4 of the Best Abdominal Exercises With the
Bosu Ball and 3 Free Ab Workout Routines
Here are 4 of the best abdominal exercises that you can do on a Bosu Ball, and after the exercises you'll see 3 ways you can use them to create an ab workout.
The Bosu Ball is a great piece of core exercise equipment.
Since the Bosu Ball has a soft unstable surface, your abdominal muscles must work harder just to keep you balanced and steady. And because it is contoured, you get more range of motion through the spine and more muscle work in your abs.
Here are 4 effective abdominal exercises on the Bosu Ball.
Abdominal Exercise #1:
V-ins on a Bosu Ball
As the name implies, V-ins are an exercise where you raise your knees in and form a V with your body.
Starting Position: Begin by sitting directly on top of the Bosu Ball with your hands holding onto the ball for support and balance.
Form: Lift your feet off the floor and bring your knees into your chest, forming the shape of a V. Inhale and slowly extend your legs and lean backwards. Hold briefly in the stretched out position. Exhale and lift your knees towards your chest forming a V shape. Repeat 10-25 times.
Personal Trainer Tips: If the exercise is tough, you can begin by practicing on the floor or a bench because they are more stable.
To make this exercise easier, you can rest your feet on the ground between each repetition.
To make this exercise harder, you can attempt it without using your hands for balance on the Bosu Ball.
Abdominal Exercise #2:
Russian Twist on the Bosu ball
The Russian twist is one of my favorite ab exercises, and it is really challenging on the Bosu Ball.
Starting Position: Begin by sitting on top of the Bosu Ball. Place you hands in front of you and lift your feet off the ground. Find your balance.
Form: Once you find your balance, twist your upper body to one side and then twist to the other side. Repeat 10-25 times on each side.
Personal Trainer Tips: Don't get discouraged if you lose your balance-- just reposition and try again.
If you move in a slow and controlled fashion, you work more on endurance. If you move quickly, you work more on speed. In the beginning, move in a slow and controlled manner.
If keeping your balance is really difficult, practice Russian twists on the floor.
Best Abdominal Exercises #3:
Crunches & 1 Leg Raise Combo on the Bosu
Of all the exercises, most of my clients feel that this truly is one of the best abdominal exercises they have ever done.
Starting Position: Begin by lying on the Bosu Ball with your hips towards the edge. Your back should be supported by the ball, but it is okay for your head to be off the edge of the ball.
Extend your hand and leg on the same side of your body, and use your other hand to gently support your head.
Form: Exhale as you crunch with your upper body and lift your leg. Touch your leg with your hand and hold for a brief second. Then, slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 6-10 times on each side.
Personal Trainer Tips: Always be mindful of the position of your lower back. If you feel, your lower back arching too much, it could be a sign of weakness or fatigue. If you get fatigued, simply take a break and then continue the set.
Best Abdominal Exercises #4:
Side Crunches on the Bosu Ball
Side Crunches on the Floor are a popular stomach exercise, but they are highly flawed because the range of motion is so limited.
A solution to that flaw is do side crunches on a stability ball or a bosu ball. The Bosu Ball may be even better than the stability ball for this exercise, because the bosu ball will not fly from underneath you allowing you to focus more on your oblique muscles.
Starting Position: Lay sideways on the Bosu Ball so that your hips are just off the edge. Bend your bottom leg to 90 degrees, and keep your top leg in a straight line with your upper body. Gently place your hands behind your head for support.
Form: Exhale and slowly crunch your body up to the side. Hold briefly at the top of the motion, and then slowly return to the starting position.
Personal Trainer Tips: The further you place your hips on the ball the tougher the exercise becomes. If you feel yourself tipping towards your head, that is a sign that your hips are too far on the ball.
Try to maintain a straight line from your upper body to your lower body and move in a slow and controlled manner.
A ton of my clients feel this is one of the best abdominal exercises for their obliques. They really feel the burn.
3 Free Ab Workout Routines on the Bosu Ball
You can use the 4 abdominal exercises above to create a few different types of ab workouts. On my free ab workouts page, I talk about these 3 techniques- Straight Sets, Super Sets, and Circuits.
In the straight set ab workout, you would focus on one exercise at a time before moving onto the next exercise. You would start with the first exercise and perform 2-3 sets of 12-20 repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. Rest 30-60 seconds between exercises.
Sample Ab Workout #1:
2-3 sets of V-ins
2-3 sets of Russian Twists
2-3 sets of Crunches and 1 Leg Raises
2-3 sets of Bosu Ball Side Crunches
In the super set ab workout, you would pair 2 abdominal exercises together. Perform 12-20 repetitions of the first and then second exercise without any rest in between them, but rest 30-60 seconds after the second exercise.
Sample Ab Workout #2:
2-3 Sets V-ins to Russian Twists in a Super Set
2-3 Sets Crunches and 1 Leg Raise to Side Crunches
In the Circuit ab workout, you would perform all 4 abdominal exercises in a row without any rest between exercises, and then rest 30-60 seconds before starting the circuit again.
Sample Ab Workout #3:
V-ins, Russian Twists, Crunches and 1 Leg Raise, and then Side Crunches. Rest after Side Crunches and repeat the circuit 2-3 times.
The above workouts are placed from easiest to hardest. The straight set workout is the easiest because you get the most rest. The super set workout is a little toughe because you do 2 exercises in a row. And, the circuit workout is the hardest because you have to do 4 abdominal exercises in a row with no rest.
Start with the first workout and build up from there.
Summary of the Best Abdominal Exercises on the Bosu Ball
There you go... those are 4 of the best abdominal exercises on the bosu ball with 3 free ab workout routines.
If you don't have access to a bosu ball, visit our Directory of Abdominal Exercises to learn more of the best abdominal exercises.
Or see what other trainers think are the best abdominal exercises.
Remember to have fun with your workouts, and try to learn new things all the time.
Yours in Health,
Charles Inniss DPT
Return to the main Bosu Ball Page
P.S. Check out my Core Workout Video!
The video can be purchased as DVD's and shipped to your home.
Get the DVD for $7.95 + sph
Click Here to Order Your DVD Today!
Click to learn more about the core training.
My Weight Loss and Fitness Program for Women
Women's Fitness and Weight Loss Program:
Personal Training Secrets to
Lose Belly Fat and Get a Flat Stomach
If you want to lose weight and get a flat stomach, my ebook
Personal Training Secrets to Lose Belly Fat and Get a Flat Stomach is the answer to your prayers.
It's more than just a list of the best ab exercises.
It's a Complete Women's Fitness Plan with Simple Secrets to Lose Weight and Tone Your Stomach.
