Top 15 Exercises With Medicine Ball

At-home fitness routines have become popular, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicinal balls have emerged as a popular means of exercising at home to get a toned body. They can generate extraordinary results from your workout routine, adding resistance to your HIIT and cardio.

Are you interested to find out more about exercises with medicine balls? Keep reading this article to get a comprehensive view.

What Are the Best Medicine Ball Exercises to Tone Your Entire Body?

If you plan to work out with a medicine ball, there are multiple ways to do so. Here is our hand-picked list that you can start practising today.

1. Overhead Squat

This exercise helps to engage your core, strengthening the entire body. Particularly, the lower back becomes stronger with this workout routine. You can keep your entire upper body in shape with this.

Start with standing on your feet, keeping them slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You need to hold the medicine ball straight over your head. Now, squat down, bend your knees and push your hips back. Make sure your knees are not bowing inward, and keep the thighs parallel to the ground. Push through your heels, squeezing the glutes at the top. Repeat it at least 10-12 times.

This exercise is extremely beneficial for strengthening your core and upper body muscles. It boosts your overall strength, ensuring great mobility for the longest time in your life. It can help you improve your squat form and overall athletic capabilities.

Overhead squats are easy, and anyone can attempt them. However, if you suffer from intense back pain or injuries in the hands or wrists, you might need to avoid it. Moreover, if you are not comfortable with the weight of the ball, do not continue this exercise for a long time.

2. Circles

This is one of the most popular exercises with med ball. The circles target your hands and shoulders, burning the extra fat and calories. It also helps to make these muscles flexible and free of pain.

Stand on the floor, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the medicine ball straight overhead. Now, brace your core and start moving your extended arms clockwise. Twist your core to draw a circle with your movement. Keep your feet stationary. Repeat this movement 8-10 times.

This exercise again targets the shoulders and upper body parts. It helps to tone your upper body while strengthening your core. Moreover, it improves the shoulder range of motion while reducing the chances of injuries and accidents in future. It can also assist in burning excess calories.

If you have sprains or pain in the wrists, this exercise might not be suitable for you. Those who are recovering from shoulder injuries should try not to attempt it. You should reduce the intensity of the workout immediately if you feel pain in the hands or shoulders.

3. Side Lunge

Working out to strengthen the sides is just as important as working out for the back. Side lunges can be great ways to increase flexibility and overall stability.

Start with standing on the floor, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the medicine ball to your chest. Now, take a large step to the right side. As your feet are reaching the ground, bend your right knee and keep your hip back with a one-legged squat position.

Make sure that the left leg is straight. Now, push through your right foot and return to the original starting position. Keep repeating this for both legs.

Side lunges are beneficial for developing your overall balance, strength and stability. It works with your inner and outer thighs, reducing the appearance of cellulite. They also make your body more flexible by training it to move side to side with easy twisting movements.

Side lunges might put pressure on the knees and thighs. Hence, avoid this exercise if you have intense pain or injuries in these areas. Moreover, if you have weak legs, avoid practising this workout routine for a long time.

4. Russian Twist

You can consider Russian twists if you wish to do a full-body workout with a medicine ball. It is essential if you are a fan of abs.

For this exercise, sit on the floor, keeping the legs bent at a 45-degree angle in front of you. Your feet should be touching the floor. Now, extend your arms while holding the medicine ball in front. Next, start twisting your torso after bracing your core tightly.

Move the medicine ball to the right side of your body until it almost touches the ground. Now, return to the middle, and repeat this procedure on the left side.

Including Russian twists in your workout routine will strengthen your core and shoulders. Moreover, it helps build a rotational movement, a major requirement for sports people and athletes.

One of the major challenges of doing Russian twists is the compression. It requires you to stay in the half sit-up position for a long time, which can cause massive contraction of the abdominals and hip flexors. This, in turn, produces excess compression of the lumbar spine. Thus, avoid this exercise if you do not have enough strength in the spinal and abdominal areas.

5. Single-leg Deadlift

This exercise is essential to maintain stability for a long time. It helps to avoid imbalance even with the growing weakness of the legs.

Stand on the floor while holding the medicine ball straight in front of you. While bending your right leg slightly, start bending your hips while allowing your torso to fall forward. Now, extend your left leg out behind you while keeping your back straight.

Make sure that your core is tight and your neck is neutral. Keeping your torso parallel to the ground, return to your upright position. Repeat this position.

This exercise promotes synergy between the hip hinge movement, shoulders and core. Moreover, it develops single-leg balance, which increases your stability in older age. Apart from that, you can also improve your mobility through the hips and legs.

As this workout routine can be slightly technical, it is advisable to attempt it only with professional help. If you have weak legs or leg injuries, you can skip this exercise from your workout routine as long as you recover.

6. Slams

slams image — (source : popsugar-assets)

Slams can be perfect core exercises with a medicine ball if you prefer cardio over an intense workout. It helps to develop power and strength while improving your heart health.

Stand on the floor, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the medicine ball overhead. Now, bend your hips while keeping your arms extended forward. Next, slam the medicine ball with force and pick it up. Come back to your original position. Perform at least 3-4 sets while repeating the process.

Slams increase your overall muscle density while improving the resting metabolism in your body. Moreover, you can develop glucose metabolism faster with this exercise. Furthermore, it can enhance your mental clarity and heart health.

It is a simple exercise, and anyone can do this. It is up to you to decide the intensity of the slam. However, avoid this exercise if you have pain or injuries in your hands or wrists. Moreover, try to use lighter balls to keep the intensity lower.

7. Superman

This exercise might be challenging, even though it looks and sounds simple. It becomes difficult with the addition of a heavy medicine ball.

For starting this, lay on your stomach while keeping your arms extended overhead. Grip a medicine ball, holding it over your head. Keep your neck straight and neutral, and engage your core. Try to raise your upper body with the help of your back and glute muscles.

Next, raise your legs off the ground as high as convenient. Now, pause for a few seconds and return to the original position. Repeat the position at least 10 times.

This exercise is capable of strengthening the core, lower back and glutes. Moreover, it can help with improving your hamstrings and shoulder muscles. Moreover, it can strengthen your arm muscles and bone strength.

If you are facing sprains or injuries in the back or shoulder muscles, avoiding this exercise can be beneficial for you now. You can choose a lighter medicine ball to reduce the intensity of the exercise.

8. Toe Touch

medicine ball exercise — (source :fitnesshq)

While considering workouts for beginners with a medicine ball, toe touch can be essential. It helps to develop abs and tone your muscles.

Lie on your back while keeping your arms and legs extended before you. Hold your medicine ball in your hands, extending it in front. Engage your core and lift your arms and legs straight up. Make the arms and legs above your mid-body while crunching upward to ensure they touch each other. Now, slowly come back to the starting position. Keep repeating the process.

This exercise benefits most people since it engages the abdominal walls and tones your abs. Moreover, it helps to trim your waist and shed extra fat and calories. It also strengthens your core, thereby improving your posture and flexibility.

This exercise needs you to engage your core and shoulder muscles. If you have pain or injuries in these areas, try to avoid this exercise.

9. Hay Baler

It is another simple yet effective exercise with a medicine ball. It helps to tone your abdominal muscles and make them more flexible.

Start with kneeling on your right knee with keeping the left foot backwards. Curl your toes under, forming a 90-degree angle. Hold the medicine ball in both hands while keeping your torso perpendicular to the floor. Bring the medicine ball towards your right hip, keeping your body straight. Transfer it diagonally across your body. Repeat the process with your right foot.

Hay baler is a beneficial exercise, as it targets the muscles of your abdomen. These include the internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis. These muscles become stronger, while your shoulder and back muscles are also improved with this workout routine.

The legs and arm muscles play a major part in this exercise. Thus, you can skip this exercise from your workout routine if you have intensive pain or injuries in these areas.

10. Knee Drive

It is another exercise with a medicine ball for beginners. It is essential for improving knees and thigh muscles. Holding the medicine ball further improves the arm muscles.

Start this routine, keeping your right leg firmly on the floor. Place it behind you with the toes balancing on the ground. Hold your ball before you, keeping it straight with your back leg. Next, drive your left leg up and bring the medicine ball down so both can reach each other. Repeat this process with the opposite leg and continue 3-4 sets.

As the name suggests, this exercise targets your legs, knees, calves, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors. It helps to improve muscle strength, endurance, and coordination in these muscles. It can improve the endurance of the entire lower body.

You should avoid knee drives if you have intense joint pain or hamstring issues. You can reduce the number of times you continue this exercise while keeping your health condition in mind.

11. Triceps Extension

This type of exercise can improve your arm muscles, improving your triceps. Most bodybuilders and athletes prefer this workout to strengthen arm muscles.

