your core going and one of my favourites!

Instructions:
Keep your hips up throughout the exercise. Move to the right so that your head and left shoulder are balancing on the stability ball. Hold for three seconds. Come back to the middle and then repeat on the left side. Remember to suck your belly button in. Your hips and thighs should be parallel to the floor. Only your head and shoulders should be balancingon the ball.

3. Chest Press on Stability Ball
This exercise gives your shoulders, chest and core a good workout.

Instructions:
Sit on Stability Ball with dumbbell in hands. Slide forward on ball so that you adopt the same position as the Supine Lateral Ball Roll although you can have more of your back balancing on the ball. Perform the chest press as if on a normal bench. Remember to keep your hips up and your belly button sucked in.

Depending on the weight you’re lifting you may want someone behind you to prevent the stability ball from slipping from underneath you.

4. Forward Lunge
This is a great “total body” exercise.

Instructions:
Remember to keep a good posture as you lunge forward. Take a good stride forward. Your core gets a good workout as it tries to keep your body stable. To make it more challenging add in an overhead dumbbell press!

5. Russian Twist
This twisting exercise gives your obliques a good workout

Instructions:
Adopt the position where your shoulders and head are resting on the on the stability ball. Keep your hips up and your belly button sucked in. Clasp your hands together above you with straight arms. Lower your arms down to one side and then use your abs to bring them back up to the middle (above your head). Do the same on the other side. To make this more challenging hold a dumbbell in your hands.

6. Prone Jack-Knife
This exercise works best when done slowly and steadily. It doesn’t look like much but you’ll soon realise it takes no prisoners with your abs!

Instructions:
Adopt the press-up position with your feet in the stability ball. Slowly bend your knees and bring them forward towards your stomach. Keep your hips as still as possible. That means don’t let them drop and don’t raise your buttocks in the air.