Exercise Ball Works Abs--AND Arms and Shoulders!

by Henry J.
(Apple Valley, CA)

My exercise ball has been a great addition to my workout. I used to do simple crunches on the floor, but now I find I get better results doing a variety of crunches while reclining on the exercise ball. I do not only traditional crunches, but also side crunches and hip lift crunches (tricky for balancing, but good for my abs!).

Actually, I started using my exercise ball for physical therapy when I had a shoulder problem. Kneeling in front of the ball, I would simply roll the ball toward me and away from me to increase the range of motion in my right arm and to strengthen my shoulder blade; I would also roll the ball both left and right. Although the movements are small, they are effective, especially if you have any injury or weaknesses in your arms and shoulders.