If you’re looking to get a little more core-focused in your routine, look no further than an exercise ball. The perfect addition to any home workout, they can be used for a variety of different movements and can really fire up your abs! Start your day off right with some stretches with exercise ball to get your muscles warmed up and ready for the day. 

In this article, Clayton Smith explains how to combine six different exercises with an exercise ball. These moves are sure to leave you feeling strong and toned.

1. Pushup and Ab Roll In

Performing ab rollouts is one of the best ways to build core strength and develop a sculpted midsection. They target your rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles), as well as the transverse abdominis and internal and external obliques, says Jennie Jenkins, C.S.C.S.

She recommends starting out with a small range of motion, and limiting the distance you roll out in front and back if you have a history of lower back pain. Working with someone who can monitor your form is a good idea, too, to prevent injuries later on!

Then, add some weight to the classic push-up with barbell plates or resistance bands. This combines the benefits of both push-ups and chin-ups, which challenge your chest, shoulders, back and core simultaneously.

2. Sit-Up and Ab Roll Out

It’s no secret that exercise balls are great for strengthening and toning your core, but they also work to improve balance and center of gravity. This makes them a perfect complement to your workout.

Aside from improving stability and strength, stretches on an exercise ball can help to reduce lower back pain. “We use them to stretch the long paraspinal muscles in the back, which can build up over time,” says physical therapist Joanne Weis.

For this exercise, kneel on a ball and roll it to one side, gently rotating your middle back. Hold the position for a couple of seconds and repeat on the other side.

3. Plank and Ab Roll In

This exercise is one of the most challenging and requires a lot of core strength, control and coordination. It is a great way to improve your abs, but it can be tough to get started with if you aren’t familiar with the movement.

Start by getting into a tabletop plank position with your arms directly under your shoulders and your body straight from head to heels, with no sagging in your lower back. Maintain this position while you roll the ab wheel towards your feet/lower legs, forming a v shape and tucking your knees under you until you reach the peak v, hold for a second and then roll back to the starting position.

4. Side Plank and Ab Roll Out

The Side Plank and Ab Roll Out is a great combination to use with your exercise ball workouts. These exercises can help strengthen your obliques and lower abdominal muscles, which don’t often get worked as much during other ab exercises.

To perform this move, kneel on a stability ball with the wheel in front of you and grip the handles with your arms extended. Push the wheel away from you and hold for a second, before slowly rolling it back in towards you.

5. Side Plank and Ab Roll In

While ab exercises like crunches and regular planks target the six-pack abdominal muscles in the front of your core, side planks work the two layers of muscle along the sides of your core, known as your obliques.

The obliques help you rotate and bend your trunk, protect your spine, and improve your posture. They’re also important to your core’s strength and tone, says Sal Nakhlawi, a functional strength coach in New York City.

Start in a side plank position, with your forearm on the floor and shoulders and feet stacked vertically above one another. Press up into the exercise and lower your hips to the ground, lifting them back up as you repeat for reps.