Best Pilates Ball Exercises
Get ready to strengthen, tone, and stabilize your body with this Pilates ball workout designed to challenge your core, improve balance, and build endurance. This session is packed with controlled movements that engage all major muscle groups—abs, back, glutes, legs, and arms—for a full-body sculpt.
Each move includes two intensity levels:
Level 1: Ideal for those who prefer a more moderate pace or are just getting familiar with the Pilates ball
Level 2: Perfect for those looking to elevate their workout with the Pilates ball
We’ve carefully selected exercises like back extensions, bird dogs, and reverse planks, all incorporating the Pilates ball to challenge your stability and strength. With clear demonstrations, safety tips, and modifications, you’ll avoid injury while maximizing each move. As a suggestion for a 16-minute Pilates routine, perform each of our movements for 45 seconds and give yourself a 15-second rest before moving on. For a 32-minute Pilates routine, repeat each movement twice before moving to the next!
Warm up, pick your level, and let’s dive into this energizing Pilates ball workout!
We also offer this workout in person at our studio—book your first class for free!
Figure Eights
Safety precaution
Keep your chest lifted and core tight, keep the ball close to your body
Main muscle groups worked
Core, Obliques
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Begin seated on your mat, leaning back on your hands with your legs raised
Leg Extensions:
Raise one knee to chest, keeping the other leg straight
Alternate legs each time
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Begin seated on your mat, leaning back with your legs raised
Pilates ball in one hand
Figure 8 Motion:
Raise one knee to the chest
Pass the ball under one knee and then around the outside of the same knee, keeping the other leg straight
Alternate legs after completing the motion
2. Glute Bridge
Safety precaution
Keep heels planted on the ground, core engaged, squeeze glutes
Main muscle groups worked
Glutes, Core, Hamstrings
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on a mat or flat surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Glute Bridge:
Press through your heels and lift your hips off the ground
Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement
Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position
*Pulse for the last 15 seconds (keep butt in the air while moving up and down)
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor with the ball placed in between your knees
Glute Bridge:
Press through your heels and lift your hips off the ground
Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and squeeze the ball between the knees
Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position
*Pulse for the last 15 seconds (keep butt in the air while moving up and down)
3. Glute Bridge Leg Lift (Right & Left)
*One leg at a time
Safety precaution
Keep heels planted on the ground, core engaged, squeeze glutes
Main muscle groups worked
Glutes, Core, Hamstrings
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on a mat or flat surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Glute Bridge:
Press through your heels and lift your hips off the ground
Lift one leg while squeezing your glutes
Lower your leg down, then lower your hips down to the starting position
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on a mat or flat surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
The ball placed behind one leg
Glute Bridge:
Press through your heels and lift your hips off the ground
Lift one leg (leg that is holding the ball) while squeezing your glutes
Lower your leg down, then lower your hips down to the starting position
*Repeat on the other side
4. Top Taps
Safety precaution
Keep your chest lifted, toes pointed
Main muscle groups worked
Hamstrings, Hip Flexors, Quads, Core
Level 1 (No ball, chest lifted)
Starting Position:
Begin seated on your mat, leaning back with your knees bent at 90 degrees
Toe Taps:
Keeping your toes pointed, tap one foot on the mat and bring it back to 90 degrees
Alternate legs after each tap
Level 2 (Ball under glutes/lower back)
Starting Position:
Begin laying on your back, knees bent at 90 degrees
Place the pilates ball comfortably under your glutes or lower back
Toe Taps:
Keeping your toes pointed, tap one foot on the mat and bring it back to 90 degrees
Alternate legs after each tap
5. Back Extension with Leg Lifts
Safety precaution
Maintain a neutral spine, toes pointed, slow and controlled movements
Main muscle groups worked
Lower back, Core, Glutes, Hamstrings
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on your mat with your toes pointed and arms at your side
Back Extension with Leg Lift:
Lift your chest, upper body, and legs off the mat
Keep your face down maintaining a neutral neck
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on your mat with your toes pointed and arms at your side with the ball placed between your legs
Back Extension with Leg Lift:
Lift your chest, upper body, and legs off the mat
Keep your face down maintaining a neutral neck
Squeeze your legs together to keep the ball in place as you lift your legs
6. Back Extension with Arm Circles
Safety precaution
Maintain a neutral spine, toes pointed, slow and controlled movements
Main muscle groups worked
Lower back, Upper back, Core
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on your mat with your toes pointed and arms raised above your head
Back extension with arm circles:
Lift your chest and legs off the mat
Move arms in a half-circle motion, meeting your hands behind your back, and bring them to the front
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on your mat with your toes pointed and arms raised above your head, hold the ball in one hand
Back extension with arm circles:
Lift your chest and legs off the mat
Move arms in a half-circle motion and switch the ball as your arms meet halfway
7. Back Extension with Forward Push
Safety precaution
Engage your core, lift only as high as you can comfortably go w/out overextending
Main muscle groups worked
Lower back, glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on the floor or mat, arms straight above your head, and legs straight with feet slightly apart.
Back Extension with Forward Push:
Lift your upper body off the ground by extending through your back muscles.
As you lift, push your arms forward as if reaching ahead, engaging your shoulders and upper back.
At the top of the movement, squeeze your lower back, glutes, and core, holding the position for 1-2 seconds.
Gently lower your upper body and arms back to the starting position.
Level 2 (With ball under hands)
Starting Position:
Lie face down on the floor or mat with a Pilates ball under your hands, arms straight above your head, and legs straight, feet slightly apart.
