NCPAD HomePage

By Phil Page, MS, PT, ATC, CSCS & Andre Labbe, PT

The Thera-Band® Exercise Ball Program for Kids is designed specifically for physical education programs.
Using an exercise ball helps increase muscle activity and improves strength and balance. By adding Thera- Band® Soft Weight exercise balls and Resistive Bands kids can get a complete workout.


  • Remember to warm-up/cool-down
  • Stretch before and after exercises
  • Maintain proper posture and keep back straight
  • Perform slow and controlled motions
  • Breathe properly during each exercise
  • Don't perform exercises that cause pain
  • Always inspect balls before use and discard if damaged
  • Avoid sharp objects or jewelry during exercise
  • Contact your physician before beginning a program
  • Use a ball size that allows the knees and hips to remain at 90º

Taking precautions before starting




Lay on your back with the exercise ball under your knees. Lift your shoulders off the mat, crunching your stomach. Hold & slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Crunch on back




Lay on your back with the exercise ball under your knees. Lift your rear off the mat, making your body straight. Hold & slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Bridge on back




Lay with your back on the ball and your feet on the floor. Lift your rear upward, making your trunk and hips into a "table top". Hold and slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Table Top




From the Table Top position, lift your shoulder blades upward, crunching your abdomen. Hold and slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Curl-Up




Sit on an exercise ball. Keeping your back straight, lift one leg at a time. Hold & slowly return; repeat on other leg. Progress to raising arms with your legs. Keep the ball steady.

Leg Arm Raises




Lay on your stomach on the exercise ball. Keeping your back straight, lift one leg at a time. Hold & slowly return; repeat on the other leg. Progress to lifting opposite arm and legs. Keep the ball steady.

Hip Extension




Begin by getting on top of ball face-down, and roll your body so that the ball is under your lower legs. Perform a push-up, keeping your back straight. Slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Push-up




Kneel with the ball secured under your hips and your chest on top of the ball. Lift your chest off the ball. Hold and slowly return; be careful not to over-extend your back. Keep the ball steady.

Back Extension




Begin in the Table Top position, holding a Soft Weight in each hand at shoulder level. Extend your elbows upward, lifting the Soft Weights toward the ceiling. Hold and slowly return. Keep the exercise ball steady.

Table top bench press




Begin in the Table Top position, holding a Soft Weight in each hand with your elbows extended upward. Lower the Soft Weights, keeping your elbows straight. Hold and slowly return. Keep the exercise ball steady.

Table top flies




Begin sitting on an exercise ball, holding a Soft Weight in each hand at shoulder level. Extend your elbows upward, lifting the Soft Weights toward the ceiling. Hold and slowly return. Keep the exercise ball steady.

Over head press




Begin sitting on an exercise ball, holding a Soft Weight in each hand at waist level. Extend your arms outward, lifting the Soft Weights toward the ceiling with your elbows straight. Hold and slowly return. Keep the exercise ball steady.

Lateral Raise




Sit on an exercise ball with one band between the partners, held at chest level. Rotate away from your partner and slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Trunk twist




Sit on an exercise ball with one band between the partners, held with arms extended overhead. Lean your trunk away from your partner and slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Trunk side bend




Sit on an exercise ball with the end of a band in each hand, held at waist level. Pull the bands away from each other, bending elbows. Slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Seated Row




Sit on an exercise ball with the end of a band in each hand, held at shoulder level level. Push the bands away from each other, straightening the elbows. Slowly return. Keep the ball steady.

Seated Press




Taking precautions before starting

Used with permission from the Hygenic Corporation. The use of this document is made possible through a cooperative agreement between the Hygenic Corporation and the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability ( NCPAD). NCPAD is located at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is funded by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC).

THERA-BAND® and Associated Colors are trademarks of The Hygenic Corporation. Reproduction is authorized for educational purposes only. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

© 2004 The Hygenic Corporation. All Rights Reserved. www.Thera-BandAcademy.com.

The information provided here is offered as a service only. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, University of Illinois at Chicago, the National Center on Accessibility, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago do not formally recommend or endorse the equipment listed. As with any products or services, consumers should investigate and determine on their own which equipment best fits their needs and budget.

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
http://www.ncpad.org
ncpad@uic.edu
(800) 900-8086 (voice and TTY)
(312) 355-4058 (facsimile)



This fact sheet was last updated on 01-04-2006.

Add a Fact Sheet Section

Update this Fact Sheet
(edit sheet name, edit organizations, etc.)
Toggle accessibility on/offAccesskeys
(Deactivated)
Activate Accesskeys