Planks on an Exercise Ball

[Artista]

Somewhere, recently, on this forum, I read about someone's PT or trainer recommending that she do planks with her elbows on an exercise ball. She moves the ball around & from side to side while in the plank position. The exercise is supposed to mimic our upper body action on the bike. I tried to find the original thread to no avail. Anyway, I'm here to report that this is an EVIL exercise:eek: So evil, in fact, that it's going to become a regular part of my workout routine:D

[yellow]

Lots of evil out there with the exercise ball (http://exercise.about.com/library/bladvancedball.htm).

What that link doesn't show is the ball circles (which you describe) but on one foot. 10 each direction without rest, switch legs, repeat. I still end up in a heap on the floor and I've been doing it for a while :)

[Artista]

Ewwwww....even more torture:D Can't wait to try these!

[marni]

I think that was me who was complaining about the circles on the exercise ball in a single and double legged plank. Today he added a "bug" position to the fun. Full plank on the ball with two legs, lift one and put your knee as close to your armpit (hopefully touching the exercise ball) and back, and then armpit and then back, repeat until you collapse, cramp up or fall over, then immediatly do the other side + 1. evil evil evil

[Catrin]

hmmmm will mention these new forms of torture to my trainer. While he does torture me with the exercise ball, so far both versions of the planks he has me do are on the ground. The regular plank I can hold for a long time, so it is probably time for a more evil version ;)

[Artista]

I think that was me who was complaining about the circles on the exercise ball in a single and double legged plank. Today he added a "bug" position to the fun. Full plank on the ball with two legs, lift one and put your knee as close to your armpit (hopefully touching the exercise ball) and back, and then armpit and then back, repeat until you collapse, cramp up or fall over, then immediatly do the other side + 1. evil evil evil

LOL!!! Thanks so much for posting about these exercises, Marni. I'm going to try the "bug" tomorrow. Hopefully, I can skip the cramping part & go straight to collapsing:)

Catrin, like you, I've gotten to the point where I can do long planks & about a ga-jillion crunches without ever really feeling the workout. If the minor stiffness in my core this morning is any indication, these ball planks are fast, efficient & much more effective than the old standard core workouts.

[Veronica]

Plank position with one elbow on a Bosu ball and the other arm is doing a cable row.

Cable pull ups with your feet on a ball.

Veronica

[Artista]

Plank position with one elbow on a Bosu ball and the other arm is doing a cable row.

Cable pull ups with your feet on a ball.

Veronica

Those hurt just thinking about them! I'm going to add them to my personal "Know Your Limits & Work Up to It" list. :)

This is getting fun. How about all of you other TE'ers? What is your favorite, (or should I say "least favorite"), EVIL exercise? :D

[nscrbug]

I do something that I call "rollouts" on the ball. I kneel on the floor behind the ball, then placing my hands clasped together on the ball...I roll the ball out in front of me as far as I can...hold for a second or two...then roll back to starting position. I feel these in my core and also my shoulders/upper back area. I do 3-4 sets of 20, and in between each set I do a set of 12 pushups.

[crazycanuck]

One of my coolio swiss ball exercises atm is (and I hope I can describe this properly)
Kneel on swiss ball-don't sit on your heels etc
Lift arms over your head
Breathe and bend over as far as possible using your quads etc for stability
Lift self back up

To add more excitement, hold a broom stick horizontally whilst doing the above.


Another one using a bosu or 1/2 bosu
Sit on & balance then manouver self back to flat position then bring self back up. I can sort of do it on a swiss ball but keep losing balance at a certain point.

[Artista]

I LOVE the balance exercises on the ball. My husband & I have contests where we face each other while balancing on our own balls. It transforms us into happy, laughing, 6 year olds, in short order!

[marni]

there is a skinny crew cut older guy at the gym who comes in grabs a ball lies on his stomach arms and legs totally extended and stays there without moving for 5 minutes or more at a time. Then he goes and does normal exercises and weight training.

I have yet to achieve 5 seconds of total stillness in balance.

Todays addition to the fun was squats with shoulder presses with 10 pounds each hand on the bosu ball. I get the feeling we are venturing into new depths of balance challange.

sigh......but I have to admit that I have only myself to blame since I mentioned I wanted to increase everything by at least 10% every quarter this year.

[Artista]

sigh......but I have to admit that I have only myself to blame since I mentioned I wanted to increase everything by at least 10% every quarter this year.

