If you’ve ever done a Medicine Ball workout, you understand the versatility and challenge it can add to your workouts!
Are there benefits to using a medicine ball over dumbbells? Yes!
- Versatile – you can add a medicine ball to almost any exercise! Most associate medicine balls for core related exercises, but you can work your entire body with them! I even put together a full body medicine ball workout for you to try at the end of this article. Get ready!
- Develop Explosive Power – why bother with that? So think of movements like jumping, pushing, leaping, kicking, throwing, etc. Doing movements like this requires your body to use maximal force to perform them and by adding a medicine ball, it will increase the intensity. By practicing these plyometric movements over time, you’ll notice you burn more calories and you’ll increase your strength & power. Plus! It’s a great way to practice your hand-eye coordination.
- Build Core Strength – medicine balls are fun and easy to add to any core exercise! You can hold a ball while doing crunches for extra resistance or while doing Russian Twists to strengthen your obliques more than you would without the weighted ball. Even adding a medicine ball to workouts like lunges, squats, deadlifts, you’ll need to engage your core to maintain good form and stay balanced during the exercises.
- Partner Friendly – you’ll be able to pass off, toss, or throw a medicine ball back and forth to a training partner (something we highly don’t recommend with a dumbbell). It’s way more fun to workout with a friend and these exercises are extra practice with your explosive power movements.
- Inexpensive and Portable – you can get a whole set of medicine balls with varying weights for relatively cheap. Or if you just want one ball, that works too! Since the weights of the balls don’t go too high, you can also take them on the go with you (if you have a large enough duffle bag that is!)
Are you ready to try a full body medicine Ball workout? You’ll see we’re working the WHOLE body and will also be working on some explosive movements (squat jumps and chest press push) See the workout below!
Make sure to grab the DynaPro Medicine Ball of your choice and get sweating!
The Full Body Medicine Ball Workout:
- Stationary lunges (15 reps each leg) SS Squat jumps (10 jumps) 4 sets
- Shoulder steering wheel turns (20 reps) SS Triceps press (15 reps) 4 set
- Chest press push (10 reps/pushes) 5 sets
- Russian Twist (20 reps each side) 5 sets
SS = Superset. Perform the first set of the first exercise, then immediately do the first set of the second exercise without any rest inbetween. Take a quick 60 second rest after completing the second exercise and then repeat! Perform all sets before moving on to the next superset or exercise.
If you try the workout, tag us @dyna_pro on Instagram and let us know what you think!!
Tips:
Stationary Lunges
Start with your feet together and medicine ball at your chest. Then step forward with one foot to drop into a lunge. Make sure you’re stepping forward far enough so that your thigh can be parallel to the ground and so that your knee falls directly above your ankle. Drive through your heel and use your glutes to push you back up to standing. Then repeat with the other leg.
Squat Jumps
Plant your feet about shoulder width apart, hold (and keep) the medicine ball at your chest, squat down so that your thighs are parallel to the ground, then drive through your heels to push yourself up off the ground. This is an example of one of those “explosive power” movements we talked about earlier! Try to jump as high as you can to really push yourself in this exercise.
Shoulder Steering-Wheel Turns
Take a shoulder width stance with your feet, engage your core to keep your body from swaying back and forth or side to side. Hold the medicine ball directly out in front of you at shoulder height with your hands on each side of the ball, then turn the ball from side to side. With each turn you want to have your hand directly on top to completely go through each turn. Keeping your arms as straight as possible will make sure you’re using your shoulders to keep the ball in place during the movement.
Triceps Press
Take a seat or stay standing, your preference! Raise the medicine ball above and behind your head so that your elbows create a 90 degree angle. Then, using your triceps, press the ball directly above your head and back down in a controlled motion. Engaging your core will keep you from swaying back and forth and using momentum to go through the motions.
Chest Press Push
Lay flat on the ground with the medicine ball at your chest. Keep your elbows out, as if you were doing a chest press with dumbbells, and push the ball up into the air as hard as you can. This will take some practice to control the ball to go directly above you and not off to either side. Again, this is one of those “explosive power” movements we talked about. This is also a great exercise to practice your hand-eye coordination!
Russian Twist
Keep your feet planted on the ground or raise them up off the ground for an extra challenge. Also, lean back as far as you can before you feel yourself falling over. The lower you go, the more challenging the exercise will be. Make sure your back is straight (and not hunched over), then take the medicine ball to each side. To make sure you’re twisting fully, tap the ball on the ground on each side! It’s easy to just take the ball over to each side by extending your arms, but remember to keep your arms still and really twist at the core to engage your obliques!
This post first appeared on Latest Updates On Pro Grade Fitness Equipment, please read the originial post: here
