1. Stability Balls
a. About stability balls
i.
Burst resistant
ii.
Sizing: 90-100 degree angle at knee and hip while seated on ball with feet on floor 45 cm
(18”) age 5 yrs. to 5’0 height
55 cm (21.5”) 5’1” to 5’7” height
65 cm (25”)
5’8” to 6’2” height
75 cm (29.5”) 6’3” and over
(Posner-Mayer, 1995; Spaulding, 1999)
b. Initial learning
i.
Core setting movements – getting familiar with ball
1. Pelvic clock –
a. 12 belly button, 3 left hip, 6 pubic region (point below belly button, 9 right
hip).
b. Bring 6 to 12 – posterior pelvic tilt – flattens out back
c. Bring 3 to 12 – left hip hike
d. Bring 9 to 12 – right hip hike
e. Connect the dots – 3 to 12, 6 to 12, 9 to 12, 6 away from 12 - hula motion –
completely controlled by core muscles
i. No movement of legs or upper extremity
2. Extremity movement – especially for younger children (see Kids on the Ball book)
3. Pelvic Tilts – Anterior (6 away from 12) and Posterior (6 to 12)
4. Scapular Retraction
Scapular
Retraction
5.
Cues: Sit on ball with arms
held at side and elbows flexed,
squeeze shoulder blades
together, pause and release
Ball Walkout Balance Exercises –
ii.
Support learning, basic balance, basic isometric strength, proprioception
Seated walkout to Bridge (“tabletop”) position
Prone walkout to Push-Up position
Seated walkout to Supine Incline position
Seated Incline March
Seated walkout to Supine Flat position
NOTE: All pictures scanned from the Resist-A-Ball Instructor Manual www.spriproducts.com
Seated
Cues:
Walkout
Walk feet forward until head and shoulders and
to Bridge
upper back are supported by the ball; knees are
bent at 90 degrees and aligned with ankles; hips
are extended and aligned with shoulders (thighs
parallel to floor)
Kneeling
Cues: Begin kneeling with ball against thighs.
to
Lean forward until trunk is supported, arms
Walkout
extending to the floor on sides of ball; “walk”
Push-up
hands forward, using abs to stabilize the spine; let
ball roll down thighs as “walk” forward; hands
Seated
Walkout
to Supine
Incline
Incline
March
Seated
Walkout
to Supine
Flat
should be below shoulders; “walk” out only as far
as can while maintaining neutral spine (to just
above or below the knees)
Cues: Walk feet forward (allowing ball to roll up
your back) until low and mid back are supported
by the ball; low back is pressed into the ball;
maintain neutral posture in neck and back; knees
bent at 90 degrees
Cues: While in supine incline seated position, lift
opposite arm and leg in “marching” style; press
low back into ball throughout movement; slow and
controlled movements (2 count up, 2 count down)
Cues: Walk feet forward until hips are supported
by the ball; hips are extended and thighs and
shoulders are in line with trunk; knees are bent at
90 degrees and aligned with ankles; head & neck
are not supported, so tongue should be at roof of
mouth; maintain posture of neck and back
c. Teaching/Endurance/Stability Phase
a. Lots of walkouts & holding – increase time of hold
b. Slow movements (slow up & down) focus on body control & position
c. Form critical – eliminate momentum (need feedback to correct form)
d. Altering fulcrum to increase or decrease resistance (grad increasing)
e. Increase repeats – first
f. Increase complexity second
i. Moving extremities to increase resistance (ie hand at chest to head)
ii. Decreasing base of support (ie ft wide, ft together, 1 ft, toes, …)
g. Reps and sets
i. For holds – start at ~ 4-6 seconds – gradually increase to 10-15 sec
ii. For exercises – start combo of holds and 1 set of 4-8
iii. For exercises – progress 1 set of 4-8, to 2 sets of 4, 2 x 6, 2 x 8, 2 x 10, 2 x 12 before
changing intensity of exercise.
d. Strength/Hypertrophy phase
i.
Tempo change – 4-1-3-1
4 seconds against gravity, 1s hold, 3s w/gravity, 1 hold and
repeat
ii.
Increased fulcrum to increase resistance
iii. Decreased balance to force involvement of synergists
iv.
Alter angles (ie, oblique curl ups, prone skier)
v.
Use unbalanced movement (ie. Single arm or single leg)
vi.
Repeats – since intensity increases, repeats decrease to 4-6 and sets increase to 3 or 4.
e. Power/Strength phase
i.
Tempo change but no momentum – faster movement ie ( 1 against gravity, 1 hold, 1
w/gravity, 1 hold)
ii.
More advanced version of exercises – usually less balance
iii. Add external resistance (hand held wts, med ball, resistance band)
iv.
Alter angles – more consistent with functional movements needed. (ie specific to a sport
skill, or to prevent an injury, or of a particular weakness)
Core Strength Exercises
1. Bridges (Supine Hip Extension)
 walk out from seated pos. until shoulders & head are supported by the ball (“tabletop” pos.)
 slowly flex hips & drop rear toward floor; pause; contract glutes & hamstrings to lift hips
 modifications: feet position, arm position, time
Bridges
Cues: 90 degree angle at
knees; no arch in lower
back; rear drops near to
ball (little ball movement);
slow, controlled
movements; 2 count down,
pause, 2 count up, hold
9. Push-Ups
 walk out from kneeling pos. to prone on ball w/hands on floor and hips, thighs, or ankles on ball
 lower chest down until elbows flexed to just under 90 degrees; pause; return to start position
 maintaining neutral cervical and lumbar spine very important
 modifications: ball position (based on ability to do regular push-up), hand position, grip DBs
PushCues: shoulders aligned with
ups on
hands; eyes looking at floor; low
Ball
back does not sag; slow &
controlled movements; 2-3 count
down, pause, 2-3 count up, pause
2. Supine Trunk Curl