Careful what you wish for;) How do you think you're coming 1/2 way through the 1st quarter? (Would that be 5% improvement in an eighth?)

I didn't try the "bug" today. I'm still learning about the plank on the ball. Today I moved the ball constantly while I was in the plank position. It was interesting to feel how my core worked to stabilize my body depending on which direction I moved the ball - to the front, to the back, or side to side. Powerful stuff!

[Susan]

One of my coolio swiss ball exercises atm is (and I hope I can describe this properly)
Kneel on swiss ball-don't sit on your heels etc
Lift arms over your head
Breathe and bend over as far as possible using your quads etc for stability
Lift self back up

To add more excitement, hold a broom stick horizontally whilst doing the above.



I read twice and now I'm still asking myself if I maybe didn't understand you right :D

You KNEEL on a swiss ball, and, if that wasn't enough, you then raise your arms and bend over holding a broomstick in your hands?!

I wish I could balance sitting/lying on a swiss ball for some seconds without doing anything... (I could picture myself doing the above, but the broomstick would need to be a Nimbus 2000... ;))

[Catrin]

...
I wish I could balance sitting/lying on a swiss ball for some seconds without doing anything... (I could picture myself doing the above, but the broomstick would need to be a Nimbus 2000... ;))

You and me both :cool: Monday I tried planks on a ball but didn't try to move the ball as of yet - it was my first attempt on a ball and it seemed to go fine. It did not really seem much more difficult than doing regular planks on the floor - so either I wasn't doing it properly or I need to make it more challenging. I meet with my trainer this afternoon and will ask him about this.

[surgtech1956]

How big of an exercise ball do you need?

[Veronica]

I read twice and now I'm still asking myself if I maybe didn't understand you right :D

You KNEEL on a swiss ball, and, if that wasn't enough, you then raise your arms and bend over holding a broomstick in your hands?!

I wish I could balance sitting/lying on a swiss ball for some seconds without doing anything... (I could picture myself doing the above, but the broomstick would need to be a Nimbus 2000... ;))

I think she's talking about doing hyper extensions on the ball. I did almost all of my upper body work today while standing or squatting isometrically on a Bosu.

Everything except the kettle bell work. Kettle bell swings with 35 pounds - ouch!

Veronica

[Veronica]

How big of an exercise ball do you need?

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Training/Veronica-Upper-Body-2010/upper-body-workout-3/1158290823_j7jVY-L.jpg

The size my feet are on. :D

You can use a Bosu for a lot of things too.

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Training/Veronica-Upper-Body-2010/upper-body-workout-8/1158290775_ymznS-L.jpg


You can use a Bosu either flat side down or round side down.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Different brands come in different sizes, but they usually have height charts on the package. You want to be able to sit on it with your knees bent at 90 degrees or wider.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks for the photos, Veronica - I was having a very hard time visualizing this whole "planks on an exercise ball" concept. I was thinking the arms/hands went on the ball! No wonder I was so confused. :D

And by the way, I *heart* your arms! :p

[crazycanuck]

Dumb question, can somene please describe a hyper extension...

All I know is, I don't sit on my heels while on the ball...

[Veronica]

Thanks! I'm actually doing push ups in that photo. You can put the ball at either end for planks.

The instability of the ball really forces you to work so much harder. Or fall off and start giggling. :D

Veronica

[Artista]

Emily, I am doing the planks with my feet on the ground & my forearms on the ball.

Catrin, I have to move the ball with my forearms to make the exercise harder than a traditional plank on the floor. I've done this exercise several times now. I move the ball constantly during some sessions. During other sessions, I hold a position for several seconds before rolling the ball just a few inches with my forearms to a different position.

Crazycanuck, I am amazed that you can do anything else while balancing on your ball...especially on your knees. My balance exercise consists entirely of trying not to fall off.

Wow, Veronica! I want to do what you do when I grow up. I *heart* your arms, too.

[Veronica]

Dumb question, can somene please describe a hyper extension...

All I know is, I don't sit on my heels while on the ball...


There are a lot of you tube videos showing it on a ball. Here it is on a Roman chair.

http://www.thetotaltoner.com/shapefit-pics/lower-back-exercises-hyperextensions-back-extensions.gif


I thought this might be what you were describing because I do this with a weighted bar, but not on the ball.

