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Core workouts are essential to building strength and flexibility.  One of the best ways to maintain your health and increase muscle toning is therefore to work with stabilization balls.  These large balls can be used to help you perform a variety of exercises.  Most of these fitness workouts focus on building muscles, increasing toning, and improving your core strength.

Buying an exercise ball is a great investment.  These can be used not only for performing exercise routines, but also as a chair for when you are at your desk.  As sitting for long periods of time can be extremely hurtful to your back, using a ball can help.  Sitting on an exercise ball is unlike sitting on a chair.  On the ball you will be forced to utilize your abdominal muscles for balance.  Using these along with smaller stabilizing muscles helps to keep your stomach engaged thereby decreasing the strain on your lower back.  Most importantly, the ball keeps you moving slightly from side to side or up and down.  Doing this prevents you from getting all cramped up and stiff.

When it comes to exercise though, the ball is also terrific.  A great one to try is balancing on the ball with your hands while doing the plank.  The plank is a great core exercise.  By way of engaging your abs you will be working your whole body from head to toe.  Using the ball adds a challenge to this well known Pilates and Yoga move. 

You can also try using the ball while doing traditional sit-ups.  Gently lower yourself onto the ball with your back resting against it.  Position your legs as you normally would in the sit-up position, bent at the knee although at this point your body will be more horizontal.  Your chest should be almost parallel to the knees.  Begin your regular sit-up routine or switch it up with side sit-ups.  You can use the ball to target your obliques by doing these sit-ups with the aid of the ball. This is great for burning fat  around the stomach area.

Finally, you may also want to use the ball to increase the intensity of push-ups.  Rest your lower legs and shins on the ball with your head facing down in the push up position.  Arms should be vertical and perpendicular to the floor.  Begin your regular push-up routine.  Trying to balance yourself on the ball while pushing up and down will certainly help you to engage your core while you work those triceps and biceps.

If you don’t have a ball of your own most gyms now have them available for use.  When in doubt as one of the trainers at the gym to show you a few moves or inspect what those around you are up to.  The ball can be used in so many ways and there are very few exercises that can’t be made to be more intense through the use of the ball.  Just remember that if you are a novice, you’ll want to get the hang of it first before you start trying to balance your whole weight standing straight up on it.  Get comfortable first before you try any real acrobatics.