You might not be a fitness instructor or even a personal trainer, but there is something irresistibly appealing about an exercise ball. You might look at this unique, colorful piece of equipment and be drawn to it, like a giant bouncing ball you might have had as a child.

Make no mistake! These exercise balls are wonderful and cheerful to look at, but they can also give you an outstanding workout that will help you tone your body and feel better about yourself. From great stretches to ab exercises, upper body toning and more, you can use your exercise ball in a variety of fashions.

You can even take advantage of an exercise ball for pre- and post-natal exercises to help you alleviate some of the quirks of pregnancy or help your fragile body get back into great shape afterwards. In other words, these exercise balls are versatile, offering:

• Better balance
• Better coordination
• Better flexibility
• Stronger Muscles
• Stronger core

Exercise ball routines for your ab muscles can be a highly-effective, targeted way of toning your stomach. Use the exercise ball for seated obliques or a wall crunch. These exercise balls give you a great overall workout.

Try a Reverse Curl exercise with your ball. Lie with your back on the floor and put your arms on the floor next to your hips. Placing the ball between your shins, lift the ball by pulling your heels towards the ceiling. Keep your legs from swinging and work on a concentrated motion to target your lower abdominal muscles. Do 8 to 12 repetitions.

Kneeling on the ground, place one arm in top of the ball. Keep your abs tight and hips parallel to the ball, letting your body roll forward with it. When it is hard to maintain your stability, start to roll the ball back in towards your body. Do 8 to 12 repetitions to enjoy a full ab workout, but remember to keep your hips parallel the whole time for maximum effectiveness.

The stability ball crunch is another great exercise idea. Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Place the ball on your lower to mid-back region. Raise your hips slightly and put your hands across your chest. Raise your shoulders and head up just as you would do with a regular crunch on the floor. Repeat 8 to 12 times. For a variation, try twisting side to side to work the oblique muscles. You can also lie on your side and lift up for a lateral flex crunch that will work the oblique muscles as well.

Look for a more concentrated form of exercise when you try the elbow bridge. Place your forearms and elbows on the exercise ball and form a plank position on your toes. Hold this position for 1.5 minutes. Although the exercise seems easy to do, you will soon feel a huge burn in your arms, legs and ab muscles as you suck in your muscles to maintain the position.

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