Veronica

[crazycanuck]

Urm, i'll have to jump onto our computer w a broadband connection as it'll take me forever to find a you tube video showing exactly what i'm trying to describe..

The joys of dial up...

[marni]

[QUOTE=Artista;557909]Careful what you wish for;) How do you think you're coming 1/2 way through the 1st quarter? (Would that be 5% improvement in an eighth?)

1/2 through the first quarter and I have progressed at least 5 pounds per hand on any of the free weight exercises, plus doing most of them on a Bosu ball. My leg presses have gone up to 175 pounds ( which is 35 pounds over my body weight whoo hoo!) from 155 and all the other weight machine exercises are up by at least 10 pounds, plus we have added five minute running intervals or jump rope intervals 2 or 3 times a workout. The latest fun masochism is side plank dip with a free weight in the working hand on a bosu ball and one legged push ups either on the bosu or on small medicine ball type balls.

for inquiring minds, side plank dip- hit a side plank with bottom arm straight- hold a ten pound weight in the free hand,lower it tucking forward so that your arm goes down and under your body and you're twisting your your oblique muscles, then lift up again, while maintaining a straight bottom arm and not falling over.

[Susan]

I think she's talking about doing hyper extensions on the ball. I did almost all of my upper body work today while standing or squatting isometrically on a Bosu.

Everything except the kettle bell work. Kettle bell swings with 35 pounds - ouch!

Veronica

Oh, you could be right :) The kneeling ON the ball thing gets me confused. Maybe it's because they were showing our women Ski-Teams training on TV last week. One of the women was standing with one foot on a body ball (not a bosu, a real ball), balancing, while catching a ball her trainer hurled at her. It was quite stunning. I wouldn't have thought that was possible before seeing it.

Atm I do the "Making the cut" workout regularly, there are quite a lot of Body ball exercises too and I had to add some in because I am training at home without gym equipment. Yesterday I had "pike Pushups on BB" and "Bench Dips with feet on BB" - not fun ;) I wish my arms would look just a little bit like yours someday in the future :)

[crazycanuck]

I was lost but now i'm found :p

Here's what i'm referring to-please refer to the lifting of arms in the 58sec to the 1min mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqzV0O139Yk

Start from that position.

I'll try and find more stuff..

[OakLeaf]

I can just barely kneel - not that I've been practicing all that much lately. :rolleyes:

But I'm still not sure of the progression you're describing, CC - do you bend your knees and keep your hips straight (similar to reclining Hero); or is it a backbend (similar to Camel)?



If you're not sitting on the ball with feet on the ground, then you don't have to worry about sizing the ball to protect your knees, and you can instead use size and inflation to adjust the difficulty. Larger ball is easier (because the contact patch with the floor is larger and the contact patch(es) with you are less angled); slightly underinflated ball is easier, for obvious reasons.

I've seen a guy stand on a ball and do squats. :eek: And it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the next thing V. posts is a video of her doing squats on the ball with a 50# bar.

[Catrin]

I tried this again last night and had my trainer check out my form - this was just normal planks on the ball and that was quite easy. It seemed TOO easy when I did it on my own which was why I asked him to check me out on it. Then I started moving the ball around with my forearms and THAT was a different story :eek: :D So I have found a new core exercise - thank you!

[Susan]

I was lost but now i'm found :p

Here's what i'm referring to-please refer to the lifting of arms in the 58sec to the 1min mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqzV0O139Yk

Start from that position.

I'll try and find more stuff..

Wow, I can't do that (but I did understand you right in the first place :)). One of my limbs always has to touch the ground or I fall off. Guess I have to add such balance exercises in... I'm not so sure where to start I'm a really bad balancer.

[OakLeaf]

I'm not so sure where to start I'm a really bad balancer.

Start on all fours on the ball. Much easier than kneeling. (As the guy who was doing the squats said, "An elephant can do it!" :p) Practice that, get comfortable moving around a little, practice picking up one hand and then the other. Then progress to kneeling from an all-fours position. If you start to feel unstable, then you can return to all fours.

[Artista]

1/2 through the first quarter and I have progressed at least 5 pounds per hand on any of the free weight exercises, plus doing most of them on a Bosu ball. My leg presses have gone up to 175 pounds ( which is 35 pounds over my body weight whoo hoo!) from 155 and all the other weight machine exercises are up by at least 10 pounds, plus we have added five minute running intervals or jump rope intervals 2 or 3 times a workout.

