Medicine ball strength exercises are a great way to add variety to your current weight routine.
Workouts are more fun when you vary your routine. Challenging your body in new ways helps it grow and change. A medicine ball allows greater versatility and range of motion because it can be throw in the air, at the ground, or tossed. You can use it all on your own or with a partner. A big benefit of using a medicine ball is the focus on multiple muscle groups working together (aka bigger bang for your buck)!
A medicine ball is easy-to-use, is a low-cost fitness tool, and serves many purposes.
Based on your size and strength, select a medicine ball between 4 and 15 pounds (medicine balls come in a variety of weights from 2-25 pounds).
Make sure the weight you select does not compromise your form, and always remember to do a warm-up before any type of strength training.
BENEFITS
1. Builds explosive strength
2. Challenges your core
3. Works your balance
4. Improves hand-eye coordination
5. Full body workout – strength and/or cardio (aka great calorie burn)
6. Adds an element of fun
7. Adds variety
8. No gym needed
9. Doesn’t take up much space
10. Can be done inside or outside
WORKOUT
1. Wood Chop (10 ea. side)
2. Reverse Lunge w/Swing (10 ea. side)
3. Side Lunge (aka Skater Lunge) w/Press (10 ea. side)
4. Single-Arm Pushup (10 ea. side)
5. Single-Leg Butt Bridge (10 ea. side)
6. Sit-Up Slam (10 ea. side)
You can do all repetitions on one side like shown above, or feel free to alternate them. Rest for 1 minute. Repeat 2-3x. If one set is all you can handle right now no problem, you have to start somewhere. Something is better than nothing. Work your way up to 3 sets. Once it isn’t challenging increase your weight, but increase by 2 pound increments.
As always, let me know your thoughts. Do you use a medicine ball currently in your workouts? Why or why not?
Have fun with it and let me know how it goes.
Shine Brightly,
Ali
P.S. For more medicine ball exercises, check out these core exercises.
