stability balls

For moms who feel a little off balance after having baby, invest in a stability ball! Women who used the rotund objects during labor can just dust theirs off once they get their doctor's OK to exercise. Our friends over at Equinox set me up with Amy Fiske, NSCA-certified personal trainer who is helping me get back in shape. Here are some of the exercises she has me doing. She said:

Body Weight Wall Squat. It works the quads, calves and glutes. Hold the ball behind you and stand so that the ball is pressed between your back and the wall. Place your feet in front of your body about hip distance apart. The center of the ball should be against the lower back. Keep in contact with the ball and lower your body by bending your knees until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold down there for one to two seconds and then return to your start position.

Rollout. This is for core stability. Get on your knees behind the ball. Place your forearms on the ball, your back should be naturally arched and your abdominal pulled in. Slowly roll the ball forward, keeping your abs braced, extending the arms out straight and not allowing the back to collapse. If you begin to feel it in your back you have either gone too far or lost control of the abs. Use your core to pull the ball back to the start position.

To see the rest of the exercises, read more