Top 5 Stability Ball Exercises for Boxers
When it comes to strength training for boxers, nothing is more important than being able to deliver powerful, fast, accurate punches, and, one of the best ways to make the most of each punch is to build up core strength and stamina.
What Is Considered Your Core?
Your core is more than just the abdominal muscles that most people think of. The core muscles include: the pelvic floor, abdominals, obliques, lumbar back, diaphragm, glutes, latissimus dorsi (lats), hamstrings, and hip ab/adductors.
Utilizing a combination of some or all of those muscles, the core helps stabilize the thorax and pelvis during dynamic movements, like those in boxing training. One of the best pieces of equipment that a boxer can use to help work the core muscles is the stability ball. The stability ball allows one to perform a variety of different exercises that help build a strong, lean, and toned midsection.
Today, we will highlight FightCamp Trainer Flo Master and his top 5 stability ball exercises to get you in fighting shape. Through this routine, you’ll strengthen your core for added punching power, work on balance for improved mobility, and strengthen your shoulders and posterior chain.
Flo’s 5 Stability Ball Exercises
Core Rotation (20 reps each side)
- Rest the stability ball on the ground and stand behind it
- Carefully roll yourself out on top of the ball with your knees on top of the ball as if you were in a kneeling position, your hands on the ground, and your arms locked out
- From here, drop your hips down and rotate your knees to the left, focusing on keeping your upper body still
- Your knees should now be parallel with the ground pointing towards the wall
- Keeping your core engaged, return to the starting position
- Drop your hips again, this time in the opposite direction to the right, until your knees are pointing towards the opposite wall
- Return to starting position
- Repeat for a total of 20 reps on each side
- Carefully roll back to standing position
Key focus: As your balance improves, use the motion of the movement and the ball to bounce up and increase the tempo.
Knee Balance (30-60 seconds)
- Rest the stability ball on the ground and stand behind it
- Place both hands on opposite sides of the ball, similar to a 10 and 2 o’clock positions
- Carefully place one knee on the ball, then the other
- You should now be on all fours on top of the stability ball
- Maintaining balance, keeping your core engaged, slowly let go with your hands and come to a full, upright, kneeling position
- Focus on keeping your core engaged throughout the exercise, and make sure to breathe
- For added balance, use your arms to help stabilize your torso and your movements
- Continue to balance for as long as you can (30-60 seconds)
- To dismount, place your hands back onto the ball, and slowly roll backwards, until your feet are back on the ground
Walk Out (10 reps)
- Rest the stability ball on the ground and stand behind it
- Carefully roll yourself out on top of the ball, walking your hands out on the ground until you are in a plank position with your feet on top of the ball
- Keeping your core engaged, walk your hands back to the starting position behind the stability ball
- Repeat, walking your hands back out until you are in full plank extension with your feet on top of ball, hold for a full count, then walk back to start
- Repeat for a total of 10 reps
- For added challenge, add a push-up at the top of the plank position
Hamstring Curl (20 reps)
- Start by lying on the ground with your feet on top of the stability ball and your arms at your sides for balance
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the ground
- Your body should be in a straight line
- Drive your heels into the stability ball and curl the ball back towards your glutes
- Hold for a second, then slowly roll the ball back until your legs are in full extension
- Repeat for a total of 20 reps
- On your final curl, hold for 30-40 seconds for an added burn
One Leg Squat (5-10 reps each leg)
- Start in a standing position with your back facing a wall
- Position the stability ball between you and the wall in the thoracic region of your back
- Balancing on your right foot, slowly squat down and perform a single leg pistol squat by lifting your left foot off the ground
- Squat as deep as you can
- Rise and return to the starting position
- Switch legs and repeat by balancing on your left foot
- Repeat for a total of 5-10 reps on each leg
There you have it, FightCamp Trainer Flo Master’s top 5 stability ball exercises to build core strength, get your midsection ripped, and improve your balance. Incorporating these exercises into your boxing training regimen will enhance your fighting skills inside the ring and make you even more elusive and harder for your opponent to hit.
If you loved these exercises and want to see what else Flo and the other FightCamp Trainers have in store, check out our other YouTube videos, blog, and workouts on the app. Start your training with FightCamp today!
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The Author: Jerry Randolph (aka Flo Master) grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Being bullied as a kid, he looked for ways to break away from that narrative and found his way to dancing. He didn’t become just any kind of dancer; he became a BBoy. He became Flo Master. Flo quickly rose to fame as a dancer, performing with superstars like Usher, Ciara, Jennifer Lopez, and Will Smith. Despite this success, he felt that something was missing from his life. He knew that he wasn’t able to defend himself. Flo turned to martial arts and boxing and knew that it was the missing piece to the puzzle. Training with Jeremy Horn, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, and Erik Paulson gave Flo the real confidence that he needed as a boy in Maryland. He took his passion for dance and his love for martial arts and began working in the group fitness industry. His guiding force is to give people what he wished someone had given him when he was coming up; encouragement and empowerment. Flo Master is a Founding FightCamp Coach, eternal entertainer, and father to his two kids, who just happen to be excellent dancers and martial artists. Flo Master is also USA Boxing Coach certified.