Medicine Ball Exercises and Their Benefits

Written by Gouher Munshi Updated on November 19, 2023

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Medicine balls are popular for 3000 years to help patients with injury for recovery. These days medicine balls have become famous for training bodies, improving balance, and toning up bodies.

It comes with a wide range of weights from 1-kg to 10 kg and shapes with handles, straps, and inflatable, etc. Medicine balls offer users a different portable tool to shape the body and reduce fat.

What Do You Need?

Table of Contents

Medicine ball of 3-10 lbs

Take a ball that is not too big but huge enough to slow your motion.

What Should be Aim?

Have the aim of better coordination and accuracy and not how many sets or reps to perform at one go.

Reps Per Set

Begin with 5-10 reps every set. Once you get the hand of workouts, you can do up to 10-15 reps every set.

Duration

Begin with 10-minutes of medicine ball workout every other day. Once you feel more comfortable, increase the exercise duration to 20-45 minutes every other day.

Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine Ball Exercises For Toned Abs

Overhead Slam

Beginning Position

Grasp a medicine ball. Stand and keep feet at shoulder-width apart, and the knees slightly bent.

Steps to Do it?

Raise the medicine ball on the head.
Flex at your hips, joining forward. Do not flex back.
Push the ball directly in the front direction but not hard.
Balancing is helpful.
Do this workout 10-times to do one set. It will take 5-minutes of time

Precaution

Try to flex your knees lightly and do not squat. Keep your shoulders relaxed and let core engaged.

V-Up

Beginning Position

Lie down on the back and take the medicine ball overhead. Place your legs stretched and keep your core engaged.

Steps to Do it?

Raise hands and legs in the form of V.
Pass the ball from hands to between ankles.
Then, go back to the beginning pose.
Raise hands and legs upward simultaneously and move the ball from in between ankles to hand and go back to the starting position.
Perform 10-reps to do one set in 7-minutes.

Precaution

Put arms and legs straight as you form a V shape.

Split Push-Up Knee Tuck

Beginning Position

Imagine the push-up position using legs kept a little wider than hip-width. Place right palm over the top of the medicine ball.

Steps to Do it?

Manage and lower down your body.
Bend left knee and get it near the ball.
Hold it for one second and then get the left leg back to its original position.
Come back to the beginning position and take the ball with your left palm.
Again, lower down the body and get the right knee near the ball.
Hold the ball for one second and get the leg back to its original pose. It is one rep. Perform five reps to total one set, which takes 8-minutes.

Precaution

When you expect the push-up position, don’t point your elbows outward. Keep them in a nonpartisan position where they are neither confronting outward nor excessively near the body.

Straight-Leg Sit-Up

Beginning Position

Lie flat over your back and take the medicine ball with both hands.

Steps to Do?

Stretch the arms upward to make the medicine ball is over the hips.
Keep legs together and gently lift them, and form L shape, then lower legs.
Perform 10-reps to complete one set. It will take 7-minutes of time.

Precaution

Avoid taking legs beyond your hips’ height and balance them straight.

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Medicine Ball Russian Twist

Beginning Position

Sit on the ground and keep knees bent and feet level on the floor. Take a medicine ball using both hands.

Steps to Do?

Keep knees bent, raise legs, form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Balance your body with hips and keep core muscles engaged.
Turn body to your left and touch the floor using a medicine ball.
Then, turn the body to the right and reach the floor using a medicine ball.
Perform 10-reps to do one set in 4-mins.

Precaution

Avoid keeping feet down over the ground.Â

Medicine Ball Exercises for The Legs and Hips

Medicine Ball Burpees

Beginning Position

Stand straight and keep feet at hip-width and take a medicine ball near the chest with both hands.

Steps to Do It?

Squat down and keep the medicine ball over the floor. Manage arms stretched. Push on top of the ball and change body weight to the ball.
Jump backward and form a plank pose. Then, quickly jump legs back in and come back squat pose.
Quickly stand and press the medicine ball on the head. Perform 10-reps to complete one set of 8-minutes.

Precaution

Make sure to do proper squatting and balance body before jumping back on feet.

Single-Leg Squat

Beginning Position

Hold the medicine ball using both hands near the chest. Stand and keep feet at hip-width and knees slightly bent.

Steps to Do it?

