How to Do Stability Ball Pike Ups

Ultimate Belly-Flattening Workout

Hi! I'm Martica Heaner, Exercise Physiologist and Certified Personal Trainer. Prevention's ultimate abs workout includes lab tested moves that are twice as powerful as crunches. All you need is a stability ball to get your firmness to mid-section ever.

To get the most out of your workout, add two minutes of cardio intervals like marching or jogging in place in between each move. Let's get ready to roll.

The Pike is one of the most challenging moves in this workout. It works all of your core muscles and the way to do it is start by getting on top of the ball. Walk your hands forward until where you've reached the point where your thighs are right on top.

Make sure your elbows are not locked out and your hands are directly beneath your shoulders. From here, tighten your abs and push your hips up to form a Pike position and then lower down. Keep the abs tight and go slow to control in both directions as you lift and lower the rapid moves.

To make this easier, all you need to do is on top of the ball again with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, pike up but with a smaller range in motion. To tighten your abs raise your hips and then lower.

So reach the point where you feel in control and stable as you move along the ball. For an added challenge, you're going to need to position yourself in a slightly different place. Walk your hands farther forward until your shins are on top of the ball.

From here make sure your elbows are not locked, your hands are directly beneath your shoulders. Tighten your abs and pike up so that you're sliding your leg all along the ball until the top of your feet rest on the ball at the highest point in position.

If this is uncomfortable for your shoulders or your back, make the range of motion smaller.

Do about 12 to 15 reps of each move and for added benefit follow each exercise with a cardio burst.


Transcription by: Scribe4you Transcription Services