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Good Exercises With a Big Ball for a Flat Stomach on a Female

Flattening your stomach requires more than just a few sets of crunches. According to television's fitness and wellness expert Jillian Michaels, achieving a flat stomach requires working multiple muscle groups at the same time to burn more calories while you strengthen your entire body. Using an exercise ball gives you the opportunity to work your arms, shoulders and legs while simultaneously flattening your stomach.

  1. Side Reach

    • The muscles on the sides of your torso are called obliques. There are two layers of oblique muscles, internal and external, running from your ribs to your hips and wrapping around your body to your lower back. Hold a large exercise ball above your head to perform a side reach. Check for proper alignment by ensuring your feet are hip-width apart, your neck is neutral and your spine is as tall and straight as possible. Lean and stretch your torso to one side, reaching with the ball as far as possible to engage the oblique muscles. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides for several repetitions, increasing the stretch each time.

    Plank

    • The plank exercise engages all of your core muscles, including the transversus and rectus abdominis, running down the center of your abdomen, and the obliques on the sides. An exercise ball allows you to perform several variations of the plank. Use the ball to support your legs as you walk out with your arms to hold in a push-up position. Alternatively, place your knees on the ground in front of the ball and rest your elbows on the ball. Keeping your spine straight, roll the ball forward slightly to engage your abdominal muscles. Hold for three or more deep breaths, return to starting position and repeat five to 10 times.

    Knee Tucks

    • Knee tucks are similar to the plank position, but they require more core stability and control. Once you have mastered the plank, challenge yourself to a set of knee tucks. Begin by lying across the ball with your abdomen resting firmly on the ball, your feet on the floor and your hands planted in front of you. Engage your ab muscles by pulling your belly button toward your spine as you get into a plank position. From there, slowly pull your knees toward your chest, allowing the ball to roll forward. Hold for one breath, then return to plank position and repeat five to 10 times.

    The Bridge

    • The bridge exercise engages your abdominal muscles, your hamstrings and your glutes. Perform the bridge with an exercise ball by lying on your back on a mat while resting your legs on the ball. Engage your abdomen by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. Exhale as you slowly lift your hips off the mat to create a diagonal line from your head to your toes. Hold the bridge for several deep breaths, then slowly lower back to the mat while exhaling. Increase the intensity of the bridge by adding a heal dig. Perform a heal dig while in the raised bridge position by pulling the ball toward your buttocks with your heels.

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