Effective abdominal training: The Spirit Ball makes us sway so much during these Turbo Pilates exercises that the deep abdominal and back muscles have to work properly.
Actually quite simple ... The abdominal training in the gym should be more intensive? Then let's put more weight on it. But what do you do when you do abdominal training in your own four walls? A "spirit ball" can provide the right spin - the "belly, legs, butt" exercises become an intensive balancing act even without additional weight.
... such a taut belly The pink, half-inflated ball makes the exercises wobblier and more strenuous. This benefits especially the deep-lying support muscles of the abdomen, back, and pelvic floor. Also, the ball gives direct feedback on whether the exercise is being performed correctly: If not, you cannot keep your balance.
Train properly: The deep muscles keep the body stable with low tension. During abdominal training with the Spirit Ball, these muscles must work very intensively. So even a few controlled repetitions are effective. As soon as you can no longer hold the position, wobble too much or avoid it, it is enough. Beginners may only be able to do two correct repetitions, advanced users perhaps ten. Before each exercise, activate the pelvic floor when breathing out, pull the navel inwards, and hold it during the repetitions.
knee bend
Start position: In the supine position, position the ball under the sacrum - the more air in the ball, the more intensive this exercise becomes. Place your arms next to your body with the palms of your hands facing down, lift your legs at right angles in hip and knee joints. Make the neck long, pull shoulders away from ears and fingertips towards feet.
That's the way to do it: With the exhalation the left tip of the foot touches the floor, inhaling back to the starting position. Then, while exhaling, tap the right tip of your foot on the floor.
Important: Only the angle in the hip changes - keep the right angle in the knee joint!
Extra kick: It gets more intense if you tap the ground with your heel instead of the tip of your foot.
Leg twist
Start position: Bend legs as in exercise 1 and clamp the ball between your knees. Stretch arms right and left of the body to a T-position, palms pointing upwards. Relax shoulders, feel the natural curvature of the neck and lumbar spine.
That's the way to do it: Exhaling, squeeze the ball together, lower the knees to the left side, turn the head to the right. Inhaling back to the middle, exhaling lower knees to the right side, turn your head to the left. Important: Lower knees only so far that both shoulders remain on the floor.
Extra kick: Advanced students complete the exercise with stretched legs.
Single-Leg Stretch
Start position: In a supine position, position the ball between the shoulder blades. Hold the head without overloading the neck. Position legs hip-wide.
That's the way to do it: Pull the right knee towards the upper body, stretch the left leg, but do not lay it down on the floor. Place left hand on knee, right hand on the outer side of the lower leg. Hold inhaling, then exhaling, stretch right leg and bend left. Important: Do not bounce on the ball with your upper body - imagine the ball as a raw egg.
Extra kick: The exercise becomes more intensive if you stretch your tucked leg vertically upwards - then place both hands on the lower leg.
Shoulder Bridge
Start position: In the supine position, place your feet hip-wide and press the ball together with your knees. Anchor the back of the head and the sacrum to the ground, let the sternum sink down. Feel the natural curvature of the neck and lumbar spine.
That's the way to do it: Starting from the lumbar spine, roll up vertebra by vertebra, lifting the pelvis until the body forms a line from the knees to the shoulders. Hold inhaling and lift one foot just above the floor. Then slowly unroll again. Lift the other foot during the repetition.
Extra kick In the holding position, release one foot from the floor and stretch the leg - do not let the pelvis sink to the side. Change legs during the repetition. Important: Stabilize the rib cage - the lower rib arches pull towards the iliac crest.
Arrow and bow
Start position: Sit on the floor with the ischial tuberosities, lean your sacrum against the ball, place your feet hip-wide. Both shoulders are above the pelvis, arms extended forward parallel to the floor. Palms point towards each other, thumbs up.
This is how to do it Then, exhaling, roll up the pelvis and lean the upper body backward. Press the ball into the floor and, inhaling, straighten up again.
Extra kick: Turn your torso to the right while leaning backward, bend your right elbow and pull it back while your left-hand pull forward - as if you were tensing a bow and arrow. Change sides. Important: Stretch the spine while doing this - do not sag forward with your chest.
Page tilt
Start position: Tilt the pelvis forward in a comfortable cross-legged position, straighten the spine, and slightly retract the chin. The right hand is next to the body on the ball.
That's the way to do it: Breathing in, make the spine long, and roll the ball away from the body a little bit with your right hand, the left arm stays down. Pull your shoulders backward and down. When breathing out straighten up again. Repeat the movement. Then briefly feel and change sides.
Extra kick: Advanced players take the second arm up and lead it to the sidelong over the head. Important: Be sure to tense your trunk muscles and only tilt them to the side to keep them stable.
Twist while seated
Start position: Sit comfortably cross-legged on the front edge of a cushion, tilt the pelvis forward, and straighten the spine. The ischial tuberosities are anchored on the floor, the shoulders are relaxed. Hold the ball in front of the chest, spread the elbows so that the forearms form a line.
That's the way to do it: Exhaling press the ball together, turn to the right side, inhaling back to the center