5 Best Stability Ball Workouts To Lose Belly Fat

Building a lean, toned core goes beyond traditional crunches; it’s about engaging all core muscles to burn calories and support overall stability. Using a stability ball is an excellent way to target belly fat while activating your core through dynamic balance movements, which is why I’ve rounded up the best stability ball workouts to lose belly fat.

Stability ball exercises create an added challenge by requiring your body to engage stabilizer muscles, meaning you’ll be toning while burning fat simultaneously. This approach offers a full core workout that benefits your abs, back, glutes, and even legs.

As a personal trainer, I know that varying your workouts and keeping them dynamic are essential for continuous results. These stability ball workouts are perfect for keeping you challenged and motivated. They consist of movements designed to sculpt your core, reduce belly fat, and improve core strength. Remember, consistency is key, and combining these workouts with good nutrition and cardio can amplify your results.

Below, I’ll walk you through my five best stability ball workouts to lose belly fat. They can seamlessly fit into any weekly schedule. Each workout includes three exercises, focusing on different aspects of your core to maximize calorie burn and support functional strength. Let’s get started!

Workout #1: Stability Ball Core Circuit

What You Need: A stability ball and a mat. This quick circuit combines classic core movements with the stability ball, targeting your upper and lower abs for a full-core burn. This workout can be done in around 10 minutes.

The Routine:

1. Ball Pass (3 sets of 12 reps)
2. Crunches on Stability Ball (3 sets of 15 reps)
3. Ball Knee Tucks (3 sets of 10 reps)

Directions: Complete the below exercises in a continuous circuit, aiming for minimal rest between exercises. Rest for 30–60 seconds between rounds, and complete a total of 3 rounds.

1. Ball Pass

1. Lie on your back, holding the ball with your hands above your head, and extend your legs.
2. Simultaneously lift your legs and bring the ball over your chest.
3. Pass the ball from your hands to your feet, lowering both your arms and legs.
4. Repeat, passing the ball back to your hands on the next rep.

2. Stability Ball Crunches

1. Sit on the stability ball.
2. Walk your feet forward until your lower back rests on the ball.
3. Cross your arms over your chest, engage your core, and crunch upward, lifting your shoulders a few inches off the ball.
4. Lower back down in a controlled motion.

3. Ball Knee Tucks

1. Begin in a high plank with your shins on the ball and hands on the ground.
2. Engage your abs and roll the ball toward your chest by bending your knees.
3. Extend your legs back out to the starting position.

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Workout #2: Stability Ball Oblique Sculptor

What You Need: A stability ball and a mat. This workout focuses on activating your oblique muscles for a sculpted waistline, helping to melt fat around the sides and strengthen your entire core.

The Routine:

1. Russian Twists (3 sets of 15 reps per side)
2. Side Ball Crunch (3 sets of 12 reps per side)
3. Stability Ball V-Pass (3 sets of 10 reps)

Directions: Perform these exercises as a circuit, resting for 30 seconds between exercises. Rest for 1 minute between rounds, aiming for a total of 3 rounds.

1. Russian Twists

1. Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the floor, then walk forward until your back rests on the ball.
2. Hold your hands together and twist your torso to one side, then the other.
3. Move slowly and keep your core engaged as you rotate from side to side.

2. Side Ball Crunch

1. Lie sideways on the stability ball with one hand on the ball and the other behind your head.
2. Lift your torso to perform a sideways crunch, engaging your obliques.
3. Lower back down slowly, repeating on the other side.

3. Stability Ball V-Pass

1. Lie flat on your back, holding the stability ball between your feet.
2. Raise your legs toward the ceiling and bring your arms to meet the ball in the center.
3. Grab the ball with your hands.
4. Lower it back to the ground, and pass it back on the next rep.

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Workout #3: Stability Ball Plank Routine

What You Need: A stability ball and a mat. This plank-focused routine uses the stability ball to activate deep core muscles, helping improve stability and strengthen the core.

The Routine:

1. Stability Ball Plank (3 sets of 30–45 seconds)
2. Plank Rollouts (3 sets of 10 reps)
3. Mountain Climbers on Ball (3 sets of 15 reps per side)

Directions: Perform each exercise with minimal rest in between, aiming for a quick yet intense core workout. Complete 3 rounds, resting for 1 minute between rounds.

1. Stability Ball Plank

1. Place your forearms on the stability ball, extending your legs behind you in a plank.
2. Engage your core and hold the position for 30–45 seconds.
3. Maintain stability without letting the ball shift.

2. Plank Rollouts

1. Kneel on the mat and place your forearms on the ball.
2. Slowly roll the ball forward, lowering your torso closer to the ground.
3. Use your core to roll the ball back to the starting position.

3. Mountain Climbers on Ball

1. Place your hands on the ball and extend your legs in a plank position.
2. Drive one knee toward your chest, then switch legs quickly.
3. Keep your core engaged to prevent the ball from moving.

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Workout #4: Lower Ab Lift Series

What You Need: A stability ball and a mat. This workout targets the lower abs, helping tone the lower belly area while strengthening the entire core.

The Routine:

1. Leg Raises with Stability Ball (3 sets of 12 reps)
2. Ball Pikes (3 sets of 10 reps)
3. Ball Toe Touches (3 sets of 15 reps)

Directions: Perform this series in a circuit format, resting for 30 seconds between exercises and 1 minute between rounds.

1. Leg Raises with Stability Ball

1. Lie on your back with the stability ball held between your ankles.
2. Raise your legs toward the ceiling while squeezing the ball.
3. Lower your legs back down without letting the ball touch the ground.

2. Ball Pikes

1. Start in a plank position with your feet on the ball.
2. Engage your core and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

3. Ball Toe Touches

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands on the floor and your toes on the stability ball.
2. Maintain a tight core as you tap one toe down to the floor.
3. Bring that foot back to the top of the stability ball.
4. Tap the other toe to the floor.

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Workout #5: Stability Ball Full-Body Core Burn

What You Need: A stability ball and a mat. This workout targets the core while also activating your glutes and back, providing a total-body burn that torches belly fat.

The Routine:

1. Stability Ball Jackknife (3 sets of 10 reps)
2. Back Extension (3 sets of 15 reps)
3. Ball Roll-Ins (3 sets of 12 reps)

Directions: Perform each exercise back-to-back in a circuit format, resting for 1 minute between rounds. Complete 3 rounds.

1. Stability Ball Jackknife

1. Start in a high plank position with your shins on the stability ball.
2. Engage your core and roll the ball toward your chest by bending your knees.
3. Extend your legs back to the starting position.

2. Back Extension

1. Lie face down on the ball with hands behind your head.
2. Lift your upper body, squeezing your glutes and lower back.
3. Lower back down in a controlled motion.

3. Ball Roll-Ins

1. Lie flat on the floor with your feet and calves on top of the stability ball.
2. Lift your hips and squeeze your glutes, rolling the ball in as you do so.
3. Release the ball back out.

Tyler Read, BSc, CPT