Medicine balls are a common site in just about all of our gyms and they’re a fantastic tool to help improve your strength, co-ordination and performance, whatever your fitness goals may be.
Here, we take a closer look at five superb exercises, taught by our Master Trainer, Sue W that will help you get the most from these pieces of equipment when utilising them either in one of Everyone Active’s gyms or at home.
5 Medicine Ball Exercises
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Medicine Ball Squat Throw
Begin this exercise in the squat position, holding the medicine ball in front of you. Then, you need to drive up through your legs and extend your arms above your head, throwing the medicine ball upwards. Catch the ball, return to the original squat position and repeat several times.
Benefits of the Medicine Ball Squat Throw
This is a great all-body workout, targeting your glutes, thighs, your upper body and your core, as well as giving you a cardio hit at the same time. It’s ideal for strengthening your glutes and your thigh muscles, as well as your chest and your arms, while the fast movement will get your heart and lungs going too, giving you a great cardio workout.
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Lunge with an Overhead Sweep
Stand with the medicine ball in front of you and your feet a small distance apart. Engage your core, push your shoulders back and take a lunge forward with one leg and raise your arms with the ball directly above your head. Make sure you keep your back straight and you alternate which leg you lunge with after each repetition.
Benefits of the Lunge with an Overhead Sweep
As with any lunge exercise, this workout helps build strength in your quadriceps and your glutes, as well as improving core strength and stability.
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Rolling Push Up
Begin either on your knees or on your toes, depending on how hard you want to work and get into a normal push up position with one hand on the medicine ball. Execute one push up, roll the ball across to the other hand and repeat.
Benefits of the Rolling Push Up
As with any push up, this exercise specifically targets your triceps, but is great for building strength and stability in your core as well because all the time you’re executing this exercise, it’s important that you keep your abs engaged.
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Russian Twist
Before starting this exercise, it’s vitally important you’re in the correct position. Sit with your knees bent in front of you, back straight, chest out and then lean back slightly from your hips, keeping your spine straight. You then take the ball and touch it to the floor on either side of you. To make it a bit tougher, you can pick your feet up off the floor and do exactly the same as before.
Benefits of the Russian Twist
This exercise is all about building core strength and stability, as well as boosting the ability of your back to resist rotational forces.
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Semi Lunge Sweep
Begin in a semi lunge position, down on one knee and hold the medicine ball on the same side as the knee that you are kneeling on. Take it up above your head and, at the same time, lean forward slightly on that front knee. Once you’ve completed one repletion, swap sides and keep going, ensuring you’ve done an equal number of reps on both sides.
Benefits of the Semi Lunge Sweep
This exercise specifically targets the muscles at the front of our hips, improving their strength, stability and their flexibility, while it also works the shoulder muscles and your triceps.
So, next time you’re in the gym, or using your medicine ball at home, why not give some of these a go and see what difference they make?