7 Minute Ball HITT Circuit Workout

V-HOLD BALL CIRCLES

1 MINUTE

1

Begin exercise by sitting on a soft surface or mat and lift your upper and lower body off of the ground to create a V-like position.  Carefully lower your feet and bend knees into a horizontal position.

2

Grab ahold of the ball and start to circle it over and under your legs.

3

Be sure to keep your core tight, toes pointed, head up and shoulders back.

4

Perform 15 repetitions clockwise.

5

Perform 15 repetitions counterclockwise.

6

Repeat repetitions until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, decrease the weight of the ball used or include a short 5 second rest when switching directions.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, begin by sitting on a soft surface or mat and lift your upper and lower body off of the ground to create a V-like position.  Instead of lowering your feet and bending knees into a horizontal position, keep legs extended and circle the ball over and under your legs.  Keep your core right and chest up!  You can also try to increase the amount of weight used and/or repetitions.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

1 MINUTE

1

Begin the exercise in a plank position with both hands on the ball.  Keep arms straight and legs extended behind hips.

2

While keeping the body long and core tight, pull your knee to your chest.

3

Return right leg to straight while pulling your left knee to your chest.

4

That completes one repetition.

5

Repeat exercise until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, perform slow and controlled knee raises.  You can also eliminate the ball, resting hands flat on the ground.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, speed up knee raises, bringing your knees towards the ball as quickly as you can.  This will increase heart rate and core strength.

SUPERMANS

1 MINUTE

1

Begin by lying flat on your stomach with your face towards the floor.  Extend your legs straight under your hips and arms straight over your head.

2

Place the ball directly under the palms of both hands.

3

Start the exercise by lifting your chest and legs as far off of the ground as you can, keeping legs and arms straight and hands on the ball.  Be sure to lift/lower your chest and legs simultaneously to maximize the effectiveness of the workout.

4

Use your back muscles to lift chest and legs and hold the position for 10 seconds, lower down for 3 seconds, and raise and hold again for 10 seconds.

5

Continue lifting and holding until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, try lifting/lowering either your chest or legs one at a time.  In other words, lift only your chest off the ground while legs remain on the ground - or - lift only your legs off of the ground while chest remains on the ground.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, lift the ball off of the ground with your hands while in the holding position.   You can also try to increase the amount of weight used and/or seconds held.

PLANK JACK

1 MINUTE

1

Begin exercise in a high plank position, balancing your hands on the ball while keeping arms and legs extended.  Feet are together.

2

Keep your hips stable and core engaged as you start to jump your feet out and in.

3

Continue jacking legs in and out until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, remove the in and out jack and only tap one toe in and out at a time, alternating legs each repetition.  Keep your hips stable and core engaged.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, add a push-up.  As you jack/jump your legs out, lower chest down into a push-up on the ball.  As you jack/jump your legs back together, raise chest and extend arms up into starting position.

SQUAT + TOSS

1 MINUTE

1

Begin exercise by standing with feet about hip-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.  Hold ball at chest, positioning hands under the ball.

2

Start exercise by squatting down so that your thighs are parallel with the ground and knees behind the toes.

3

Come up out of the squat and push the ball overhead so that the ball leaves your hands.

4

Catch the ball and drop down into the next squat.

5

Repeat exercise until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, eliminate the toss and hold the ball either at your chest or straight above your head.  You can also decrease the amount of weight used and/or repetitions.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, add a calf raise or jump at the top as you toss ball overhead.  Catch the ball as you land and return to squatting position.

ALTERNATING LUNGE TWISTS

1 MINUTE

1

Begin exercise by standing and holding the ball in both hands.

2

Step forward into a lunge with your right foot and twist the ball to the right hip.  Stand up and return to starting position.  Repeat same movement, only stepping forward into a lunge with your left foot and twisting the ball to the left hip.  This completes one repetition.

3

Be sure to keep movements slow and work on your balance.

4

Repeat exercise until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, remove the twist and only perform alternating front lunges.

INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, try adding a scissor or split jump in between lunge twists.

MEDICINE BALL V-UPS

1 MINUTE

1

Begin by lying on your back, your legs and feet flat on the ground and arms straight behind head.

2

Squeeze your core and press low back into the mat.

3

On the exhale, simultaneously raise feet into the air and ball straight up over your body towards your toes.  Be sure to keep arms extended as you lift the ball up and over body.

4

Slowly lower feet and arms back to starting position.

5

Repeat exercise until time is called.

MODIFICATIONS

To modify this exercise, keep legs and feet flat on the ground while raising upper body and ball only.  You can also decrease the amount of weight used and/or repetitions.

MODIFICATIONS

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, increase the amount of weight used and/or repetitions.