“It’s definitely an underutilized piece of equipment,” says Jennifer Romanelli, NASM-CPT, RN, a personal trainer and co-owner of Trooper Fitness in New York City. “There’s a stigma around it being a tool for physical therapy, rehab, or low impact ‘easy’ workouts, but there is so much more to it.”
She notes that the Swiss ball are great for hammering stabilizer muscles like the adductors, as well as larger muscles like the hamstrings, quads, and glutes—all things required for lifting heavy weights.
“I love combining strength and stability work,” says Romanelli. Working with a spherical object creates imbalances, and when you can recreate those moments where injuries tend to occur, you can strengthen your weak points. “Ask any lifter—if you don’t train your stabilizers, injuries will come knocking. Period.”
She notes that specific pains felt in the knees or hips are often due to what directly surrounds the joint. By targeting your stabilizer muscles, you can help your larger muscle groups stay strong and healthy, which allows for bigger lifts.
Set a bar high enough in a power rack so that you can hang from it a few inches off the floor with arms fully extended.
Placing your feet on a Swiss ball and using a shoulder-width grip, pull yourself to the bar. That’s 1 rep.
2 of 6
Per Bernal
Plank with Feet on Ball
How To Do It:
Get into a standard plank position— your hands underneath your shoulders while the tops of your feet rest on a Swiss ball.
Take a moment to get settled, then hold for approximately 45 seconds.
3 of 6
Per Bernal
Single-Arm dumbbell Chest Flye
How to Do It:
Hold a dumbbell in one hand and roll your back onto a Swiss ball until your upper back is on it and your legs are bent at 90 degrees, with feet planted on the ground.
Keeping your hips up and abs tight, press the dumbbell over your chest.
With a slight bend in your elbow, lower the weight out to your side.
4 of 6
Per Bernal
Single-Leg Hip Thrust
How to Do It:
Place your upper back on a bench and plant your feet on the ground so that your legs are bent 90 degrees.
Keeping the knees bent, lift one leg off the ground.
Now lower your hips and then thrust them up.
5 of 6
Per Bernal
Single-Leg split Lunge Jump
How To Do It:
Start in a lunge position with one leg back and one forward (both legs should be bent).
Keeping your chest tall, explode up, kicking your back leg up as close to your chest as possible.
Land as you started and repeat.
6 of 6
Per Bernal
The Workout
Try Romanelli’s total-body Swiss ball workout. “I do this every time I lift,” she says. “Stability is part of my warm up as well as in my supersets—it’s all about the pre-hab, people!”
