Welcome to part two of the Northern Bootcamp guide to using Swiss Balls. You can find part one here. These are all simple, entry-level exercises that are low in complexity, but high in rewards.
Most of the Swiss ball exercises we perform on weight loss boot camp are designed to achieve ‘Core Strength +’ – that is, they will all deliver core strength, but some have additional strength gains in other areas of the body, too.
The Swiss ball works by destabilising you, so you need to work your core stability muscles in addition to whatever other muscles
This is why you’ll sometimes see people sitting at the desk on a Swiss ball – even sitting still on one takes a bit of effort and helps improve your posture!
So, in part one, we looked at Swiss ball press ups, which work your chest, arms and shoulders as a normal push up would, with additional core stability benefits.
In part two, below, we look at leg raises and body twists. Both simple to perform, but great for your core strength.
Swiss ball body twists
Lie on your back with your legs raised, resting on the ball. If you need to, you can keep your feet slightly apart so that you can ‘grip’ the ball with your heels. Keep your pelvis lifted and your back as straight as possible.
Slowly, and with controlled movements, rotate the ball under your feet, first to the left, then the right. Do this as many times as you can while retaining the correct posture.
Start:
Twist left:
Twist right:
Swiss ball leg raises:
Start with a similar position as the twists. Lift each leg in turn, keeping slow, controlled movements. Aim for a steady count of five with the leg in the air before lowering it. Repeat ten times, or more if you can manage.
Start:
Left leg:
Right leg:
