Clock Exercise with the Ball

Starting Position

This clock exercise with the ball requires you to lie on your back with your knees bent at roughly 90 degrees, heels on the ball. Keep your arms out to your sides.
Keep the back of your thighs close to the ball.

Action

Rotate both legs to one side.
Roll as far as you can slowly without letting your shoulder rise off the floor.
Return to the top and repeat on the other side.

Prime Movers

Abdominal obliques, hip abductors, hamstrings, glutes, lower back.

Physio Tips

Keep your abdominals tight throughout this exercise.
Make sure you can control this movement within a short range before you try larger movements.
Try 11 o'clock to 5 past; then 10 o'clock to 10 past, etc.
If you have any discomfort, stop.

Progression

Try bringing your arms closer to your body.
Try The Clock with Arms Up.
Try doing this exercise with one leg on the exercise ball, one leg up.

This is considered a more advanced exercise ball exercise because you are forced to maintain joint stability while introducing trunk rotation. You are now trying to "control your mobility" rather than "maintain your stability". Some people may be too stiff for this exercise. If you have an underlying joint dysfunction and can't take joints through this range of motion, don't attempt this. You can only move as far as your joints will allow it.

Start with very short movements and always return to 12:00 and pause to regroup and feel in control. Ensure you have control before letting your trunk rotate into the other direction. Never get to the point where you feel like you've just rescued yourself from falling over. This exercise ball exercise is all about control of movement, because if you have no control you are leaving yourself open to injury.

1balls

Repeat this ball exercise 5 times each side.

2balls

Repeat this ball exercise 10 times each side.

3balls

Repeat this ball exercise 15 times each side.

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Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced