How to do a Stability Ball Plank
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Stability Ball Plank
Instructions for Proper Form
The Stability Ball Plank is an advanced core exercise that improves balance, posture, and core strength. Performing a plank with the arms or feet on a Stability Ball adds an extra level of difficulty, engaging more stabilizer muscles.
- Carefully place your forearms on the ground and your shins or feet on the stability ball. Keep your shoulders over your forearms.
- Brace your core and create a rigid straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
- Maintain this straight posture for the allotted time.
Alternatives & Variations to Stability Ball Plank
1. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 115 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 45 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
3. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 41 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
4. Exercise Ball Crunch
79.2 mSCORESWAPPED 40 TIMESExercise Ball Crunch is a weighted variation of the standard Crunch. By holding a medicine ball, you can add more weight to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their crunches more challenging.
5. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
6. Ab Rollout
70.3 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESAb Rollout is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core. Using an ab roller, this movement challenges your ability to maintain stability as you extend your body parallel to the ground. This exercise is great for developing core strength and stability, which can translate to better performance in other strength-training movements. The instability and range of motion make this a more challenging core exercise.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Wheel
7. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 27 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
8. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.
9. Alternating Heel Touch
78.2 mSCORESWAPPED 22 TIMESAlternating Heel Touch is a bodyweight, core exercise that involves laying on the ground and reaching towards your heel on either side. By raising your shoulder blades off the ground, you’re already engaging your core, while reaching towards either side helps to engage your obliques.
10. Cocoon Crunch
67.8 mSCORESWAPPED 21 TIMESCocoon Crunch is a combination of a Crunch and a Leg Pull-In. Like both other exercises, this is a bodyweight core exercise that offers the benefits of both. It’s very similar to a Jackknife Sit-Up, however, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground instead of your entire torso. This is a great exercise for adding a bit more challenge to your core workout.