Raise left foot over the ground and stretch it front direction.
Liftback and keep left foot beside the right foot.
Lift the right foot above the ground and stretch it forward.
Squat down and come back upward again.
Perform 10-reps to do one set in 8-minutes.

Precaution

Avoid bending knees outward during squatting.

Medicine Ball Sumo Squat

Beginning Position

Stand straight with feet kept at hip-width apart and the toes pointing outward. Take the medicine ball in front using both hands.

Steps To Do it?

Take a breath and lower down the body like squat until thighs are level to the ground and let core engage. Lower down your hands.
Stand back upward and breathe out.
Now, place your shoulders lose, press glutes, and stretch hands overhead. Pause for one second and lower hands and squat again.
Do 10-reps to complete one set in 9-minutes.

Precaution

Balance your movement and avoid rushing. You can also perform a partial squat but balance straight back.

Single-Leg Hip Bridge

Beginning Position

Lie level on your back. Put your right knee bent, right foot on top of a medication ball, and your left leg stretched. Keep your hands on your side, with the palms level on the floor.

Steps to Do?

Raise the left leg and make sure it is perpendicular to the ground.
Support body over right foot, push hips up.
Hold this pose for one second and then take down hips.
Perform this using the left foot on the medicine ball and keep the right leg straight upward.
Do 10-reps to perform one set in 8-minutes.
Do 10-reps to complete one set.

Precaution

Avoid pushing hips upward using your palms. Do not lower your pelvis on any other side.

Medicine Ball Workout for The Shoulders and Arms

Shoulder Press

Beginning Position

Stand and keep feet at hip-width apart. Take a medicine ball in both hands.

Steps To Do it?

Stretch the arms above the head and take a pause for one second and then lower down hands back to the beginning pose.
Perform 15-reps to do one set for 5-minutes.

Precaution

Use a medicine ball, which is not much heavy to raise but heavy to activate your shoulder and arm muscles.Â

Medicine Ball Bicep Curl

Beginning Position

Keep your feet at a hip gap and stand, then hold a medicine ball (heavyweight) near your chest with your hands.

Steps To Do?

Gently lower down your hands until they are completely stretched towards the floor.
Pause for one second and then rotate hands back upward to the beginning position.
Perform 20 reps to complete one set, which will take 8-minutes.
Precaution
Let your shoulders relaxed and engage the core while doing this workout.

Figure-8 Scoop

Beginning Position

Stand straight and keep feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Take a medicine ball near the chest and keep shoulders relaxed.

Steps to Do it?

Lunge on left and ladle the ball down to the out of left thigh.
Push left foot to stand straight and get the ball back upward on the head.
Again, lunge over right and ladle the ball down to the out of right thigh.
Push right foot to stand straight and get the ball back upward above the head. Do ten reps to complete one set in 10 minutes.

Precaution

Balance your back straight while doing a lunge.

Medicine Ball Tricep Extension

Beginning Position

Stand straight by keeping feet at a hip-width distance and hold a medicine ball, and stretch arms above head. Keep core engaged.

Steps To Do it?

Bent elbows and reduce the ball back of the head until the forearms are at 45 degrees with upper arms.
Press the triceps and pull your arms back upward.
Do a 15-reps to complete a set in 8-minutes.

Precaution

Balance your arms near to ears.

Medicine Ball Exercises for The Back & Chest

Medicine Ball Superman

Starting Position

Lie with face down on the ground or a mat. Take a medicine ball in both hands. Keep your arms stretched in the front direction.

Steps to Do it?

Lift arms and legs gently and one by one. Go as high as possible for you.
Pause for two seconds and then come back to the beginning pose.
Perform 10-reps to complete one set in seven minutes.

Precaution

Take your doctor’s advice before doing this workout if you have back pain.

Medicine Ball Push-Up

Beginning Position

Think of the push-up position. Put your palms near and on top of a medication ball.

Steps to Do it?

Breathe in and bring down your body till your chest contacts the medication ball.
Pull your body back upward and breathe out.
Do 5-reps to finish 1-set. You can complete 2-sets or increment the number of reps for 8-minutes.

Precaution

Avoid keeping palms at more distance.

Sit-Up With Chest Press

Beginning Position

Repose level on your back. Take the medication ball before your chest with two hands. Put your knees somewhat bowed.

Steps To Do it?

