Description
This exercise targets your obliques and latissimus dorsi muscles, helping to increase your flexibility and range of motion. It involves leaning over a stability ball in a controlled manner, creating a stretch along the side of your body.
How to Do Assisted Oblique And Latissimus Dorsi Stretch On Stability Ball
- 1Setup
Kneel on the floor with your hip positioned against the side of a stability ball, ensuring your body is aligned to lean over it.
- 2Setup
Place the arm closest to the ball over its top, extending it slightly to help stabilize yourself as you prepare to lean.
- 3
Slowly roll your torso over the stability ball, allowing your body to drape over it as you extend your top arm overhead and slightly away from your body.
- 4
Feel the stretch along your entire side, from your hip through your obliques and latissimus dorsi, breathing deeply and holding the position for the prescribed duration.
- 5
To return, gently reverse the movement, using your core and the arm on the ball to slowly bring your torso back to an upright kneeling position.
Tips
- Deepen the stretch by gently reaching further overhead with your extended arm, focusing on elongating your entire side body rather than just bending.
- Maintain a stable hip position against the ball throughout the stretch; avoid rotating your hips forward or backward to isolate the lateral stretch.
- Synchronize your breathing with the stretch: inhale to prepare, then exhale as you deepen into the stretch, allowing your muscles to relax.
- Adjust the ball's position relative to your hip to find the most effective stretch; moving it slightly closer or further can target different areas of the side body.
Common Mistakes
- ×Rounding the back instead of side bending reduces the target muscle stretch; instead, focus on lengthening your side body by imagining your ribs moving away from your hip.
- ×Not stabilizing the lower body by allowing your hips to shift or rotate diminishes the stretch; keep your hips anchored against the ball to maximize the stretch in your obliques and lats.
- ×Holding your breath restricts muscle relaxation; instead, breathe deeply and slowly throughout the stretch to encourage muscle lengthening and a deeper, more effective stretch.
Related Exercises
Exercise Ball Lower Back Prone Stretch
Target your lower back and latissimus dorsi with this gentle prone stretch using an exercise ball.
Exercise Ball Lat Stretch
Deeply stretch your latissimus dorsi muscles with an exercise ball. Improve upper body flexibility, posture, and reduce back stiffness effectively.
Exercise Ball Lower Back Stretch (Pyramid)
Gently stretch your latissimus dorsi and lower back using an exercise ball. This passive stretch helps improve flexibility and relieve tension.
Exercise Ball Lying Side Lat Stretch
Deeply stretch your latissimus dorsi and improve spinal mobility with this exercise ball side lat stretch.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Assisted Oblique And Latissimus Dorsi Stretch On Stability Ball in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free