Have a Ball! 12 Stability Ball Exercises That Target Every Muscle Group

Why do it: “For core stability, adding a ball increases the intensity [of this movement] because you’re less stable than you would be if your feet were on the floor,” says Kate. 

How to do it: 

1. Place the stability ball on the floor, then get into the plank position with your toes on top of the ball.
2. Looking down at the floor, activate your core and glutes.
3. Take your left leg off the ball, and bring it down to the side until your left foot touches the floor.
4. Hold, then slowly bring the left toe back onto the stability ball.
5. Repeat with the right leg, touching your right foot on the floor.
6. Continue for the desired number of reps, using a single leg each time.

Muscles targeted: Core muscles, hip flexors, shoulders

Why do it: Using a stability ball to squat during your home workout can help reduce pressure on your lower back. I also like that it encourages you to keep your body upright throughout the movement.

How to do it: 

1. Put a stability ball against a wall. You’ll want to position it at a height so it’ll touch the lower to the middle of your back once you’re pressed up against it.
2. Facing away from the wall, get into the squat position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and the ball behind you.
3. Squat down, driving your hips backward while doing so. The fitness ball will roll down with you as you do this.
4. When your quads are parallel to the floor, hold the position there. Then, push into the ground with your heels to return to the standing position.
5. Keep squatting for reps.

RELATED: Squat Anatomy

Muscles targeted: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, calves

Why do it: The preacher curl is a great exercise for biceps activation, and adding a ball provides an extra challenge because it forces you to stabilize yourself throughout the movement.

How to do it: 

1. Place a stability ball on top of a flat bench or other solid surface.
2. Position your body close to the ball so it’s less likely to move. Then, grab a dumbbell with your left hand and get into the preacher curl position.
3. Straighten your left arm until it’s nearly locked out, then slowly curl it back up. Keep going, then switch to your right arm.
4. Continue for the desired number of reps on each arm.

Muscles targeted: Biceps, core

Why do it: Adding a stability ball gives you a longer range of motion than you’d get when doing a bodyweight superman on the floor. It’s also a low-impact exercise, so it’s ideal for beginners.

How to do it: 

1. Place a stability ball on the floor, close to a wall.
2. With your heels up against the wall, get on top of the medicine ball so it’s touching your pelvic region. Your body should be in a straight line.
3. Place your hands on or at the sides of your forehead. 
4. Now, slowly drop your body down so your forehead moves towards the stability ball.
5. Pause, then reverse the motion so you’re fully extended.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles targeted: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings

Why do it: The v-up with stability ball targets the rectus abdominis, obliques, and hip flexor muscles. Strengthening the core can help with other exercises in the gym or at home, and daily activities, as well as reducing pain scores, functional disability, and recurrences of acute low back pain episodes².

How to do it: 

1. Lie down on the floor or on top of your exercise mat, facing the ceiling. 
2. Straighten your legs, then place the ball in between your feet.
3. Extend your arms above your head, ensuring they’re touching the floor.
4. Engage your core, then lift your arms and legs off the floor at the same time so they move toward each other.
5. Grab the ball with your hands, taking it away from your feet. Then, return both your arms and legs toward the floor, straightening them as you do so.
6. Repeat, but this time, take hold of the ball with your feet instead.
7. Continue for reps.

Muscles targeted: Core, hip flexors

Why do it: Similar to the stability ball squat above, you’ll be working the majority of your lower body muscles. “You only need a light load for this exercise because there’s a significant distance between the weight and your working muscles,” says Kate.

RELATED: What Muscles Do Squats Work?

How to do it: 

1. Take hold of an exercise ball and stand upright with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards.
2. Raise your arms above your head, ensuring they stay close to your ears.
3. Engage your glutes and core, keep your head neutral, and perform a squat. Drive your hips backward to make the most out of the movement.
4. Keep lowering until your thighs are parallel to the floor. When they get there, pause, then push through your heels to return to the standing position.
5. Squat for reps, then place the ball on the ground.

Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, lower back, core

Why do it: A stability ball is softer than the floor, so I prefer using it to do crunches. If you suffer from low back pain, performing crunches on a ball rather than a resistance machine could be beneficial because it induces high rectus abdominis activity accompanied by low hip flexor activity³.

How to do it: 

1. Place a stability ball on the floor and sit down as you would on a chair.
2. Walk your feet down, and at the same time, lie backward so your lower back is resting on top of the ball.
3. Position your feet flat on the floor, ensuring they’re shoulder-width apart. Then, cross your arms over your shoulders.
4. Activate your core, then lift your upper body toward the ceiling. Make sure your head is neutral at all times.
5. Hold, then lower your body back down to the original position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Muscles targeted: Core

Why do it: Kate says, “This exercise helps to strengthen your posterior chain, as well as improve trunk rotation.”

How to do it: 

1. Place a ball on the floor near a wall.
2. Position your heels against the wall, then lie down on the ball, facing the floor. The ball should be touching your pelvic region.
3. Squeeze your glutes, then take a dowel rod or a mobility stick with both hands and place it behind your head. This ensures your shoulder blades stay retracted throughout the movement.
4. Lower your body towards the floor in a controlled manner. Once you can’t go further, reverse the motion, coming back up.
5. When you’re upright, rotate your body to the left side. 
6. Twist to the center, then do another back extension by lowering your body. This time, rotate to your right side as you come up.
7. Continue for the desired number of reps, alternating sides every time.

RELATED: How to Do Back Extensions At Home

Muscles targeted: Lower back muscles, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core

Why do it: I’m a huge fan of this exercise as it really hits the triceps while forcing you to improve your balance and coordination.

How to do it: 

1. Stand in front of your stability ball while it’s placed on the floor.
2. Bend your knees and squat down toward the ball. When you get close to it, place your hands on the ball, one on either side of your body. Your arms should be straight here and your fingers facing forward.
3. Make sure your feet are firmly on the ground, then bend your elbows so your body moves toward the floor. Keep your head neutral and stick your chest up.
4. Go down as far as possible, pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
5. Keep going for reps.

Muscles targeted: Triceps, chest, shoulders, core