Pull your chest area up, flex your knees, get into a sitting position, and expand your arms completely in the front.
Rests and level your legs, take your hands back to the beginning position.
Do 10-reps to complete one set in 8-minutes.

Precaution

Avoid rushing and take the time to learn how to perform this exercise to skip injuries.

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Catch and Overhead Throw

Beginning Position

Remain before a wall by keeping your feet at hip-width separated. Hold a medication ball with both hands overhead.

Steps to Do?

Flex elbows and reduce forearms back your head till they form 45-degree with your upper arms. Now, push forward with the medicine ball.
Perform 15-reps to do one set in 12 minutes.

Precaution

Stand near enough to the wall to catch the ball.

Medicine Ball Complete-Body Exercises

Lunge with Twist

Beginning Position

Remain with your feet hip-width separated, shoulders loose, and core engaged. Broaden your arms front and take a medicine ball with both your hands.

Steps to Do it?

Place right foot front, bend the left knee, and lower down your body. Your knees should reach the floor.
Turn body toward the right.
Pause for one second and then turn your back to the center.
Raise the body upward and go back to the beginning point.
Do 10-reps to complete one set for 8-minutes.

Precaution

Skip doing this workout if you have a knee injury.

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Squat Press Throw

Beginning Position

Stand with feet at hip-width and take medicine ball in hands.

Steps to Do it?

Lower down your body like squat and throw the medicine ball upward with full force.

Stand again once you perform to do so.

Perform 15 reps to complete one set in 12-minute.

Precaution

Take a step back as you throw the ball upward to avoid hitting.

Rock And Roll-Up

Beginning Position

Lie down on the ground with the knees bent and feet level on the floor. Take the medicine ball with arms completely stretched overhead.

Steps to Do it?

Draw your knees to your chest and get your hands towards your knees.
Utilize this power to pull your body up. Expect the squat posture and afterward stand upright.
Delay for a second, squat once more, put your buttocks first on the floor and return to the beginning position. Do 5-reps to complete one set for 10-minutes to complete one set for 10-minute.

Precaution

Avoid rushing and take your own time to do this workout.

Power Cross Chop

Beginning Position

Stand and keep feet at hip-width and take a medicine ball in front of the chest.

Steps To Do it?

Manage your core engaged, turn torso to left, and get the medicine ball over the left shoulder.
Now, instantly get the ball toward and across the right thigh.
Lunge alternatively as you perform step 2, with your left knee bent and right leg supporting body weight.
Lift body and get back to the beginning point and do again for left. Perform 10-reps to complete one set for 7-minutes.

Precaution

Lunge correctly and squat down the body with knees reaching to the floor.

Benefits Of Medicine Ball

Develop Bursting Power And Develop Body Strength

Bursting power is the ability to push out the highest amount of force in a little amount of time. The more energy you can generate when you tense the muscle, the powerful the force you can produce fast. This explosive power depends on the body strength in specific parts and movement in which the training is influenced. Any series that combined movement with medicine balls, such as ball throw, squat altogether will get out these both benefits.

Movement Accuracy, Enhance Speed, For Physical Preparation

While warming up and preparing up sections before any competitive sports and medicine balls practice can help players or athletes also boost their accuracy and speed of their movements.

By generating some certain actions with medicine weighted balls, high-performing sports, or athletesâ€™ people can move their bodies in different ways, proactively react, and position their body during interacting with teammates.

Provide Flexible, Full-Body Workouts

Medicine balls force core muscles to engage more, regardless of the primary muscle group targeted. This way you can have more full-body exercise, which can help to burn more calories and improve your fitness. Therefore, combining different training will help to increase body capability. Furthermore, catching and throwing the ball alone or with others will boost hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and body balance while letting you react with the moving of the medicine ball.

Promote Recovery Post Injuries

Medicine ball exercises are the most reliable way to recover following injury or surgeries. The medicine balls are very useful in regenerating the endurance of the body response. The specific parts that they help the most are shoulders, spinal, and knee injuries.

Patients are commonly instructed to utilize the lightweight ball at first, then slowly increase the ball’s weight as your recovery process increase. Furthermore, some exercises can be created to help to increase fluidity and strength of calf or thigh muscles specifically.Â

Improve Socialization Experience And Teamwork

While most of the gym exercises can be performed by yourself, practicing with these weighted balls can be performed with another partner or friend to get more fun into the exercise. Engage with another person to increase the variety of training and positive mood.

