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Slide show
Slide show: Core-strength exercises with a fitness ball
By Mayo Clinic staff
Core-strength exercises strengthen abs and other core muscles
Core-strength exercises strengthen your core muscles, including your abdominal muscles, back muscles, and the muscles around the pelvis. You can do many core-strength exercises with a fitness ball. In general, use a fitness ball sized so that your knees are at a right angle when you sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Do each core-strength exercise five times. As you get stronger, gradually increase to 10 to 15 repetitions. Breathe freely and deeply and focus on tightening your abs during each core-strength exercise. If you have back problems, osteoporosis or any other health concern, talk to your doctor before doing these core-strength exercises.
Next slide- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 14, 2011.
- Krupa NL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 8, 2011.
- Selecting and effectively using stability balls. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=brochures2&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4740. Accessed July 6, 2011.
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