As you know, I have been living in Russia for the past 7 months, and there isn’t a lot to do for entertainment. My entertainment 90 percent of the time I’m here involves working out. I love to work out on my own, and something I felt would be super useful while I’m out here was to bring my own physioball. I can get a complete full-body workout with just a simple ball. Specifically, I like to focus more on my core while using the ball, because we all know as an athlete, regardless of the sport, having a strong core is vital for success.

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I learned a lot of exercises from growing up and going through multiple trainers and my strength and conditioning coach at South Carolina. They taught me tons of ways to make sure I maintain a strong core without having all the machines and resources that I would have back home in the states. I also learned that regardless of how many hours you spend doing crunches or working only on your core, it all starts in the kitchen. Having that healthy balance of foods to go along with your intense core workouts will bring you the best results. I have video of one of my favorite exercises that gives me a good burn and photographs of more that are simple yet efficient.

Remember, you need your core for everything! Not just basketball players, all athletes, and you can improve yours just by using this ball for 25-30 minutes out the day. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Perform each exercise for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps. You can add or subtract sets and reps if you find it too easy or difficult. But make sure to track your workouts and continue to challenge yourself.

Physioball Rollout

Physioball Crunches

 

Leg Extensions

 

Physioball Sit-Ups

 

Physioball Pike

Physioball Plank

 

READ MORE: “My Road to the WNBA,” by Tiffany Mitchell of the Indiana Fever