Kaley Cuoco Pulled Off the Stability Ball Kneeling Hold

This advanced move fires up your core and inner thigh muscles, testing your balance and coordination along the way.

Recognized for her dedication to fitness, actress Kaley Cuoco has never failed to provide quality workout content. Her ability to master jump rope exercises and post-workout yoga selfies are just a few examples of this. Recently, Cuoco took to Instagram to show her followers a complicated balancing act that she accomplished during a fitness session.

In the shared video, Cuoco can be seen skillfully balancing on her knees on an exercise ball. To stay steady, she uses two Stick Mobility Sticks (Buy It, $169, stickmobility.com), one on each side. The actress points out in the video how difficult the task is, stating, "This is way harder than it looks — way harder."

To take the challenge up a notch, Cuoco's trainer, Ryan Sorensen, instructs her to let go of the mobility sticks and balance solely on the ball. Initially hesitant, Cuoco eventually drops one stick, then the other, managing to balance on the exercise ball for a few moments before toppling over.

Working out on a stability ball, as demonstrated by Kaley Cuoco, is more than just an exhibition of balance. The exercise, known as a stability ball kneeling hold, calls for core and posture activation, as well as trunk stability. According to Sorensen, this exercise is particularly beneficial for Cuoco due to her love for horse riding, which necessitates coordination, posture, adductor strength, and core strength. Jen Widerstrom, a fitness director who hasn't trained with Cuoco personally, appreciates the unique challenges posed by any stability ball exercise. Operating from an unstable base naturally stimulates the core in a different manner, resulting in 'higher muscle recruitment'. Unlike a regular sit-up that targets your rectus abdominis, balance ball training involves your entire core in a 360-degree, unpredictable manner. This type of training focuses on the transverse abdominis, wrapping around your core similarly to a corset. Widerstrom also notes that exercises like these can enhance your performance in other workout routines by creating deeper core inclusion, thereby providing stability. However, Cuoco's workout is quite advanced and requires a substantial amount of skill. Widerstrom regards it as a brain-training exercise that serves as a fun challenge and an excellent warm-up or finisher. An advanced progression of this exercise would be to balance on the ball without the support of mobility sticks. Sorensen used these sticks to provide Cuoco with stability; however, you could use PVC pipes or even someone's hand for additional stability.

URBNFit Exercise Ball

Before you delve into the complex stages of this endeavor, Sorensen counsels taking a gradual approach. To start off safely, ensure your environment is secure to prevent any accidents if you lose equilibrium. This means there should be ample space around and a cushioned landing surface. Assistance from a spotter is also beneficial for safety measures. Initiate by positioning yourself on all fours atop the ball, then slowly advance to a seated posture with both hands resting on the sticks, he advises. Once you've honed this, you can proceed to remove one stick at a time until achieving balance without them. Regardless of which progression stage you're at, you'll likely concur with Cuoco's statement about the difficulty level being deceptive.