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Top 25 Medicine Ball Workouts

If you are bored with your regular workout routine, it may be time to switch things up. One thing you can do is by incorporating a medicine ball into your workouts that you already do.

They are also known to have many additional benefits like improving muscular power. In addition, the practice and use of medicine balls have been around for almost 2000 years.

However, when using a medicine ball it is important to make sure that you pick the one that is right for you. For instance, make sure that the medicine ball is heavy enough to slow down your motion but it is not too heavy to control at the same time.

What Are The Benefits of a Medicine Ball?

Core Strength

The use of a medicine ball is a great way to help improve and build core strength and build abdominal muscles. All these aspects can help you maintain and develop better balance, posture and proper alignment. There are many exercises that you can do and choose from when using a medicine ball to help improve and better your core strength.

Strength Training

Are you tired of the free weights and weight machines and need an alternative to help with your strength training? Well using a medicine ball can be a great alternative for you. This is because a medicine ball is often used to help strength training and help build muscle mass when doing certain exercises.

Rehabilitation

A medicine ball is usually used to help with the rehabilitation of certain muscle groups to help you recover from injury or a surgery. Therefore, with repeated use of the medicine ball over just a few days you can help stabilize muscles and help them start working again.

Stretching

The use of a medicine ball is a great way to help push through certain stretches. The movements will make you push farther into the stretch by focusing on the ball. In addition, it also allows you to increase your range of motion which helps with your ability of being flexible.

Medicine Ball Exercises

Full Body Works

Source: Women's Health Mag

1. Knee Toss Unders

1. Standing in a wide split, hold the ball at your chest.
2. Bend both knees to lower into a lunge, moving the ball to the inside of your front leg.
3. Then quickly passing it under your leg from hand to hand.
4. Pass the ball over the leg.
5. Repeat 8 times on one leg, and then switch sides.

2. Pass Pushups

1. Come down into the top push up position, placing one hand atop the medicine ball.
2. Do a lopsided pushup.
3. Then Roll the ball from one hand to the other.
4. Do a total of 8 pushups.

3. Golf Swings

1. Hold the ball in both hands in front of one hip.
2. Twist your torso, pivot on your back foot, and swing the ball up and above the opposite shoulder taking your gaze with the ball.
3. Do 8 swings on each side. For a greater stability challenge, kneel down on one knee then do the swing up and across your front knee.

4. Curtsy Extensions

1. Set your feet into a staggered stance, with toes pointed out on a 45-degree angle. Hold the ball overhead with both hands. Bend your knees and lower into a curtsy, while bending your arms back, elbows close to your ears, so the ball goes behind your head.
2. As you slowly straighten your legs, squeeze your inner thighs together and, at the same time, extend your arms up to work your triceps.
3. Do 8 reps, then switch feet and do 8 more.

5. Tuck Drivers

1. Stand upright, hold the ball with both hands and raise one leg in front of you with your knee bent.
2. Extend your arm straight out in front and twist the ball hand over to the right and to left, kind of like a steering wheel.
3. Do 4 reps with one leg raised and repeat on the other leg.

Legs and Glutes

Source: Weight Training

6. Wall Ball

1. Place a medicine ball on the floor 4 to 5 feet away from the wall.
2. Stand directly over the medicine ball and take another one in your hands.
3. Squat down and touch your butt to the medicine ball on the floor.
4. Stand back up and push pass the medicine ball in your hands up in the air against the wall.
5. Catch the ball.

7. Sumo Squat

1. Hold the medicine ball with both hands in the middle of your body and let your arms hang down.
2. Spread your legs so that your feet are 4 to 6 inches wider then shoulder width apart. Point your toes outward as well.
3. Bend at the knees and squat downwards until the medicine call touched the floor and then stand back up.
4. Repeat 8 more times.

8. Vertical Frog Jump

1. Take a medicine ball in your hands, stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, and your toes angled slightly outward.
2. Bend at the knees and squat down.
3. Touch the medicine ball to the ground and then jump up as high as you can.
4. As you jump up extend the medicine ball over your head.
5. Land and then reset your feet before doing the next repetition.

9. Step - Up With Twist

1. Grab a medicine both with both hands and stand behind a bench or step platform.
2. Begin exercise by planting your right foot on the platform and push yourself up.
3. Next, simultaneously bring your left knee up and rotate your torso and medicine ball to the left.
4. Reverse movement back to starting position.
5. Repeat on opposite side.

10. Ice Skater

1. Grab a medicine ball with both hands and hold at stomach level.
2. Begin exercise by stepping to the right and swinging your left leg behind your right leg, while partially squatting down.
3. Rotate your core all the way to the right so that the ball is on the outside of your body and while you are looking behind your body.
4. Reverse the movement and hop onto your left leg.
5. Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Chest and Back

11. Chest Pass

1. Grab a medicine ball and hold with both hands in front of chest. Palms should be facing each other and thumbs pointing towards your face.
2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Weight should be evenly distributed on your feet.
3. Stand about 3 feet away from a concrete wall.
4. Begin exercise by throwing the ball against the wall as hard as you can, extending arms straight out in front of you.
5. Catch ball off the wall, bring back to chest and repeat.

