Stability Ball Exercises for Runners

With your feet flat on the floor and the ball under your lower back, put your hands on your shoulders or behind your head. Use your abdominal muscles to curl your upper body up and forward. You can also alternate sides, curling up and bringing your elbow toward the opposite knee. Move your feet closer together to make the curls more challenging.

Place your feet flat on the floor in a squatting position leaning back against the ball. Straighten your legs slowly and reach your arms overhead. Stretch backward toward the ground as the ball rolls along your spine and your body forms an arch. Hold for one second and return to starting position. Increase repetitions only up to 15 at a time.

Face down and place the ball under your hips with your toes on the ground and your arms relaxed and touching the floor. Extend your arms and raise your chest, shoulders and head, flexing the buttocks as you lift. Return to starting position.

With the ball under your thighs, lay face down with your arms straight, hands flat on the floor and your legs extended. Bend your legs and bring your knees to your chest so that the ball is now under your shins. Return to starting position.

With the ball between your feet and arms above your head, lie on your back and bend your knees to a 90-degree angle. Using your abdominal muscles, lift the ball with your feet, raise your arms, and pass the ball from your feet to your hands. Extend your legs and arms with ball above your head. Repeat, this time passing the ball from your hands to your feet.

Lean back against the ball with your feet flat on the ground and your shoulders on the ball. Be sure to keep your hips elevated. Roll your shoulders to the left and then to the right with your arms extended. Repeat. Hold a medicine ball with both hands while your arms are extended for added challenge.

Lie on your stomach on the ball and roll yourself forward until your hands are flat on the ground and your toes are balanced on the ball. Bring your knees to your chest while rolling the ball forward with your toes. Straighten your body again until you are in your starting position. Repeat.

With feet shoulder-width apart, place the ball between a wall and your lower back. Lean back against the ball and bend your legs until your thighs are parallel to the ground, allowing the ball to roll up your back. Be careful that the angle of your knees is not more than 90 degrees.