10 Minute Solution: Fitness Ball Workouts

This workout by Kimberly Spreen is packed with a lot of punch overall. I particularly like the Lower Body, Cardio, and Core sections. The flexibility section is good as well. The upper body section is a little weak because some of the combinations would preclude you from using a proper weight.

For example when you have a row-to triceps kickback combination, you have to use a weight much too light to be meaningful for a row in order to be able to perform the kickback.

That however is a minor complaint for a program that is really well done!

I did a complete and detailed breakdown of it:

10 Minute Solutions Balance Ball Workout w/ Kimberly Spreen

LOWER BODY WORKOUT

1. Rolling ball squats: Feet wider than shoulder width, toes pointing towards 11 and 1 O'clock. Roll ball outward as you squat back and down.

2. Alternating lunge: roll ball side to side as you sink into lunge to the side

3. Alternating lunge /w knee tap: Lunge to side and bring back leg knee to tap towards the ball

4. Squat -pulse: Squat and pulse while holding ball 3 times then straighten up while raising ball overhead

5. Squat-pulse w/ bounce: bouncing ball 3 times

6. Squat-pulse w/ bounce plus heel raise

7. 3 direction pulse w/ bounce: Turn to right w/ 3 pulses bouncing ball then raise ball overhead as you turn forward and do exercise from forward position, then repeat to the left side.

8. 2 Direction pulse w/ bounce: Same as previous exercise but just doing it on the right and left sides (eliminate center position)

9. Rolling ball squats

10. Squat-Pulse w/bounce

11. Squat Pulse w/ bounce plus calve raise : just do a single bounce

12. Alternate Left-Right: pivot side to side and lower and do a single bounce to each side

13. Squat roll

Mat section:

14. Prone hip extension: Prone position on ball w/ torso on ball, hands on floor. Legs together lift up and down. Var. Do same w/ wide legs Var. bring feet together as you lift, wide as you lower down

15. Swimmer kick: from previous position, slowly flutter kick the legs up and down.

16. Supine Hip Extension: Lie supine on mat w/ feet (or calves) on ball. Extend hips upward.

17. Hamstring curls: from previous position w/ hips extended, roll ball in towards glutes and back to start position. (after, bring one leg in then the other to stretch)

18. Hip Lift: from supine position, place heels into ball (knees should be bent) and press into ball and lift hips off the ground. Var. Do hip lift and bring knees to chest between each rep.

Follow w/ hamstring stretch (one leg stays on the ball, bring other leg inward w/ leg straight), then do kneeling lunge.

UPPER BODY WORKOUT

1. Warm-up: Lift ball up and down in front of the torso from a slightly wider than hip width position. Engage core and press hands into the sides of the ball to engage upper body

2. Push-ups (on knees w/ hands on sides of ball) Var. add a push-off (slight upper body plyo)

Then come back to the regular pushups

3. Bent over rows w/ DBs seated on ball w/ torso

4. Bent over rows w/ triceps kickback (row up, then kickback)

5. Seated alternate biceps curls, then bilateral

6. Seated curl to overhead press

7. Seated Lateral Raise then Front Raise then Alternating

8. Seated triceps extension

Repeat 3-8 (on repeat, do triceps extensions alternating arms)

9. Chest Flye supine on the ball (first slower then faster) note: head is off the bal

10. Seated rear Flye (for rear delts) torso is bent forward. First slow then fast.

Repeat 3-8 again

Sweep arms overhead, then down to the front. Then open arms wide to the side, and then clasp hands behind your back.

CORE WORKOUT

1. Spinal Roll: from standing position roll ball forward so that the torso is parallel with the floor, and sink down then roll up through the spine (head up last)

2. Torso Rotations : feet wider than hip width, rotate from side to side from torso only (feet remain stationary)

Then sweep it in an arc from hip to hip, followed by sideways figure 8's, then hip to hip

3. Supine Crunch w/ ball supporting torso from upper glutes to shoulder blades Var. Crossovers (add rotation crossing slightly across the body towards the opposite hip) Var. crunches, only coming half way down Var. Rotation (directly side to side, not moving downward towards hips)

Repeat all of the crunch variations in #3

After the last crunch, reach for the ceiling with both hands (still in raised position), then bring arms out to the sides. Then lie back over the ball and stretch.