12. Single Arm Medicine Ball Push Up

1. Place a medicine ball on the ground. Assume a standard push-up position with medicine ball under chest.
2. Next, place your left hand on the medicine ball, while leaving your right hand on the ground.
3. Begin exercise by lowering your chest until it is a few inches from the ground while keeping elbows tucked into sides.
4. Push up off the ground as quickly as you can.

Source: Body Building

13. Superman

1. Lie face down on the floor with your arms fully extended in front of you holding the medicine ball.
2. Simultaneously raise your arms, legs, and chest off the floor and hold this contraction for 2 seconds.
3. Slowly begin to lower your arms, legs and chest back down to the start position.
4. Repeat

Source: Spark People

14. Lying Chest Toss

1. Lie down on a stability ball or bench with your feet flat, knees directly above your ankles, abs tight and head and neck in a neutral position.
2. Grip the medicine ball with both hands and hold it just above your chest, elbows bent and pointed out to the sides.
3. Like a bench of chest press, push the ball straight up and toss it into the air above you,
4. Catch the ball and lower it down to your chest to complete one rep.

Shoulders and Arms

Source: Fitness Magazine

15. Pullover

1. Holding medicine ball with both hands, lie face up on a stability ball with head and shoulder blades resting in its center, knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat so that torso is parallel to floor.
2. Keeping abs engaged and hips lifted, extend arms toward ceiling, directly over shoulders

16. Lunge Press

1. Stand with feet-width apart, holding medicine ball with both hands in front of chest, elbows bent by sides.
2. Lunge back with right leg and rotate torso to right, then back to center.

17. Reverse Dunk

1. Lie face up on the floor with knees bent, heels on floor, holding medicine ball with both hands in front of chest, elbows bent by sides.
2. Slowly sit up, keeping abs engaged.

18. Fly Ball

1. Holding medicine ball with both hands, lie face up on stability ball with head and shoulder blades resting on its center, knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat so that torso is parallel to floor.
2. Keeping abs engaged and hips lifted, extend arms toward ceiling directly over shoulders.
3. Shift ball to left hand and slowly lower left arm out to side, maintaining a slight bend in left elbow as right arm remains extended.
4. Bring ball back to center. Shift ball to right hand; repeat to complete one rep.

Source: Exercise.About.com

19. Triceps Extensions

1. Stand or, if you're sitting engage the abs and sit tall.
2. Hold a medicine ball in both hands with the arms extended, arms not to the ears.
3. Keep the shoulders pulled down and away from the ears.
4. Bend the elbows, lowering the ball behind your head until elbows are at 90 degree angles.
5. Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms, taking the ball back up.

Core

Source: Shape.com

20. Power Cross Chop

1. Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, holding the medicine ball at your chest.
2. Brace your abs in tight and twist your torso to the left. Allow your heel to pivot off the floor and bring the ball up over your left shoulder.
3. Quickly chop the ball down and across your right thigh, lunging as you pivot your left heel off the floor.

21. Figure 8 Scoop

1. Hold the medicine ball at your chest and stand with your feet wide. Step your left leg out into a side lunge as you scoop the ball down and to the outside of your left thigh.
2. Press through your right heel to straighten your right leg as you reach the ball up and overhead, quickly reversing the lunge and scoop to the right.

22. Split pushup Knee Tuck

1. Get into a pushup position with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
2. Place your right hand on top of the medicine ball.
3. Balancing on the ball, lower your body into a pushup. As you extend your arms, bend your left knee across your chest towards the ball.
4. Quickly step your left foot back to the floor and repeat.

23. Balancing Burpee

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the ball at your chest.
2. Squat down and place the ball on the floor, keeping your arms extended. Shift your weight into the ball, pressing your hands on top.
3. Quickly jump your feet back into full plank position, still balancing on top of the ball. Brace your abs in tight to help your balance.
4. Jump your feet back in, land in a squat. Quickly stand up and press the ball overhead.

24. Triceps Press Matrix

1. Position yourself on your knees and hold the ball at your chest. Your knees should be slightly wider than your hip, toes pointed.
2. Brace your abs in tight and lean back, keeping your spine straight. As you bring your body back up, extend both arms over head.
3. Bend your elbows and lower the ball behind your head. Extend your arms back up. Quickly bring the ball back in front of your chest as you repeat the lean.

25. Side to Side Slam

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat, and hold the ball at your chest.
2. Brace your abs in tight and lift your legs so they're almost making a 90-degree angle.
3. Rotate your torso to the left and tap the ball on the floor just outside of your left hip.
4. Pull the ball back into your chest and rotate to the right. Continue alternating side to side.

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