Exercising with a Fitness Ball

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Figure 1: Upper Abdominal Curls.

Do's and don'ts

• Do think of pulling your belly so far in that you flatten your lower back onto the ball as you initiate the roll up. You're not in Neutral Spine during this exercise.

• Don't strain your neck. Allow your hands to hold the weight of your head and keep the space of a tangerine between your chin and your neck.

Modifications

To make the exercise more difficult, walk your feet in and start with your pelvis and lower back making contact with the ball. Stabilizing is more difficult when your belly is actually on top of the ball as you roll up. Think of flattening your lower back onto the ball as you initiate the roll up (Figure 2).

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Figure 2: Modifying Upper Abdominal Curls by moving the feet in.

You can also modify the exercise to work your oblique abdominals (the deep abdominals that twist your torso). Instead of rolling straight up, try rolling up with a slight twist, reaching your right elbow toward your left knee and then reaching your left elbow toward your right knee, alternating sides every time.

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