4. Oblique crunch: Lie sideways over the ball w/ bottom leg bent, top leg straight. Torso is supported from hips to chest. Crunch side to side w/ arms bent and hands behind head. Var: L-series w/ arms: as you flex upward, reach one arm out towards top support leg, other arm comes up and alongside the ear, HOLD this for a moment, then lower down to the ball, bringing bottom arm down alongside the ball, opposite arm comes straight up and alongside the ear.

5. Reverse Crunches w/ ball between feet: Raise ball up w/ legs and reach hands towards ball. Var: Ball passes: from feet to hands then back to the feet.

6. Hyperextensions: Come to knees w/ front of torso and pelvis against the ball. Place hands behind head and extend backwards slightly. Var. Add a reach back w/ rotation: Extend back, then reach one hand back towards hip (slight rotation), alternate sides. Var. Extend back w/ hands behind ears, then as you are in extended position lower hands down behind, by the back of the thigh.

7. Rolling Planks to Forearm Plank: Start on knees w/ hands on the ball, roll forward until your forearms are on the ball and roll back to start position. Phase 2 (forearm plank). roll until the forearms are on the ball, then rise up onto the toes to a forearm plank.

CARDIO WORKOUT

1. Warm-up: Sweep arms over head and lower (ball just sitting in front of you)

2. Step Touch-Squat-Shuffle series: Hold ball by waist and "step-touch" / "step Touch" while bringing ball hip to hip/wide toe taps while swinging the ball in an arc (bend knees to get lower), then do same while press the ball away from side to side / Squats from wide stance while holding ball by chest, then squat while bouncing ball at the bottom and tossing ball slightly upwards overhead / Shuffle side to side (3 lateral steps in each direction) / do same shuffle but at a squat w/ a bounce and toss after each end of the shuffle /

3. Squat-Bounce-Toss to Jumping Jacks: with feet together while bouncing and toss ball/ Squat-bounce-toss and do jumping jack feet 2 times while holding the ball over head / then jumping jacks only (4 times)

4. Pendulum: Wide toe taps while swinging the ball / Alley oop (Double lateral "skip-touch": while swinging the ball in a circle / Pendulum-alley oop combination

5. Step touch w/ ball on floor: Tap each foot behind the other, / Speed Skate: add a little hop

6. Box around the ball: turn the body continuously as you move in a box around the ball, then step touch and repeat.

7. 7a. Squat pulse w/ jump: Hands on top of ball, pulse 3 xs then on the 4th time jump upward w/ hands pushing against the ball

7b. Squat jump: Pulse two times then jump straight up (hands off the ball for this one)

8. Step touch seated on ball (w/ runner arms)/Wide Toe taps/ Then overhead reach with toe taps/ Then reach downward w/ toe taps end with step touch. Then jump back behind the ball.

9. 9a. Squat pulse w/ jump: Hands on top of ball, pulse 3 xs then jump upward on 4th one w/ hands pushing against the ball

9b. Squat jump: Pulse down two times then jump straight up (hands off the ball for this one)/ then do singles (squat-jump as one continuous flow)

10. Squat Thrust w/ overhead lift: Jump to plank w/ hands on ball, hop forward, then lift ball overhead, lower ball and repeat

11. Plank-Jacks: Start in plank w/ hands on the ball, then add jumping jack legs.

12. Frog-leaps (which is basically a Pushover and catch): Start kneeling behind the ball, then roll over the ball pushing explosively from the legs, then push back explosively with the hands.

Cooldown/Stretch: From a squat position w/ hands on ball stretch shoulders (w/ hands on ball), then straighten legs to get a supported forward bend. Then standing w/ one hand on ball do quad stretch (bringing one leg up behind and holding the instep).

FLEXIBILITY

1. Spinal Roll: : from standing position roll ball forward so that the torso is parallel with the floor, and sink down then roll up through the spine (head up last)

2. Rolling Side to side lunges: Roll the ball from side to side. Roll the ball to the left w/ the right arm while bending the left leg then repeat to the opposite side w/ opposite hand.

3. Runner's Stretch: Roll the ball to the left and hold, then rotate the body complete to the left into a crescent lunge and roll the ball forward and back keeping the knee bent (the torso will bend from the hips as you roll the ball forward and straighten as you roll it back). Then straighten the forward leg as you roll the ball forward and back. Then keep the forward leg straight and only bend from the hips as you roll the ball forwards and back.

