Pamela Hernandez owns Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield, MO where she focuses on weight training for weight loss. She writes a blog for her web site, www.thrivepersonalfitness.com, sharing vegetarian recipes from her kitchen, exercise strategies, lifestyle tips and stories from her own journey. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter @ThriveFit or pick up more tips on Facebook, www.facebook.com/thrivepersonalfitness.

Want to know my favorite piece of exercise equipment? I’ll give you a few hints.

It’s bouncy.
It’s round.
It’s filled with air.

You guessed it-the stability ball!

Sometimes called a fitness ball or a Swiss ball, a stability ball is an extremely versatile and inexpensive piece of exercise equipment. It can allow you to do a variety of exercises by subbing for a weight bench, by keeping you off the ground and your back if that causes you discomfort or by adding a new challenge to an old exercise by engaging more core and stabilizer muscles.

Most people are actually intimidated by the stability ball. That comes from not knowing what to do with it or seeing people doing really dumb things with it on YouTube. But most stability ball exercises are easy to learn. If you workout at home and your budget is limited, the stability ball should be the first piece of equipment you purchase. You will be able to get a great workout with just your own body and the ball. Add a pair of dumbbells and the possibilities are endless.

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The following five minute ab routine was designed to provide you with maximum results with minimum amount of time invested- perfect for the busy holiday season. The following exercise routine can be performed at home or at the gym, so there is no excuse not to fit it in to your day.

5 Minute Ab Routine

(Video examples of each exercise appear below)

• Bicycle crunches (1 minute): Start with your legs straight out in front of you, off the ground, and hands behind your head. Begin by bringing one knee in toward your chest and take the opposite elbow to that knee. Repeat by alternating knees and elbows. Bicycle crunches target the entire core: abdominals, obliques, and lower back.

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Are you thinking about purchasing a new stability ball or having trouble finding the right size?

Stability balls come in all sizes and you need to find one that meets your exercise goals. Most stability balls provide you with a list of height and weight recommendations for each size so make sure to check the box or package for that, but if you can’t find the information laid out for you, here’s how to find the right size on your own.
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The stability or fitness ball is one of my favorite pieces of equipment in the gym. I use it on a normal basis during training sessions as well as in my own personal workouts. The stability ball offers a plethora of modifications and progressions to almost every exercise in the book. A dumbbell bench press can become a dumbbell ball press and a standard crunch can become a muscle burning ball crunch.

The stability ball not only can be used as a chair while you spend countless hours in front of the computer or television, but a great exercise tool during pregnancy. The stability ball helps pregnant women maintain balance and stability as well as a strong core. A strong core is vital during the pushing phase of labor. The shape and give of the ball molds to the shape of your back/body thus relieving any pressure or tension created during other normal movements. Therefore, this allows pregnant women the opportunity to exercise longer throughout the pregnancy (which will help prepare your muscles and body for labor and post-delivery).
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The Stability Ball was originated for rehabilitation purposes (spinal injuries), but now it has crossed over to a wide variety of training types. The Stability Ball is a great tool for incorporating spinal stabilization, core strength and endurance, and balance and coordination to any routine. It is also a good way to had spice to your work-out. I have listed a few ways to incorporate the Stability Ball into your every day exercises. I recommend starting with one or two sets of 15-20 repetitions if you are not familiar with the ball. Good Luck and have fun!!

See Matt’s BOSU Ball workouts.