Just like everything else, different types of gym equipment come in and out of fashion, but most of them never stop being effective tools for improving your fitness. We say most because some will never be particularly effective, no matter whether they’re in fashion or not – we’re looking at you, Shake Weight.
The medicine ball is a prime example of something that has been sat in gyms for more than a century, alternating between fame and obscurity. But throughout all of that time it has remained an equally useful bit of gym gear – so to help you get the most out of the mighty medicine ball, we enlisted personal trainer and Multipower ambassador Leon Scott to select and explain the best beginner, intermediate and advanced medicine ball exercises.
Beginner Medicine Ball Exercises
Medicine ball squat
Targets: legs, core
“Stand with your legs hip-width apart and your toes facing forwards,” says Scott. “Hold a medicine ball by the middle of your chest, pressing your hands into either side of the ball. Keep the ball in place as you hinge at your hips to lower into a squat. Aim to get your thighs parallel to the floor. Straighten your legs to stand back up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.”
Lunge with twist
Targets: legs, glutes, hips, core, obliques
Stand holding a medicine ball in front of you at chest height – the further you extend your arms, the harder this exercise will be. Step forwards with your right foot into a lunge, lowering until both knees are bent at 90° while rotating your torso to the right. Reverse the movement, then repeat on the other side.
“During the lunge be sure to keep weight in the heel of your front foot to protect your knees,” says Scott. “You can also add the twist to walking lunges.”
Medicine ball plank
Targets: core
Kneel on the floor with a medicine ball in front of you. Put your hands on the ball and push up until your arms are straight, with your body forming a straight line from shoulders to feet. Hold the position. Because you’re supporting yourself on the unstable medicine ball your core is forced to work harder to keep your body stable.
“If performing the plank with your feet together is too tough, put your feet wider apart for a bit more stability, or start on your knees and build up from there,” says Scott.
Intermediate Medicine Ball Exercises
Medicine ball thruster
Targets: legs, glutes, arms, shoulders, obliques
Stand holding a medicine ball against your chest. Drop into a squat, then push back up and extend your arms to press the ball overhead. Bring the ball back down to your chest and repeat.
“Make sure to keep your weight on your heels for the squat and your elbows soft when extending overhead,” says Scott.
Torso twist
Targets: core, obliques
“Stand with your legs hip-width apart, toes facing forwards, with a slight bend in the knees,” says Scott. “Hold a medicine ball in the middle of your chest and press your hands into the sides of the ball. Keeping your hips still and facing forward, twist just your torso left and right at a moderate-to-fast pace.”
Lateral reach pull
Targets: full body
“Stand with your legs hip-width apart and toes facing forwards,” says Scott. “Hold a medicine ball in your hands and extend your arms up and to the right so the ball is above and in front of your right shoulder. Then move your left leg diagonally behind your body to create one long line from the medicine ball to left ankle. Lower the medicine ball to your chest while raising your left knee to meet the ball. Then extend the ball and leg back to the diagonal.”
Once you’ve worked through all the reps on one side, repeat on the other.
Advanced Medicine Ball Exercises
Alternating-arm medicine ball press-up
Targets: chest, triceps, shoulders, core.
“Get into a press-up position with your right hand on the ball,” says Scott. “Lower your chest towards the floor and then push up and to the right, bringing your left hand onto the ball and swiftly moving your right hand onto the floor in one fluid motion. Reverse the direction for the next rep and keep alternating back and forth. You can make this even harder by performing the press-ups explosively so your hand rises off the ball and you switch hands in mid-air before going into the next press-up.”
Medicine ball slam
Targets: core, shoulders
“Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the medicine ball at arm’s length in front of you,” says Scott. “Brace your core and raise the ball overhead until you feel a stretch in your abs, but don’t bend backwards. Slam the ball as hard as you can into the floor, drop down into a squat and catch the medicine ball on the rebound.”
Burpee thruster
Targets: full body
“Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a medicine ball on the floor in front of you,” says Scott. “Squat down and place your hands on the ball. Then jump your feet back to land in the top of a press-up position, balancing on the ball with your hands. Jump your feet forwards again, stand up, and press the ball overhead. You can add a jump at the top for a greater cardio challenge.”
Leon Scott is a Multipower ambassador. For more information visit multipower.com