Marni, that's REALLY impressive progress! I got to thinking that a 10% improvement each quarter equates to about 50% over the year. At the rate you're going, you'll be unstoppable at the end of the year!

Susan, I started learning to balance on the ball in my kitchen, which has a 3' corridor between the counters. I got myself balanced by holding onto the counters on either side of me & then let go. I could only balance for a second or two before having to touch the counter when I first started. Now I can balance for a few minutes. I do this both seated & kneeling. It's done wonders for my balance. And, it's just plain fun!:)

[Susan]

Start on all fours on the ball. Much easier than kneeling. (As the guy who was doing the squats said, "An elephant can do it!" :p) Practice that, get comfortable moving around a little, practice picking up one hand and then the other. Then progress to kneeling from an all-fours position. If you start to feel unstable, then you can return to all fours.

Ok I tried that... I managed to do it for a few seconds. I will practise and work my way up from (balance-) ameba to elephant ;)

[surgtech1956]

Thanks for the size info.

[zoom-zoom]

Cathe Friedrich does this in one of her workouts (only on her toes):
http://0.tqn.com/d/exercise/1/0/k/K/travelpikepushup.jpg

I always chicken-out and do the alternative exercise, which is simple shoulder presses with hand-weights.

[OakLeaf]

The pikes are actually easier than they look. I don't know if I'd be looking back at the ball, though. :eek: You don't do that in handstand...

[zoom-zoom]

The pikes are actually easier than they look. I don't know if I'd be looking back at the ball, though. :eek: You don't do that in handstand...

It's not so much the actual pike that scares me--it's the push-ups part. I can barely do regular push-ups.

[marni]

well that kneeling on the ball looks impossibly scary so I guess that is my next challenge- I will not, however, share this one with John the trainer because he would probably interesting variations like having me kneel on the ball on a bosu ball and do all sorts of free weight arm presses and curls. Might have to save it for the last quarter but since I have a large carpeted room and a ball upstairs I will have time to practice.

Today's highlights included one legged squats to erect shoulder lifts, and squats to bicept curls erect with fairly light weights on the bosu ball.

I followed it up with an hour of cardio at a steady 80% capacity (126 bpm)on the elliptical at a resistance of 5, came home and cleaned house (see off topic they are laughing at me), walked the dogs, made curry from scratch, did the laundry and didn't sit down until dinner at 6:30. Obviously I am still on a sugar high from yesterdays PEM scan. Wonder if I will be able to move tomorrow.?

[OakLeaf]

It's not so much the actual pike that scares me--it's the push-ups part. I can barely do regular push-ups.

You'd have to do a bit of rolling back and forth to combine them with pikes, but one of the nice things about the ball is that you can micro-adjust the intensity of your push-ups by shortening your lever (rolling your legs back on the ball).

[Catrin]

You ladies are in so much better shape than I! Last night, after warming up and stretching before spinning class, I used one of our smaller balls at the club for planks - and this time I tried moving the ball around with my forearms and found that much more challenging. Just using the ball for a regular plank is easy, this was not - evil, evil, and so good for me.

Thanks for starting this thread - I suspect that this has put some ideas into Nat's head (my trainer) for new variations for building upper body strength. I had him check my form on the ball to make certain I was doing it correctly. I am currently in a new building phase in my training sessions - until May when I will drop to once a week maintenance mode for the season.

[Artista]

You ladies are in so much better shape than I!
I'm with Catrin. You ladies are an inspiration. I have no other very fit women in my life to serve as mentors or friendly competitors. This vacancy has a not-so-subtle tendency to limit how hard I push myself. TE in general, and this thread in specific, have become great motivators for me to aspire to new heights in fitness. Thanks everyone for sharing!

[Veronica]

If you get tired of the ball, you could try flipping tires.

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Training/Tire-Workout/tire-workout-1/1158280259_Jf429-L.jpg


This workout was actually a ton of fun!

Veronica

PS Oak, I'm working on that video. But I gotta find a good stunt double... :D

[Catrin]

I'm with Catrin. You ladies are an inspiration. I have no other very fit women in my life to serve as mentors or friendly competitors. This vacancy has a not-so-subtle tendency to limit how hard I push myself. TE in general, and this thread in specific, have become great motivators for me to aspire to new heights in fitness. Thanks everyone for sharing!

What Artista said!

