Welcome back to the December Fit Challenge. Today I encourage you to use a stability ball. Also known as a Swiss ball.
I’m a gym person. In my opinion, you do gym things at the gym and home things at home. I don’t have a lot of equipment or workout gear at home.
But.
Everyone. Everyone! Should have a stability ball in their home. Simply sitting on a ball and holding your core tight while working at your desk or talking on the phone or watching a show is work.
Good posture is automatically encouraged on the ball. My back actually feels better when I’m using the ball over an office chair.
Stability balls are affordable, available everywhere and (not so) easy to use. I say (not so) easy because everything you do on a ball is a simple and small move, but holding your core is serious work.
There are a lot of YouTube videos from professional trainers and physical therapists, so check those out for proper techniques and ideas to target the areas you want to work on.
I’m not a professional and I’m not giving advice, just sharing what I do.
Here’s what I added in.
Bridge
Laying flat on the floor with my legs at 90° on the ball, neck relaxed, core tight and engaged, I simply lift my hips into a bridge, hold for a count of 10 and slowly control the drop to the floor.
Ten counts of ten and then moving on.
Ab Crunch
This is a favorite of mine and when I crunch up into a twist, my obliques feel it the next day!
Leg/Arm Lift
This is one of those that looks so easy, but keeping the ball stable while lifting your leg and then adding your opposite arm is tricky.
If this move is too unstable, try lifting your leg with your knee bent first. The shorter lever is easier.
Wrap Up
Thanks for spending a little of your December with me. I’m really motivated to add a little something each day when I know you’re following along!