Exercise Ball Hamstring curls (arms in front)
Starting
Position
- This dynamic ball
exercise requires you to start in the
supine
bridging position, on your back
with heels resting on the ball.
- Arms are
over your chest. You can keep your elbows off the floor to add a level
difficulty.
- Engage your abdominal
muscles through
abdominal hollowing.
- Lift your hips toward
the
ceiling so that you are straight from your heels to your shoulders
Action
- Pull
your heels toward your buttocks.
- Slowly return
to the straight legged position all the while maintaining your lower
back in a
neutral position.
- Do not lock your
knees.
Prime
Movers
Hamstrings,
glutes, back extensors
P
hysio
Tips
- Be sure to activate
transversus abdominus prior to any leg
movement to avoid back injury.
Progression
This ball exercise is
more difficult than the hamstring curl with arms out to the sides
because your base of support is a little smaller. You can make your
base of support increasingly smaller by raising your arms straight up
toward the ceiling, or by adding more air to your ball, or both.
Be sure you can master the static bridging exercises before attempting
anything dynamic. You need to be able to control your spinal position
without any limb movement before you should add any limb movement.
Remember, these exercises have more to do with control than brute
strength. The more control you have over the positioning of your spinal
joints during an exercise the less likely you are of putting those
joints into a position where they will be injured.

Repeat
this ball
exercise 10
times.

Repeat
this ball
exercise 20
times.

Repeat
this ball
exercise 30
times.
Return
to the top of Hamstring Curls with the Exercise Ball