[Susan]

After an extensive trainingsession in front of the TV I am able to kneel on that ball yeah *proud* ;)

[Crankin]

This stuff looks crazy. I can't even lift one leg off of the ball, sitting, and raise the opposite arm, with a light weight. I wobble like crazy and I have fallen off. My sense of humor must be warped, because I didn't laugh or think it was funny.
I already know my balance sucks. Yoga really improved it for awhile, but I haven't been practicing as much.

[Catrin]

Veronica, your arms are GREAT, I "heart" them :) While my trainer really hits my upper body strength pretty hard, and I've gained a lot of strength, my upper arms - with wings - just aren't tightening....

[emily_in_nc]

This stuff looks crazy. I can't even lift one leg off of the ball, sitting, and raise the opposite arm, with a light weight. I wobble like crazy and I have fallen off. My sense of humor must be warped, because I didn't laugh or think it was funny.
I already know my balance sucks. Yoga really improved it for awhile, but I haven't been practicing as much.

Don't feel bad -- I'm also terrible at this stuff! My balance did improve somewhat with yoga, but the classes (offered through work) ended, so now I do just a few poses at the end of each workout. I can't even imagine doing the things on an exercise ball that these gals do! If I had one at home, I might be brave enough to try, but the gym I go to is actually our work fitness center, I don't have a personal trainer to push me, and I do not want to try on my own in front of co-workers! Don't need for them to see me wobble and fall!

[Catrin]

Oy, my trainer had me do planks on a ball tonight and then he started pushing the ball and told me to hold it... EVIL - and while I did fall over once I succeeded the second time :cool:

[SadieKate]

As far as tire workouts go, just regularly lift 8 winter tires and wheels on/off the wall rack and in/out of your cars. Tires only . . . pfff! ;)

[surgtech1956]

I got a 65 cm ball. Going to try some exercises - as my ankle allows me.

[OakLeaf]

It's not so much the actual pike that scares me--it's the push-ups part. I can barely do regular push-ups.

Wait, I think I mis-read you the first time around. You mean she does handstand push-ups in pike position on the ball?! Yikes.

[crazycanuck]

Surgtech-A simple thing you can first do on the ball is: sit & balance self, sit-balance-lift legs up (don't fall back..you won't if you find the exact spot to sit). Sit-balance-lift legs up-use weights..

[linzq]

I just wanted to say how inspirational this thread is!

I started my first session with a personal trainer today (YAY! and OW!) and have a long way to go until I can even *think* about any of these exercises. But they've got my hyped up to exercise!!!

THANK YOU! :D

[marni]

today trainer John, in keeping with the goals I have of increasing weight and intensity 10% per quarter, added two new ball exercises. Tonight I am feeling them but have hopes that things will improve as I do them more often.

The first one had me on my back on the ball like I was going to do an abdominal crunch from a horizontal position. With a 8 pound weight in my left hand and with my right leg extended out straight he had me do a diagonal crunch bringing the weight up to touch my right foot which was also lifted. Balance and some muscle isolation that I haven't done for awhile.

The second exercise was another crunch variation done with a 10 pound weight on my chest, abdominal crunch then grab the weight, while in the up position and touch the ball next to my hips as low down as possible while keeping good posture, muscles contracted and not overbalancing.

His latest variation on the the planks on a medicine ball are one legged planks while rolling the ball in circles and in and out.

linzq- good luck with the trainer. My trainers have made all the difference for me even though at times I have to admit it's a struggle to make myself go in and submit to the session. ;)

In additon, they have been especially helpful, whenever I have ended up taking time off for any reason ( broken ribs 2 x, collapsed lung and masectomy) in helping me ease back into the training while not running amuck and causing further damage or slowing recovery, which Had I done on my own I probably would have pushed myself too hard.

The current trainer John was especially focused on making sure I got my balance and shoulder flexibilty and strength back after the masectomy.

[linzq]

linzq- good luck with the trainer. My trainers have made all the difference for me even though at times I have to admit it's a struggle to make myself go in and submit to the session. ;)

In additon, they have been especially helpful, whenever I have ended up taking time off for any reason ( broken ribs 2 x, collapsed lung and masectomy) in helping me ease back into the training while not running amuck and causing further damage or slowing recovery, which Had I done on my own I probably would have pushed myself too hard.


Thanks! I'm currently recovering from a back/hip flexor/S-I injury... so the trainer is not only wonderful but necessary as I get into this new-to-me world of road cycling! I'm already feeling like I'm on the right track!