Medicine Ball & Exercises

A Medicine ball also known as exercise ball or a med ball is a ball with size of roughly the diameter of shoulders approximately 13.7 inches, and is used for rehabilitation and strength training. It should not be confused with the larger inflated exercise ball as it is smaller in size but a lot heavier than the exercise ball. The balls are usually sold as 2- 25 lbs and some up to 150 pounds!! Made up of ether, nylon, vinyl, rubber, polyurethane and other materials it is also used popularly among sports persons to increase their explosive powers among athletes.

When choosing a ball the most important part is choosing the weight of the ball so as it is neither too heavy nor too light and gives you the perfect balance of weight and speed. For each move aim for 10 to 15 reps and improve as you continue practicing.

Workouts You Can Do With Exercise Ball

Rock and Roll Up

This exercise though may be a tough one but it hits all the major muscle group of your body. In its one swift move it affects all parts of your body. Lie down on the ground on your back with knees bent. Hold a medicine ball on the ground with arms fully extended overhead. Pull your knees into your chest, preparing to use the weight of the ball to help land you into a controlled squatting position. Now slowly lower back into a squat and ease back to the floor.

Lunge with Overhead Press

Stand with your feet together and hold a light medical weight in front of your chest in both hands. Now lift the right foot off the floor bending the knee and hold this position for one count and then step into a lunge. Now shift your body weight to your leg and reach the medical ball over head. While still in the lunge pull the ball back to the chest, and bring the front leg back to the starting position and repeat.

Single Leg Squat

Stand with your legs parting to the width of your hips and knees slightly bent. Lift one of the right legs off the ground and extend it forward. Now hold the ball in front of your stomach lower the body into a squat position sitting on an imaginary chair on one leg. Return to the normal position and begin with other leg.

Rolling Pushup

You know how a normal pushup works; the rolling push up is a slight variation of the normal chest pushups with a little twist. In this you use the medicine ball in your pushup and make it more challenging. Take a med ball and hold it under your one hand in the high plank position, now with the help of both the hands try to lean your chest towards the ground like a normal pushup. Return to the high plank and move the ball to the other hand and continue with the same step.

V-UP

This exercise helps one to strengthen the core muscles, which are the muscles from the upper body till the waist. Lie flat on your back stretching your legs, taking the medical ball in your hands and stretch them over your body. Engage the core to lift the hands and feet simultaneously so the body forms a “V” position. When you are at the top, shift the ball from your hands to your feet and slowly come back to the lying position. Repeat the step and this time change the ball from your feet to your hands.