Back Extension on Exercise Ball
beginner


Starting Position
  • start this ball exercise by lying prone over the ball with chest lowered.
  • your waistline should be over the top of the exercise ball
  • Hands rest on the ball.
Action
  • Slowly raise your chest up off the ball.
  • Raise your arms up off the ball keeping your elbows bent at approximately 90 degrees.
  • Lower arms and chest slowly.
Prime Movers
  • Back extensors, scapular retractors, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, posterior deltoid, glutes.
Physio Tips
  • If you find this too difficult at first, try keeping your hands lightly on the ball as you raise your chest.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you rise up.
  • Keep the movement slow and focus on using your back muscles to pull yourself off the ball.
  • Work only within your comfortable range of motion.
  • Even a small amount of movement is beneficial.
Progression
  • Try lengthening your lever as in the exercise Back Extension 2.
  • Add 1-2 kg dumbbells.
  • Put more air in your ball so that the area of contact with the floor is smaller
  • Move your feet closer together
 When learning how to perform this exercise, prop your feet against the wall and let a bit of air out of the ball. Be careful not to hyperextend your back. Just raise your trunk so that you form a straight line from your feet to your shoulders. While some people go further and hyperextend their back doing this exercise, it's not very functional and not tolerated well by everyone.
Click here for more information on back exercises.


1ballsRepeat this exercise ball exercise 6 times.

2ballsRepeat this exercise ball exercise 10 times.

3ballsRepeat this exercise ball exercise 12 times.



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