Trunk
Curls
walk out from seated pos. to supine incline or supine flat pos. on ball (ball under hips)
contract abs, slowly bringing rib to pelvis (thirty degrees of flexion); pause; return to start pos.
one hand in fist under chin, other hand has thumb on lowest rib, first finger on hip bone
modifications: ball position; hand position; feet position; external resistance
Cues: knees bent to 90 degrees; tongue
to roof of mouth; flexion from hip (not
shoulders); slow, controlled movements
(no momentum); neutral posture; ball
should not move much; 2-3 count up,
pause, 2-3 count down, pause
3. SuperPeople (Prone Opposition Arm/Leg Raise)
 walk out from kneeling pos. to prone (ball under trunk or hips); toes & fingers touching floor
 contract abs and glutes while lifting opp. Arm and leg to horizontal (ie. Right arm, left leg); pause at
horizontal, slowly return to start position
 modifications: ball position; hand contact; time
Superpeople
Cues: maintain neutral (eyes face floor, back
does not arch); keep head still; bring each arm
up in front, not out to side and forward; lift only
to horizontal; slow & controlled movements; 2-3
count up, hold, 2-3 count down, pause
4. Supine Reverse Trunk Curls


start lying supine on floor with heel grip on ball, hips flexed at 90 degrees, arms extended on floor
perform posterior pelvic tilt with 10-15 degrees of motion only (bringing hips to ribs); pause; return
slowly to start position
 modifications: arm position; incline or decline position on bench; med ball
Reverse
Cues: slow & controlled movement (no
Trunk
momentum); focus on abdominals doing the
Curls
work (avoid swinging legs or initiating
movement with hip flexors); use smaller ball
if possible; start & end with knees above
hips; 2 count up, pause, 2 count back
5. Prone Back Extension
 walk out from kneeling position to prone on ball (ball under trunk & hips); toes touching floor; feet
wider than hip width apart; arms wrapped around ball or fingertips on floor in front of head
 retract scapulae to initiate movement, then lift back to just above horizontal position; pause; return to
start position
 modifications: ball position; hand position; foot position; adding external resistance
Back
Cues: maintain neutral posture (eyes facing
Extension
floor, back not arched); muscular action should
take place in the low back (if student feels it in
mid back, remind to retract scapulae); slow and
controlled movements; 2-3 count up; pause; 2-3
count down
6. Reverse Bridge
 lying supine on floor w/ ankles & lower legs on the ball; knees flexed slightly; arms extended on floor
 contract gluteals & hamstrings slowly raise hips into full extension; hold; return to start
 modifications: arm position; leg position; time; size of ball
Reverse
Cues: focus on tight abs to maintain balance; head
Bridges
& shoulders maintain contact w/floor; shoulders
should support body weight – not neck; maintain
neutral posture (back doesn’t arch); slow &
controlled movement; 2 count up; hold; 2 count
down; pause
7. Lat Pull
 walk out from kneeling position to prone on the ball (ball under hips); feet in air; arms extended
forward out over head with hands on the floor about shoulder width apart
 extend shoulders, slowly pulling arms down toward the ball until hands are aligned under shoulders;
pause; slowly push arms back to start position using lats
 modifications: ball position; hand position
Lat Pull
Cues: hips stay supported by ball throughout
movement; maintain neutral posture (eyes
look to floor, low back does not sag or arch);
slow & controlled movements; 2-3 count
down; pause; 2-3 count up
8. Wall Squats

start standing w/ ball pressed between low back and the wall; walk feet out 1-2 steps away from wall,
hip width apart
 squat, bending knees & lowering hips until thighs parallel to floor; pause; press up from heels, extending
knees & hips return standing position, maintaining pressure against ball
 modifications: foot position, arm position; size of ball; external resistance
Wall
Cues: knees should not go forward
Squats
of your toes during movement;
maintain neutral posture of neck &
back; slow & controlled movements
(no momentum); 2-3 count down;
pause; 2-3 count up
Extensions/Advanced Exercises
Prone
Jacknife
Cues: hands are aligned under
shoulders; ankles & toes are on
ball; maintain neutral posture;
initiate movement with
posterior pelvic tilt; draw ball
up until knees are under hips;
slow & controlled movements
Cues: extend hips with two
legs to “tabletop” position, then
extend one leg out so that it is
parallel to the ground and
aligned with hips
Single
Leg
Bridge
Oblique
Curl
Cues: “boxer” arm position;
flexion first, then slight rotation
(right elbow to inside of left
nee); slow & controlled
movements
Single leg Push up position
push-up
Cues: lift one foot off of the
ball, perform push-up
maintaining neutral posture
Cues: ball is under hips; both
arms extended out to horizontal
(requires more stabilization
from the abds); slow &
controlled movements
Cues: flex knees to draw ball
toward hips (keeping hips up
off the ground in extension);
maintain neutral posture; tight
abs for balance; slow &
controlled movements.
Cues: one or both legs are lifted
up from floor/ball slowly until
aligned with hips & shoulders;
maintain neutral – no back
hyperextension; slow &
Airplane
Prone position on ball,
like starting position of
superpeople
Leg curl
Supine reverse bridge
position
Hip
extension
Prone with ball under
trunk, forearms & hands
are on the floor; head
remains still
Lift both arms and legs off the
floor and hold them in line of
body so you are balancing in a
flat position on ball.
controlled mvmts.
Kneeling
prone
rollout
Kneeling next to ball
with forearms resting on
ball, hands folded
Roll out onto back of upper
arm until body in straight line
knees to elbows, return