Abs, Hips, and Thighs With the Exercise Ball and Medicine Ball

Challenging Workout for the Core and Glutes

Combining a medicine ball with an exercise ball is a great way to strengthen your abs and work on endurance and stability. This workout uses unique and advanced exercises that focus on the core, glutes, hips, and thighs.

Some moves require a lot of balance and stability, so try these exercise near a wall or something you can hold onto as you practice these moves.


See your doctor if you have any medical conditions or illnesses. Make sure you're very comfortable using an exercise ball before trying these exercises.

How to Do the Workout

Use these guidelines and tips:

  • Warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio such as brisk walking.
  • Perform each exercise as directed.
  • Beginners: Do 1 set of 10 to 16 reps.
  • Intermediate/Advanced: Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 16 reps.
  • Steady the ball against a wall or chair for extra stability in some exercises.

Advanced Ball Leg Extensions With a Medicine Ball

  1. Position the exercise ball under your upper back to engage your abs and to stabilize the hips.
  2. Hold a medicine ball straight up over your chest and make sure your knees are at 90 degrees.
  3. Lower your arms behind you while simultaneously extending the right leg straight.
  4. Return to start and repeat, alternating legs for 10 to 16 reps.

For less challenge to balance, do the leg extension without the medicine ball.

Medicine Ball Squat and Squeeze

  1. For this squat, place your back against a wall with hips and shoulders squared.
  2. Slide down until your knees are at 90 degrees, with your knees over your ankles and your weight in your heels.
  3. Squeeze a medicine ball or towel just above your knees and hold for 15 or more seconds.
  4. Repeat 2 to 3 times.

Medicine Ball Figure 8 Lunges

  1. For this lunge, begin in a lunge position with your right leg forward and your knee over your ankle.
  2. Lower into a lunge bringing the ball down towards your right hip.
  3. Straighten your knees, bringing the ball straight up overhead.
  4. Then lower back into a lunge, sweeping the ball towards the opposite hip.
  5. The movement of medicine ball will be like a figure 8.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

Medicine Ball Knee Rolls

  1. Lie on the floor with your legs resting on an exercise ball, knees bent, and a medicine ball between the knees.
  2. Take your arms out to the sides for more stability.
  3. Slowly roll the ball to the right as far as you comfortably can, feeling the core engage.
  4. Roll back to the center and roll to the left.
  5. Repeat for 15 reps (1 rep is to the right and left). 

Ball Walks

  1. Sit on the ball with the hands behind the head (harder) or resting on the ball, with your abs engaged.
  3. Walk to tabletop position, with your head and neck supported and your hips lifted.
  5. Repeat for 15 reps.

Static Lunges With Medicine Ball Rotations

  1. Begin in a lunge position, with your right leg forward, left leg back.
  2. Hold a medicine ball with your arms straight out.
  3. Keeping your lower body stable, rotate from your torso to bring your arms across the body to the right.
  4. Come back to center and now to the left, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
  5. Repeat for 8 reps, then switch legs and complete another set of 8 reps

Med Ball Crunches on the Ball

  1. Lie face up on the exercise ball and hold a medicine ball in both hands.
  2. As you contract your abs, lift your upper back off the ball and reach the medicine ball up towards the ceiling.
  3. Lower the medicine ball down, taking your arms straight behind you.
  4. Repeat for 15 reps.

Ball Squeeze and Lift

  1. Lie on your right side with the exercise ball between your shins, squeezing it to hold it in place.
  2. Keep your hips stacked and abs tight to stabilize your body.
  3. Squeeze your inner thighs and contract your waist and hip muscles to lift the ball in the air.
  4. Lower the ball and repeat before switching sides.
  5. Repeat for 15 reps.
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