Group training with a ball can have team members bouncing, rolling, passing, and tossing the ball back and front between the team to target various muscle groups. It will help to straighten up their energetic feeling by training and playing at the same time.

How to Choose A Medicine Ball Size?

If you are new to medicine ball workout and not sure which Dynamax medicine ball weight to purchase, then here is the right information. There is a misconception regarding medicine balls that it is better to purchase a heavier ball instead of a lighter ball.

After all, weight=strength? No, it’s wrong. The essential thing for successful medicine ball exercise is to utilize a size/weight, which off complete resistance while enhancing the speed and athletic motion.

How appropriate a medication ball can ingest sway is a more reliable performance sign than its size since its responsibility is to be gotten, tossed, and hit with high speed and power.

Recommended Medicine Ball Weight

As per the American-Council-of-Exercise (ACE), a decent beginning load for medication ball preparing is between 4 to 15 pounds. We likewise accept that 4, 6, and 8-pound medication balls are incredible for beginners and specialists the same. Whichever medication ball weight you pick, recollect that you can generally begin little and stir your way up to the heavier loads. Remember that your medicine ball should be weighty enough to slow your development, not ruin it.

When to Use a Small Size VS Heavy Size Medicine Ball

Small

Lighter Dynamax medicine balls are suitable for high-speed sets that are done with quality, power, endurance, and speed. Although small weight medicine balls still help to promote overall coordination, strength, cardiovascular health, and fitness level.

Large

Heavy size medicine balls are created for slower and high strength-focused workouts. You will perform some reps and sets using a heavy medicine ball, but you will develop raw strength in place of speed, agility, and power.

Why Use a Medicine Ball?

The renewal of medicine balls has the arrival of plyometric training and requirements for upper body workout. Medicine ball workouts can be more effective in boosting muscular power. Movement speed is a critical factor in power development. Polymetric raises the power of the movement by limiting the natural elastic components of the tendons and muscles as well as the stretch reflex. These quick movements grow high power from strong muscular actions. When training for power, resistance acceleration without deceleration is necessary. Therefore, as a load is raised, it would be excellent to skip slowing the weight down at the end of the workout movement. It can be prevented by throwing or releasing the workout movement.

Considering that it is safe and more likely to throw a weighted, padded ball than a full barbell, medicine balls are constantly used in strength training to provide speed without deceleration. As with any workout method, medicine ball training is one of the different tools in a person’s routine. Medicine ball workout boost variety by showing a novel stimulus for physiological change. Exercise with a medicine ball helps to increase complete body power, muscular flexibility, and endurance.

How Heavy Should Be the Medicine Ball?

People are more likely to choose a heavy ball than needed. The general rule when choosing a medicine ball is that the ball must be heavy enough to noticeably slow down the motion, but not heavy that controls range of motion or accuracy. Remember that fatigue at the end of an exercise will lower motor skills. Therefore, if you lose control, then the medicine ball becomes heavier. For extra resistance and general muscular endurance workout, such as weighted sit-ups, choose a weight that allows doing the desired amount of repetitions without leaving methods and control. For strength training, it is advised that the weight of the medicine ball should be around 30-50% of the one-repetition maximum of the same weight training exercise.

When To Increase Medicinal Ball Weight?

Following the rules of progressive overload, as you feel stronger and more economical in movement, then you will require to progress to increase size.

Should I Choose Rubber Or A Leather Medicine Ball?

It also depends on your workout level. If the exercises need a bouncing ball, a rubber ball can be suitable. As a guide when choosing a rubber ball, it should bounce 2-3 times when dropped. If the ball will be utilized for throw-&-catch, nylon or leather ball may be preferred.

Is It Better To Begin With A Lighter Or Heavy Ball?

When choosing between two weights, it is good, to begin with, a light medicinal ball and slowly work up to high resistance. It will ensure that the right movement method and form are not engaged.

Is One Medicinal Ball Usable For All Exercises?

The shape and size of the medicine ball used will differ depending on the workout being done. It is essential to remember that strength and multi-joint workouts, such as the back overhead medicine ball throw or the above head medicinal ball squat, might need a larger size ball in order to work muscles adequately.

However, a workout performed with a medicinal ball at arm’s length that feels manageable when held near to the body may be heavier when carried away from your body.

Sources

https://blogs.umass.edu/

https://www.stylecraze.com/

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