Award winning fitness guru Patricia Friberg has shared a hot new beach workout for the home stretch of summer. The Beach Ball Workout strengthens the glutes, abs, thighs and arms, and all you need is a beach ball—a beach doesn’t hurt either.
You’ve gotta mix up your fitness regimen if you want to avoid the workout doldrums. So seek out a sunny spot and try this great new workout from Patricia.
Beach Ball Lateral Squat
Benefits: Tones the bottom, inner thigh, legs and waistline. This is a one stop shop for exercises.
Set up: Wide stance with legs, holding the ball in the hands. Draw the abdominals inward and upward.
Step 1: Hinge at the right hip and bend your right knee. Take the ball down to the ground by your right foot. Firm the right glute and keep your abdominals drawing in.
Step 2: With the strength of your right leg, push into the ground to straighten the leg and lift the ball up and side bend to the left. 12 reps each leg.
Beach Ball Pike
Benefits: Strengthens the core and upper body.
Set up: Hands are directly under your shoulders with your feet and shins on the ball. Make sure your abdominals are drawn inward and the shoulders are sliding down and away from the ears.
Movement: Press legs into ball and draw the abs in as you lift your hips into a pike position or inverted “V.” Keep your head in line with your spine.
Return to the plank position. 6-12 reps.
Beach Ball Bottom Blast
Set Up: On your backside on the mat, knees are bent with your heels in the center on the ball. Your arms are long down by your side. Your abdominals are drawing inward.
Step 1: Inhale and engage the backs of your legs and draw the abdominals inward and upward as you lift your hips into a bridge position.
Step 2: Exhale and extend the legs out making a long line.
Step 3: Inhale and pull the ball inward as you bend your knees in the bridge position.
Step 4: Exhale and articulate your spine down into the mat one vertebrae at a time and return to a neutral pelvis. 6-10 reps.
Beach Ball Lunge with Rotation
Benefits: Tones the Legs, bottom and waistline.
Set up: Feet hip distance apart holding the ball about chest height. The abdominals are drawn inward and upward.
Step your right foot back into a lunge position. The legs should be in a 90 degree angle. Gently press your palms into the ball and feel the lats under the arms working. Keep the neck soft and supple.
Exhale as you lengthen through the crown of your head as you rotate our torso toward the front leg. Inhale and bring it back to center. Repeat 8-10 reps. Step your feet back to hip distance and step back with other leg.
Beach Ball Push Ups
Target muscles: Upper body and Core.
Step 1: Place your feet/shins (more challenging) or thighs (to make it easier) on the ball and your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your abdominals drawing inward, absorb the ribs into the body, and draw the shoulders down away from the ears.
Step 2: Bend the elbows and lower your chest downward toward the sand, use and exhale to press yourself back to the start position. 10- 30 reps
Beach Body Bonus
Start on all fours on the ball. With one hand at a time, slowly try to lift yourself into a knee balance on the ball.
Try to hold it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Patricia Friberg is the creator of three award winning DVDs: Power for Pink Workout, Belly Beautiful Prenatal Workout and Belly Beautiful Postnatal Workout for Busy Moms. She has been motivating students in her private and group fitness classes where she teaches a variety of exercise formats in premier clubs across the country including Equinox, YogaWorks, Proactive Performance Lab (where she works with professional athletes/NFL/NBA), East Bank Club, and Harpo Studios. She is certified in Pilates, Spinning, Kickboxing, Step, BOSU, Body Pump, Circuit, Outdoor Boot Camp, and Yoga, holding certifications from Stott Pilates, Yogaworks, GYROTONIC, GYROKINESIS, ACE & IDEA. Her interests include pre/post-natal and post-rehabilitation populations, breast cancer survivors, and sports-specific training, including tennis, golf, basketball and football. www.PatriciaFriberg.com
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