Medicine Ball Workout

When I first encountered my first ever Medicine Ball Workout I was really puzzled by the name.

After my virgin workout, for which I was totally exhausted, and the ball’s name of ‘Medicine Ball’ serves no purpose or has any logic to it, as it was more of a ‘Torture Ball’ for me.

Well Craig Ballantyne from TurbulenceTraining.com returns once again with a detailed and complete Medicine Ball Workout that can be done in small confined space and with minimal equipment.

Workout #1

Inside the TT Medicine Ball workout you’ll discover a workout involving circuits, ab training, and power exercises. All in all, you’ll get a great workout you can do anywhere with just a medicine ball.

Now, if you’re trying to decide what size of ball to get, I recommend an 8lb ball for men and maybe a 4-6lb ball for women.

In this circuit you will complete all exercises with no rest between. If this is your first time through the workout, then just go through it once. However, if you are advanced, then you can repeat the circuit two to three times in total.

Starting out, you will do the Squat Press. In this exercise, squat down and then press up, by pushing your hips back, squatting down, and then driving up, while lifting the ball overhead.

Next is the Big Circles exercise. Start with the ball overhead, and rotate the ball down and around. Be sure to keep your abs braced throughout.

After the Big Circles, you will perform the Power Golf Squat Chop. To get into proper position, get in a nice wide stance, bring the ball up and over and then drive down to the opposite foot. Do all repetitions for one side and then switch over.

Next, you will do Decline Push ups. So, place your feet on the ball and then perform a regular push up.

Once you’ve done all the repetitions for the push ups, follow that with Diagonal Lunge Chops. For this exercise, you wan to start with the ball overhead, and then lunge forward while chopping the ball across your body. Alternate sides.

Medicine Ball Leg Curls is the next exercise and it’s a difficult one. Put your feet on the ball, bridge your hips up, and then roll the ball out and back in. If you’re not able to do that one, then alternatively, you can do hip bridges.

These next two exercises in the circuit are optional, but do them if you can. The first is Pull ups with the medicine ball between your feet. So, stand in front of a pull up bar, grab an overhand grip, squeeze the ball with your feet, and then pull your chest up to the bar.

Once you come down from the Pull ups, move right into Medicine Ball Slams. In this exercise, you will step forward and drive the ball down into the ground. Grab the ball, and then alternate feet positions and slam the ball into the ground.

It’s okay to skip both of those exercises if you’re unable to do them.

To finish off the circuit, you’ll do Power Swings. This will be like a Woodchopping movement, but with more power. Start with the ball up overhead and then swing it down and up. For this exercise, there will be more extension at the top and you’ll be getting up on the balls of your feet during the exercise. Repeat this movement.

Once you’ve made your way through the circuit, take a minute rest and then go through the circuit one to two more times.

Workout #2

This particular Medicine Ball workout will focus more on strength by taking a number of exercises and pairing them together in superset fashion.

To start, you’ll begin with a series of lateral lunges and a diagonal chop and combine it with a unique pressing exercise.

For the lunges, bring the medicine ball up over your left shoulder, take a lateral lunge out, and chop down with the ball to your opposite foot, making sure to get nice and low. Do all repetitions for one side and then switch to the other side.

Immediately following all your repetitions for the diagonal lunges, get into the bottom squat position, and with the ball in one hand, press it up overhead. This exercise is similar to the stick-up exercise in that your arm isn’t going to have as much mobility as you want. Perform all repetitions for one side and then arms.

Once you’ve finished all the repetitions, take one minute to rest and then repeat the superset two more times.

Next, you will perform the one-legged squat. Place the medicine ball out in front of you, bringing one foot out as well. Now, squat down on one leg and then back up. Do all repetitions for one leg and then switch legs.

Immediately following the one-legged squat, you will then move into the elevated push up exercise. So, get into a push up position, but now, place one hand on the ball, and then perform a regular push up. Once you have done all repetitions for one arm, switch the ball to the other arm and repeat.

The next superset pairs one-leg hip extension with the McGill crunch.

For the one leg hip extension, you will lie flat on the ground with one foot on the ball and your other leg straight up in the air. Next, use your foot on the ball to bridge your body up. During this exercise you will find that your hamstring and glute of the leg that’s on the ball will be doing all of the work. Perform all repetitions for one side and then switch to the other side and repeat.

After you’ve completed all repetitions for the hip extension lay flat on the ground, bending one knee while bringing the medicine ball in outstretched arms, above your head. This isn’t a big movement as you’ll raise your shoulders just so that they come up off the ground, and then back down again. Try to really focus on squeezing your abs on the way up. Perform all repetitions for one side and then switch legs and repeat. Now, if you want to make this exercise even more difficult, then simply hold the top position for up to five seconds.

The last superset is optional, depending if you have equipment and a place to throw the ball into the ground.

First, you are going to take the medicine ball and using a strong throw, throw a chest pass into the ground. Be sure to bend the knees slightly and drive down.

Next, move immediately into inverted rows. So, set the bar at hip height, place your feet on the medicine ball and take an overhanded grip. Next, row your chest up to the bar and be sure to squeeze your shoulder blades.

To finish off the workout, you will perform a series of Burpees while using the medicine ball. So, do 10 burpees, rest for 30 seconds and then repeat three to six times. So to start, bring the ball overhead, then go down (place the ball on the ground), kick your legs out, do a push up, bring your legs back in (pick the ball up), and jump in the air, raising the ball overhead, repeat.

That’s it for the Medicine Ball workout.