Why oh why can't I get along with the fitness ball! I use it for my crunches and usually it goes ok but last night I decided to get brave and try some new ab excersises on the ball. So yeah I basically face planted as I slid off the ball. Thank god I waited to try these till after the good smelling cute guy left the gym!

Anyone else have a love/hate with the fitness ball?!?

It hates me too. It just doesn't seem to want to do the things I want it to do, and the exercises everybody else makes look so easy on them are nightmares for me. Especially that one where you do like a plank and roll the ball with your feet/legs up to your chest. I gave up on it.

I love the roll ins! The first time I tried them, I face planted too. So I modified and started with the ball further up on my leg (around the lower thigh area) and gradually my core strength improved to the point where I could start out in the normal position (with my shins on the ball).
They're tough exercises--it helps if you keep the motion small at first (or even just do planks on the ball til you feel more confident in your balance) and gradually increase it as you get stronger.

The trick with the fitness ball is to keep at it, practice makes perfect... You'll get right eventually just keep at it...

That one I'm okay with, but doing crunches on the ball for the first time last night was awkward! I was already tired from deadlifts, lat pull downs, should presses and lunges, so trying to get on that ball and keep my balance was a recipe for disaster.

I slid off it onto my bum and to be honest I just didn't get up for awhile, haha.

The roll ins were the ones I was trying to do! I don't even think it was my lack of abs that sent me flying...I just think it was my lack of balance! Even in Yoga I can barerly last in my tree for 30 seconds! I really want to work my lower abs though...the pooch down there is driving me bonkers!!

Hey Bright, your balance is tied in with your ab strength. Try just holding steady with your shins on the ball in a plank and slowly work your way up to roll ins. It's all about practice and consistency!