I tried using a Pilates ball for a week to see if it could help me get a stronger core—here's why I recommend it

I’ve been a bit of a cardio queen lately. Training for a half marathon had me prioritizing long runs over my usual gym workouts.

I loved the race, the training and the sense of accomplishment at the finish line. But afterward, I noticed a strain in my lower back and knew I had to change gears before it turned into a full-blown injury.

That’s when I turned to the Pilates ball. I’ve used the Pilates ball for abs work in the past and loved the way it supported my lower back while targeting the deeper, hard-to-reach core muscles.

So I committed to seven days of core-focused workouts with this soft, squishy exercise ball and a JOJALife YouTube video as my guide.

I did it every day, as I was confident I had the core strength to do this, but if you're new to this kind of workout limit yourself to two or three times a week.

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An inexpensive Pilates ball like this one can have a huge impact on your workouts. Place it underneath your glutes when you perform moves like the Pilates toe tap and your core muscles will be forced to work harder to stabilize your torso. Or place it behind the small of your back during crunches to add some support.

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How to do the Pilates ball core workout

Pilates Ball Core | JOJA - YouTube

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This JOJAlife 11-minute Pilates ball core workout includes 19 abs-focused exercises with little rest between moves. You’ll perform each move for 30 seconds and transition straight into the next move.

Here’s everything that happened after I did the routine for seven days.

I got stronger without straining my back

Placing the ball behind the small of my back gave my lower spine the support it needed to focus entirely on engaging my deep abdominal muscles. Unlike traditional crunches, I didn’t feel the need to tug on my neck to lift my torso. Instead, the ball gently guided me through each move, allowing me to maximize core engagement with slow, controlled movements.

I experienced the burn

By the second or third exercise, I experienced that famous ‘Pilates burn’. I loved having the ball under my pelvis when doing leg raises too. The elevation of my hips helped ramp up the engagement of my lower abs as well as my core muscles which had to work harder to keep my body stable and balanced.

My abs felt tighter

After a week of this enjoyable routine, my abs felt tighter and stronger. Using these gentle but tough Pilates moves also took any strain off my hip flexors which can often feel overworked when doing sit-ups.

On another side note, this workout was core-based—and core-based only—so it didn't target my upper or lower body. However, I enjoyed doing this slow and controlled routine so much that I'm now excited to try longer routines like this beginner Pilates workout.