Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Exercise Ball Hug: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The exercise ball hug is a gentle movement performed on a stability ball, focusing on stretching and mobilizing the spine while engaging the core. It is suitable for improving flexibility and mobility in the back, with secondary engagement of the shoulders and chest.

Primary muscles
Not recorded
Secondary muscles
Chest , Shoulders
Equipment
Stability Ball
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the exercise ball hug
Front view: muscles worked by the exercise ball hug. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the exercise ball hug. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the exercise ball hug

  1. Step 1: Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
  2. Step 2: Hold the stability ball with both hands, hugging it close to your chest.
  3. Step 3: Engage your core muscles and slowly lean back, keeping your back straight and your feet planted on the ground.
  4. Step 4: Continue leaning back until you feel a stretch in your back muscles.
  5. Step 5: Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the exercise ball hug by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.