Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine ball exercises have gained in popularity as people seek different ways to work their muscles and build stamina and strength. Medicine balls come in a variety of weights and can be used in different ways.

Medicine balls are versatile and with no set method to do medicine ball exercises, they are utilized in a variety of ways. The round shape of the weights make them easier to maneuver into several different positions which makes these balls a great addition to most exercise routines.

Here is a brief list of exercises that utilize medicine balls. This is a sampling, so use this short list as an introduction. Once you try it, you may soon discover that these versatile weights can be incorporated into many different forms of exercise.

It is common to find medicine ball exercises within aspects of circuit training, especially when the circuit is part of a group exercise class. Examples of exercises within a circuit using medicine balls include:

• Lunge Crossovers: The medicine ball is held overhead while the person assumes a lunge position. As the person dips into the lunge, the ball is brought down to the outside of one leg. As the person lunges again, the ball is moved to the outside of the other leg. The dominant leg for the lunge is alternated after a set of lunges is completed.
• Figure Eights: While standing upright, the medicine ball is held out in front of the body. The exerciser forms shapes of the number eight with the medicine ball while maintaining a flexible posture that allows the medicine ball to dip and lift. The more wide the stance and the motion of the ball, the more benefit the exercise has.
• Twists: Standing upright, the medicine ball is moved from one side to the other with the arms extended outward. A continuous fluid motion with abdominal muscles held in tight will derive the most benefit when doing this exercise.

The great thing about circuit training with medicine balls is that the balls can serve many different purposes. They can be utilized as a means to bring the heart rate down a little or to speed it up, depending on the difficulty of the exercise.

Medicine balls can be used in conjunction with – or in lieu of – free weights and weight machines. Many exercise enthusiasts like how their muscles work harder to stabilize the motions when using a medicine ball as opposed to training on a weight machine. Several exercises done with free weights and machines can be mimicked with medicine balls, making them ideal for home gyms.

Medicine balls with handles make strength exercises easier to do. The best medicine balls for strength training have handles that allow the ball to retain its circular shape instead of having the ball lose its shape for the sake of handles.

Athletes and other people who need intense workouts can utilize medicine balls in a variety of ways. In many instances, the medicine balls change up an existing exercise in the routine to make it more difficult and challenging.

Here are some examples of medicine ball exercises that can take workouts to a new level:

• Push-ups: Instead of doing traditional push-ups, exercisers use the medicine ball either to hold on to while doing the push-ups or pushes the medicine ball away at alternating push-ups to a partner who rolls the ball back for continued exertion.
• Sit-ups: Instead of doing traditional sit-ups, the exerciser either grasps a medicine ball while doing the sit-ups or throws the ball to a partner with alternating sit-ups.

Coaches often utilize medicine balls in training in an attempt to force athletes to push their bodies to a new level of fitness. Medicine balls can also be of great benefit to people who are simply looking to get their bodies in great shape and see quick results.

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