Swiss Ball Glute Exercises

A Swiss Ball (also known as Exercise Balls or Stability Balls) is a great piece of exercise equipment to have around the house, and are very versatile when it comes to training.

These Swiss Ball glute exercises will target the butt and hamstrings while also working the core due to the stabilization required to perform the exercises using the Swiss ball.

Swiss Ball Exercises to Target the Glutes

Wall Sit

• Perform a regular wall sit by assuming a squat position with knees over ankles and 90 degree angles at your knees and hips.
• Squeeze the glute muscles tightly while holding the position for 1 minute or more. Imagine trying to hold a penny between your butt cheeks and you’ll be targeting the right muscles.

Glute Bridges on Swiss Ball

• Start with both heels on the swiss ball, feet about shoulder width apart and knees bent to about 90 degrees.
• Rest your arms and shoulders flat on the floor.
• Push your hips and pelvis up by pushing through the heels and engaging the glutes.
• Hold for 1 second at the top, focusing on really contracting the glute muscles as hard as possible before lowering down to the starting position.
• These can be made more difficult by performing a 1-legged variation.

Back Extensions with Swiss Ball  (“Supermans”)

• Lying face down on the floor with arms and legs extended out straight, grasp the swiss ball with both feet by squeezing it in between your heels.
• While still holding the swiss ball, lift your thighs and arms/upper chest off the floor to perform a back extension or ‘superman’.
• Hold for 2 seconds at the top before lowering back down to the starting position, focusing on squeezing the ball with your feet the entire time.
• Focus on controlling the movement and lifting the ball as high as possible with a smooth motion rather than ‘jerking’ to get your arms and legs up higher.
• A further variation to the video demonstration is extending the arms out straight in front of you so that you are looking at your hands throughout the exercise.

1 Legged Lunge on Swiss Ball

• Initially, you may need to hold on to a chair or wall for balance until you get the hang of this exercise.
• With one foot on the stability ball, perform a lunge by squatting down on your forward foot.
• Lean forward with the torso and sink your butt low to target the glutes.
• Lower and rise with control and repeat the exercise on the other side.

Hip Thrust with Swiss Ball

• Start with feet on the floor about shoulder-width apart and your shoulders resting on the swiss ball.
• Push up with your pelvis, driving from the glutes.
• Contract and hold the glute muscles at the top of the motion for 2 seconds before lowering back down to the starting position.
• This exercise can be performed with 1 leg outstretched to make it more difficult.

Donkey Kick on Swiss Ball

• Position yourself facedown with your stomach resting on the swiss ball, hands on the ground in front of you for support and feet touching the ground behind.
• Raise one of your legs up vertically behind you, bending at the knee to about 90 degrees at the top of the motion.
• Use the glutes to lift the thigh as high as possible, pausing briefly at the top of the motion to really work the glutes.
• You’ll want to use the swiss ball to help you to resist any arching of your lower back, as the leg raise movement should come from the glutes and not the lower back. (Compared to the video shown I would place the swiss ball a bit further forward so that it is underneath the stomach, to try and prevent the back hyperextension that is seen.)

 

Keen to try out some of the exercises yourself? If you don’t already have one, you can grab an exercise ball from Amazon fairly cheap, and they also double as a spare seat!

We like Black Mountain Products because they come with a great warranty and are really high quality products

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