This is another continuation of articles dedicated to core training. See Isometrics and Ab Core Exercises – The Hidden Secret? and Core Muscle Training: How much is Enough?
I love medicine or med balls so I am biased in this article. They are cheap yet can be used as a dynamic warm up, core exercises, or power and explosive training.
To discuss med balls, you have to look at the history to appreciate the evolution. We’ve come a long way, baby:
- original med ball made of leather
- then rubber coated ones
- then the plyo version that bounce
- and finally CORE balls with handles
Core Balls are simply a medicine ball with a built in pre-formed handle on each side. The beauty is you can do SINGLE ARM exercise and throws. Sort of like a Russian Kettlebell but much lighter.
Med or Plyo Ball Exercises
NOTE: Beginners can do these exercises WITHOUT releasing the balls. Having a partner or cement wall also helps when you do throw them. Obviously, some of these exercises will be good for your arms and legs.
Here are several med or plyo exercises you can do to work the core, as well as incorporating them into your power or plyometric routine.
- forward toss
- upward toss
- backwards toss
- wood chop side throws (against a wall)
- wood chop side passes with a partner
- seated twist with a partner
- standing twist with a partner
- seated side throw with partner or against a wall
- endless sit-up routines with partner or against a wall,
- endless sit-up routines without partner such as the killer med ball V-up.
- falling chest throw while kneeling to a push up position
- falling chest throw while kneeling then starting a 10 m sprint
- standing lunge and twist and throw
- stepping over high hurdles with both arms straight up holding med ball (my favorite) as it works hip mobility
- slamming ball into ground (or soft sand).. better than doing crunches
- pushups with both hands on Med ball (see advanced routine below)
So there you have it. I just saved you from buying a book on how to using med balls.
The Amazing Alicia Weber
Doing Pushups with one or both hands on Med ball is tough… it’s great for balance and core too! To add to the complexity, try adding a med ball to you feet (using 3 med balls). Or try two med balls with one foot elevated! Or a med ball for each arm.
With med balls measuring 22 cm diameter, Alicia Weber did 35 reps of pushups while balancing on 3 med balls for an official world record in March 2010. Note her triceps go down to parallel to the ground throughout the set.
Alicia’s (side view) of 3 med ball pushup world record
