Pilates: Balance Ball Workout To Improve Balance And Coordination

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Exercise One: Side Tilts

Step 3: To prepare

Sit down in the centre of your ball with your feet and knees together. Find a neutral position with your pelvis.

Put your arms out straight to either side, just in front of your shoulders and parallel to the floor.

Step 4: Breathing

You will inhale deeply through the nose to prepare, aiming the breath towards the back of the rib cage and exhale deeply through the mouth as you perform the movement.

When you exhale, think of flattening the abdominal region. Imagine gently pulling your belly button towards your spine.

Step 5: The exercise

Inhale and tilt your hips to one side, controlling the movement as much as possible, exhale and return to the centre.

Inhale and tilt your hips to the other side, exhale and return to the centre.

Repeat this six times in total - three to each side.

To help you balance, imagine you are pressing down with your hands onto a table top.

When you finish, relax your arms back down to your sides.

Step 6: Exercise Two: Opposite Arm to Leg Lifts

Step 7: To prepare

Separate your feet to hip distance apart and if necessary, adjust your position to sit straight again.

Step 8: Breathing

The same principles apply as before but here the exercise will be performed over two breaths.

Step 9: The exercise

Inhale to prepare, then exhale and simultaneously lift one foot off the floor and the opposite arm in front.

Inhale, bring them both back down, exhale and change to do the same thing on the other side.

Repeat this 8 times - always alternating sides, concentrating on staying central and pulling in your abdominals.

Step 10: Exercise Three: Spine Twist

Step 11: To prepare

Lift your arms up to either side of you, slightly in front of your shoulders. Check that your shoulders and rib cage are down.

Step 12: Breathing

You will inhale to prepare, thinking of growing from the top of your head and exhale three times as you perform the movement.

Step 13: The exercise

Inhale to prepare, then exhale once and rotate around to one side from the waist while bending the elbow back, exhale increase the rotation, exhale once again rotating further and inhale to return to the centre.

Repeat this 6 times, 3 to each side.

Be careful not to shrink as you rotate, think that you're a cork gradually being pulled out of a bottle and are growing.

To finish, bring your arms back down to your sides.

Step 14: Exercise Four: Paddling

Step 15: To prepare

Walk your feet forwards and gradually slide down on the ball keeping your back upright.

Bring your arms up in front, parallel to each other and the floor.

Step 16: Breathing

The same principles apply as before and this exercise will be performed in 2 breaths.

Step 17: The exercise

Inhale here, exhale and reach one arm back following it with your head, inhale return to the centre, exhale and do the same thing to the other side.

Repeat this 8 times - 4 times to each side - keeping your abdominals strong to aid in balancing and shoulders down.

When you finish, relax.

This exercise completes the workout. Try and fit it into your weekly schedule to improve your balance and coordination.