Then do alternate side to side lunges and repeat #3 to the opposite side.

4. Spinal Roll: (same as #1)

5. Seated Forward bend: Sit on the ball w/ the knees bent at 90 degrees. Then lower torso and hold the toes. Then from that position straighten the legs as the ball rolls back, and then bend the knees as the ball rolls forward.

6. Seated side stretch: First sweep arms over head. Then bring right arm overhead and so a side stretch. Then repeat on the opposite side.

7. Supported Runner's Stretch: Straddle the ball with one Glute supported by it. Then sweep arm furthest from the ball up overhead. Then hinge forward and sweep the arm to the outside of the back hip with torso bent forward. Repeat on the opposite side.

8. Triceps stretch: Sit normally on the ball and bring one arm overhead and bend the elbow behind. Place the opposite hand on top of the elbow.

9. Back Stretch: Bring both arms in front, and roll ball into rear pelvic tilt.

10. Shoulder-Chest stretch: Then bring arms behind with hands facing forward on the ball.

11. Supine back stretch: lie supine over ball with arms extended overhead. Bend knees and lower butt towards the ground, then straighten the legs and move into a back bend.

12. Seated Rotation: Sit on ball and turn torso to the right, bringing the right hand behind and on the ball, the left hand place on the inside of the left thigh. Repeat on the opposite side.

13. Shoulder Rolls Seated on The ball

Fitness Ball Workouts is a sequence of five short fitness routines, each of which use a stability ball. Because this DVD is part of the 10 Minute Solution series, each workout is only 10 minutes long, and the fully programmable feature allows you to mix and match up to six segments to create your own, completely customized routine--very nice! None of the segments have formal warm-ups or cool-downs, but most do prepare you with a few moves in the beginning and then add some quick stretches at the end. I've provided a brief overview for each of the five routines below:

1. Lower Body. Although this segment uses no weights, it was probably the most challenging of the five. Kimberly begins with simple squats and side-to-side lunges, but she eventually adds in bouncing the ball and raising it overhead; combined with the high number of repetitions, you'll be really working here. Next comes some glute work while lying face down on the ball, and finally, there is a tough hamstring portion performed lying with your feet on the ball.

2. Upper Body. This segment was probably the most disappointing, especially given that Kimberly uses such light weights (I believe she is using 3#). She begins by warming up the upper body with push-ups (an easier version with hands on the ball) and then moves into an upper body circuit. The circuit includes rows, tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, shoulder presses, side raises, and front raises; it is repeated three times, each time adding a few new moves such as flyes/rear flyes. Kimberly moves quickly, which makes it difficult to vary your weights as needed (I tried to switch between 5# and 8#).

3. Core. Kimberly does warm you up here with some spinal rolls and core twists holding the ball. She performs several sets of crunches while seated on the ball, adding a twisting move to target the obliques. More oblique work follows while lying sideways over the ball, and then Kimberly moves to the floor for additional crunches, this time passing the ball from feet to hands. Some brief back work follows (kneeling while leaning forward on the ball), and then Kimberly finishes with plank work (arms/hands on ball).

4. Cardio. This segment begins with squats and lunges, rolling the ball in front of you for balance. Kimberly adds in bouncing the ball and tossing it overhead, which was kind of fun. She then ups the intensity with some impact moves such as jacks (holding the ball overhead) and plyo squat jumps (hands on the ball). There is a brief interval where you continue to work while seated on the ball, but then it's back on your feet for more jumps, hopping out to plank with your hands on the ball. This segment ends with a squat and roll over the ball plus a few quick stretches. Although this routine was fairly intense, my HR was only in my target zone for about half the workout (5 minutes). Also, it took up quite a bit of room in my small space.

5. Flexibility. In this final segment, Kimberly leads you through a series of stretches using the ball. There is more of a lower body emphasis, beginning with lunges/hip flexor stretches as well as some standing hamstring stretches. There are a few upper body stretches performed seated on the ball, but for some reason, Kimberly moves very quickly through these and does not hold them for as long as the lower body stretches.

Overall, although these were generally solid, well-designed routines, I didn't really enjoy this workout. I'm not sure that the 10-minute format works well for mixing strength and cardio; an all-strength program might have been better. However, I would recommend this video to those who like Kimberly, enjoy using the ball, and prefer to break their workouts into shorter segments; the fact that the routines are programmable is definitely a huge plus as well.