Time | Image | Pose | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Child Mini Ball | Kneel on the floor, toes together, knees hip distance apart. Lean forward, drape body over thighs. Place hands on the mini ball. Extend arms. Benefits: Normalizes blood circulation. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 Modifications: Push the Mini Ball away for a deeper stretch. | ||
Coordination Mini Ball | Lie on back, legs in table top. Extend arms to ceiling, hold ball between hands. Inhale, bring arms overhead. Exhale, lift torso, bring ball over shins. Lift legs at 45 degree angle. Inhale, bring legs back to table top position. Return to start. Benefits: Strengthens abs, legs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Coordination Twist Mini Ball | Lie with legs in table top. Hold ball between hands. Extend arms to ceiling. Inhale, bring arms overhead. Exhale, lift torso up, twist and reach ball to right side. Straightening legs out at 45 degree angle. Inhale, return legs to table top. Lower torso. Extend arms behind head. Repeat on opposite side. Benefits: Strengthens abs, obliques, legs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Half Rollbacks Mini Ball | Sit with knees bent. Place mini ball between knees. Straighten back, extend arms parallel to floor. Inhale, roll back to make C-shape. Exhale, roll forward, hands beyond feet, maintaining C-shape. Benefits: Strengthens abs, inner thighs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Rollbacks Mini Ball | Sit with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Mini ball between knees. Straighten back, extend arms parallel to floor. Inhale, squeeze ball. Roll onto floor extending arms behind head. Exhale, roll up bringing hands beyond feet. Repeat. Benefits: Strengthens abs, inner thighs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Hip Lifts Mini Ball | Lie on back, knees bent. Place mini ball between knees, hands beside body, grazing heels. Squeeze buttock. Lift hips while maintaining a neutral pelvis. Squeeze ball while lifting hips. Lower down. Repeat. Benefits: Strengthens obliques, abs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Adductor Squeeze I Mini Ball | Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Place a mini ball (or football) between knees. Squeeze hard. Hold. Relax. Return to start. Repeat. Benefits: Strengthen adductor muscles (reduce back pain). Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/piD-0AtDMJs | ||
Adductor Squeeze II Mini Ball | Place a mini ball (or football) between ankles. Lie on back with legs extended. Squeeze hard. Hold. Relax. Return to start. Repeat. Benefits: Strengthen adductor muscles (reduce back pain). Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/piD-0AtDMJs | ||
Side Leg Circles Mini Ball | Lie on side. Place ball under shin of bottom leg. Lift top leg. Inhale, make small circles with top leg. Repeat in opposite direction. Benefits: Strengthens core. Improves balance. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Side Leg Lift Mini Ball | Lie on side. Place ball behind knee of top leg. Bend knee, squeeze ball between shin and thigh. Bend bottom knee. Exhale, squeeze ball while lifting top leg. Lower top leg to start. Benefits: Strengthens obliques, inner thighs, hip abductors. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Knee Stretch Mini Ball | Lie with legs in table top position. Extend arms up, hold ball between hands. Lift torso, bring ball over shins. Hold ball in right hand, extend arms to make a T-shape. Pass ball under legs to left hand. Straighten arms by side. Inhale, straighten legs out. Exhale, bend legs bringing knees to chest. Pass ball to right hand. Repeat while simultaneously passing ball between hands. Benefits: Stretches knees. Strengthens abs, legs, arms. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Single Arm Cross Mini Ball | Lie on back. Knees bent. Place mini ball between knees. Extend right arm behind head, left arm by side. Inhale, lift right arm up. Exhale, lift shoulders off mat. Bring right hand to left knee. Squeeze ball. Lower down. Switch to other side. Benefits: Strengthens obliques, inner thighs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Single Knee Stretch Mini Ball | Lie on back, legs in table top. Hold ball between hands. Extend arms to ceiling. Lift torso up bringing ball over shins. Hold ball in left hand. Extend arms on side in a T-shape. Extend right leg. Bringing left knee to chest. Pass ball between legs to right hand. Return arms to T-shape. Repeat by simultaneously alternating between hands and legs. Benefits: Stretches knees. Strengthens abs, legs, arms. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Teaser Prep Mini Ball | Sit on floor, knees bent. Place mini ball between knees. Straighten back, arms parallel to floor. Inhale, squeeze ball. Exhale, slowly roll back. Inhale, lift arms. Exhale, lift shoulder blades off mat, squeeze ball. Extends arms parallel to floor. Lower down, bring arms behind head. Repeat. Benefits: Strengthens abs & inner thighs. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 | ||
Teaser I Mini Ball | Lie on back. Legs in Table Top. Place mini ball between ankles. Squeeze ball. Extend arms overhead. Inhale, bring arms towards ceiling, lift shoulders above mat. Exhale, hollow abs, bring arms parallel to floor. Extend legs towards ceiling. Squeeze ball. Roll back to start. Benefits: Strengthens abs, back, hips Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4-Lq3Graj0 |
There are 15 Mini Ball exercises in this workout. You have 3 options.
Option 1: Spend one minute per exercise to make up a 15-minute routine.
Option 2: Go as quick or slow as you like through the exercises for 15 minutes.
Option 3: Repeat the routine if you want a 30, 45 or 60-minute workout.
Pilates equipment is not always convenient or affordable. Pilates Matwork can produce core stability and flexibility benefits. The only negative is that it lacks the challenge of resistance and positioning produced by Pilates equipment.
Even though the Mini Ball is not traditional Pilates equipment, it’s a convenient and economical way to mimic the resistance and positioning created by the equipment. A simple Pilates mat routine using a Mini Ball can have a greater effect on the core.
The following Mini Ball exercises Specifically target core musculature and encourage both stability and flexibility—all while using a portable and inexpensive piece of equipment. The ball should be less than fully inflated so that it compresses during the exercises. For some of these exercises, a Foam Roller may be used in place of the ball.