Best Ball Exercises for Women

The best ball exercises for women are those that are easy on our joints and work to flatten our tummy and tone our muscles.

As women, we all want that flat tummy and long lean toned arms and legs.

Pilates exercises on the mat are a great way to exercise, but why not add a bit more challenge to your core and muscles.

Why not try some fun ball exercises at home based on Pilates principles that will do just that!


My Pilates Core Ball Workout DVD here has over 30 minutes of ball exercises designed for a women's body and needs.


Sample Ball Exercises for Women:

ball exercises for women image

The Oblique Side Lift over the ball is a great exercise to strengthen the sides of the back, or oblique muscles at the waist. 

This exercise is helpful to support the back for twisting movements.


  • Begin lying on your side on the ball as shown with your hips and shoulders stacked and legs long.
  • Place your hands behind your head and keep your elbows wide.
  • Inhale as you extend up off the ball lifting your ribs up.
  • Exhale as you slowly lower back down.
  • Repeat for 6-8 repetitions on each side.



workout ball exercise image

The Hip Lift on the workout ball with a hamstring curl is very challenging. 

It not only works the abs in front, but also gets into the hamstrings in the back of your legs for a nice toned bottom and thighs.


  • Begin lying on your back with heels on top of the ball.
  • Lift your hips by pressing into the ball.
  • Exhale as you bend your legs pulling or dragging the ball towards your bottom.
  • Stay lifted and repeat as many as you can do up to 12 repetitions.
  • Lower and then repeat a second set.




exercise ball pushup image

The Exercise Ball Pushup is one of my favorite ways to strengthen my core muscles and tone my arms and upper back.  It's a full upper body workout in itself!


  • Begin on your stomach and walk yourself out to your thighs with your hands under the shoulders as shown, in a plank position.
  • Bend your arms lowering your chest down between your hands, your legs will tip up like a teeter totter in the back.
  • Exhale as you press back up.
  • Walk out further to make these harder or in closer to the pelvis for more ease.
  • As you bend your arms allow the elbows to reach back instead of out for more tricep and upper back work.
  • Repeat this exercise with ball for as many as you can do 2 sets.


exercises with ball image

This Workout Ball Back Extension Exercise is a great way to work on balancing both sides of the spine and strengthening the deep spinal extensors.


  • Begin lying belly on ball, find your balance with feet down and hands under your shoulders.
  • Inhale as you extend one leg up and parallel to the ground, once balanced extend the opposite arm away.
  • Exhale come back to the center and repeat on the other side.
  • Repeat for 6-8 repetitions each side.
  • Think length from the core not height!


Find more ball exercises for women of all ages at my exercise ball tips pages.



Recent Articles

  1. Pilates after Total Knee Replacement

    Apr 23, 20 06:20 PM

    It's 2 yrs.post op since I had total knee replacement in both knees. In order for them to last it's recommended that you lift not more than 25 lbs. Pilates

    Read More

  2. SI Joint Pain Improved with Pilates!

    Aug 11, 17 12:29 AM

    Dear Jennifer, I just wanted to reach out and thank you for dramatically improving and changing my life. About a year ago, I woke up in debilitating

    Read More

  3. Hip pain after 4 months of Reformer Pilates

    Jul 12, 17 06:44 PM

    Hi, I had a total right hip replacement 8 months ago; I rehabbed really quickly, although I was also (and still am) dealing with L4 spondylolisthesis.

    Read More

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Check Out Our New Pilates Core Ball Workout DVD for a great Core Workout!

This is a 34 minute dvd that will challenge your core while strengthening both your upper and lower body, improving your balance, posture, and helping to rev up your energy!

Look and Feel Great!

Go here to buy the JUST released Pilates Core Ball Workout DVD!