Back Extension with Forward Push:
Lift your upper body off the ground, pressing your hands into the Pilates ball.
Simultaneously push the ball forward, extending through your shoulders while engaging your back and core.
Hold for 1-2 seconds at the top, squeezing your lower back, glutes, and upper body.
Slowly lower your upper body and bring the ball back to the starting position.
8. Bird Dog (Right & Left)
*One side at a time
Safety precaution
Keep your back flat and your core engaged, Keep both your arm and leg in line with your body when extending, and avoid letting your lower back sag or your hips rotate
Main muscle groups worked
Core, lower back, glutes, shoulders, hips
Level 1 (No ball) & 2 (Ball in hand reaching forward)
Starting Position:
Begin on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hip
Bird Dog:
Slowly lift your right arm straight out in front of you while simultaneously extending your left leg straight back
Hold this position for a few seconds
Gently lower your arm and leg back to the starting position & repeat
*Repeat on the other side
9. Lifted Table Top
Safety precaution
Keep your back flat and your core engaged
Main muscle groups worked
Core, shoulders, quads, glutes, hip flexors
Level 1 (No ball) & 2 (Ball in between knees)
Start Position:
Begin on all fours
wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips
Lifted Table Top:
Raise your knees a few inches off the floor
Hover knees for 2-3 seconds
Drop knees back down, repeat
10. Plank
Safety precaution
Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels, make sure your hips are neither sagging toward the floor nor sticking up too high. Don’t forget to breathe through.
Main muscle groups worked
Core, shoulders, chest, arms, lower back, glutes, quads
Level 1 (No ball) & 2 (Feet on ball)
Starting Position:
Begin in a push-up position with your arms straight and your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Alternatively, you can perform the plank on your elbows for a different variation.
Plank:
In this position, raise your body off the mat
Maintain the plank position for the duration of the exercise
11. Reverse Plank
Safety precaution
Remain on the balls of your feet, chest up, controlled breath, going at your own pace, arms Straight
Main muscle groups worked
Shoulders, arms, chest, back, quads, glutes
Level 1 (No ball) & 2 (With ball under feet)
Starting Position:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you and your
hands placed slightly behind your hips
Place your hands on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, and your fingers pointing toward your feet.
Lift Your Hips:
Press through your hands and feet to lift your hips off the floor, coming into a straight line from your head to your heels.
Your body should be in a straight line, with your shoulders, hips, and heels aligned.
Engage Your Core and Glutes:
Tighten your abdominal muscles and squeeze your glutes to maintain a stable and straight position.
Avoid letting your lower back sag or your hips drop.
Hold the Position:
Maintain the reverse plank for a set amount of time, typically starting with 20-30 seconds and gradually increasing as you build strength.
Keep breathing steadily throughout the hold.
12. V Ups
Safety precaution
Keep your chest lifted, arms and legs kept straight
Main muscle groups worked
Core, balance, and coordination
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Begin with laying flat on your back, legs straight, arms raised over your head
V -Ups:
Lift your legs and upper body off the floor, creating a V - Shape with your body
Touch / Reach for your toes
Slowly lower your body back down
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Begin with laying flat on your back, legs straight, arms raised over your head, ball in hand
V -Ups:
Lift your legs and upper body off the floor, creating a V - Shape with your body
Move the ball from your hands and place them in between your feel
Slowly lower your body back down
As you repeat the motion, switch the ball from hands to feet
13. Side Crunch with Ball (Right & Left)
*One side at a time
Safety precaution
Maintain control throughout the movement, keep your chest up, and engage your core. Breathe steadily and move at your own pace, focusing on proper form.
Main muscle groups worked
Obliques, core, shoulders, hips, glutes
Level 1 (No ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on your side on the floor or a mat, with your legs stacked. The leg closer to the floor should be bent at the knee, while the top leg remains straight. Extend the arm closer to the floor straight out in front of you for support.
Side Crunch:
Engage your core and lift your upper body off the mat while simultaneously lifting your top leg.
Reach your top hand toward your toes, aiming to touch them as you lift your leg.
Focus on squeezing your obliques as you lift and crunch to the side.
Lower back down slowly
Level 2 (With ball)
Starting Position:
Lie on your side with your legs stacked. The leg closer to the floor should be bent at the knee, while the top leg remains straight.
Place the ball under the hand that is on the floor for support, and keep your top arm extended straight above your head.
Side Crunch:
Engage your core and squeeze the ball for stability.
Lift your upper body off the mat while simultaneously lifting your top leg.
Reach your top hand toward your toes, aiming to touch them as you lift your leg while maintaining pressure on the ball for support.
Focus on squeezing your obliques as you perform the movement.
Lower back down slowly
*Repeat on the other side
Great job completing the Pilates ball workout! You've just powered through a full-body session that engaged your core, stabilized your shoulders, arms, glutes, and legs, while improving your balance and flexibility. Using the Pilates ball, you’ve built strength, enhanced coordination, and boosted endurance.
Take a moment to cool down, stretch, and appreciate your effort. Keep up the great work, and we’ll see you in the next workout!
If you're craving more variety or want to challenge different muscle groups, be sure to explore the other routines available on our site. We've got plenty of workouts to keep you motivated and help you reach your fitness goals. Stay tuned for more exciting exercises and tips to keep your journey going strong!
Ready to join us in the studio? Book a class now—your first class is on us!
