How to Do a Supine Overhead Stretch With an Exercise Ball

This high-intensity exercise engages your abs and gives you better flexibility throughout your body.

1
Set your exercise ball in a vacated area. Make sure you are securely planted on the ball before proceeding.
2
Lie down with your back against the ground and your legs straightened out in front of you with one leg on either side of the exercise ball. Squeeze the ball by bringing your calves closer together as you rest your arms at your sides. Tighten your abs and relax your head and neck, pressing your lower back into the ground. You should now be in a neutral position for this exercise.

1
Inhale as you slowly lift the ball up using your legs. If you don't feel stable enough, you can push your hands down into the ground for more support. Keep lifting until your hips and legs form a right angle and your feet are pointing up at the ceiling.
2
Lift your hips off the ground as you continue raising the ball even further. Continue your motion until the ball goes over your head. Keep your hands flat on the ground as you do this.
3
Exhale and lower your legs/lower torso so that your hips are back on the floor but your legs are still in the air. Go back to the right-angled position and start doing the next repetition right away.

1
To make this exercise more challenging you can bend your legs at a slight angle and keep them bent throughout your stretch. If you've done it correctly your knees should be very close to your face at the end of the exercise.
2
You can also move your legs all the way from behind your head to the floor for every rep. This will improve your flexibility even more and further improve your abdominals strength.

1
Do 15 to 20 repetitions of this exercise per set. Repeat until you've completed 3 sets.
2
In order to start seeing/feeling results, aim to do 3 sets 4 days a week for 6 weeks. For faster results, increase the number of sets/times per week you do this exercise.

Tips

The benefits of these exercises are increased strength and flexibility in your abdominal muscles.
To make this exercise less challenging you can start by raising your legs to a halfway point between the floor and where they would be perpendicular (say about a 45-degree angle). By practicing more and more, you can become better at lifting your exercise ball, and soon you should be able to bring it all the way behind your head without difficulty.

Potential injuries that may be incurred if this exercise is performed incorrectly are muscle strains in the back and legs.
Those with poor control of their leg muscles should be careful when performing this exercise.