Start with standing in a comfortable position or sitting on a chair. Make sure to keep your core engaged. Hold a medicine ball in your hands, and extend the arms overhead. The inner parts of the arms should be grazing your ears.

Now, bend your elbows and lower the ball behind your head. The arms should form a 45-degree angle. Keep squeezing the triceps to straighten your arms. Then, bring the ball back to the starting position.

This workout targets the arm muscles. It strengthens the elbow and shoulder muscles. The overhead triceps extension helps to work these muscles and increase mobility.

If you have problems with your arms and shoulder muscles, this exercise might not suit your health. You can also reduce its intensity by choosing a lighter medicine ball.

12. Biceps Curl

medicine ball curls — (source: criticalbody)

While listing the best exercises with a medicine ball, biceps curl should be mentioned. It helps to tone the arm muscles and increase their strength.

Stand on the floor, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the medicine ball close to your chest with both your hands. While keeping the elbows close to the body, start lowering the ball slowly towards the ground. Make sure that the arms are completely extended. Now, curl the ball back up to your chest and lower it back to the starting position. Now, repeat this process.

Biceps curl increases body and muscle strength. Mainly, the muscles on the upper arm improve with this exercise. Moreover, it also helps to isolate the biceps, ensuring that these stand out in your body.

Excessive and intensive training can be harmful to your body and arm muscles. You should avoid this exercise if you have weak arms or arm injuries. The intensity of this exercise increases with the ball's weight, so select the ball carefully.

13. Single-leg Squat

Squatting helps to increase the strength of the lower body parts. The challenge and intensity increase when you use one leg and a medicine ball.

Start with holding a medicine ball in front of your belly button. Stand keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and bending your knees slightly. Lift your right foot off the ground and extend it before you.

Now, lower your body into a squat, and come to the position of sitting on an imaginary chair. Keep your knees safely positioned over the feet. Return to the starting position and then switch the legs. Keep repeating the process.

Squats are an impressive way of toning the legs and glutes. With a single leg, this exercise will help to further strengthen the core and increase your flexibility.

If you face pain or injuries in the lower part of the body, squats might not be suitable for you. Moreover, you should avoid spending much time if you start feeling pain in your body.

14. Wall Ball

It is one of the most popular and easiest top exercises with a medicine ball. It helps to increase strength, mobility and mental concentration.

For this exercise, stand on the floor while keeping a few steps from a wall. Hold the medicine ball to your chest and bend your knees before throwing the medicine ball up over a marker made on the wall. You can either let the ball drop to the floor or try to catch it. Keep bending your knees and absorb its impact. Repeat the process several times.

This exercise is great cardio, improving your heart rate and health. Apart from that, this routine also helps to burn your body's extra fat and calories. It strengthens the muscle groups.

Keeping your physical strength in mind, you must carefully choose the medicine ball and its weight. You can avoid this routine if you are recovering from arm injuries.

15. Rolling Push-up

This exercise is a kind of push-up you can do with a medicine ball. It helps to improve the upper body parts and muscles.

Start with a normal high plank on the ground, placing the medicine ball on one side. Place one of your hands on the ball. Keep most of your weight on the standing hand, and complete a press-up position. Once your body is raised, roll the ball to the opposite hand. Keep repeating this process.

This exercise helps strengthen the chest, shoulders, arms and core muscles. You can enhance the strength of the upper body part with this exercise and improve the overall stability.

This exercise might require you to place all your weight on the arm muscles. This can be pressurising. You can avoid this routine if you are facing weakness or pain in the arms and shoulders.

Who Should Avoid Exercises With Medicine Ball?

Now that you know the exercises to do with a medicine ball, you must be curious to know about the exercises to be avoided. To decide this, you need to analyse your health and medical conditions.

For instance, if you are suffering from injuries or weakness, you must carefully choose the medicine ball, examining its weight. Heavy medicine balls will pressurise the arms and can worsen your condition.

These balls can weigh up to 250 pounds. If your body cannot support this weight, avoiding these exercises is preferable. Beginners and kids can also use medicine balls for working out. However, they need to know the ball's weight and intensity level. Avoid these exercises if you are in deep pain or recovering from injuries.

What Are the Safety Precautions to Take?

Certain safety precautions can be beneficial when working out with medicine balls. Most of these exercises can be technical, as you hold heavy balls. Including these in a workout routine can be dangerous if you are a beginner. You can easily hurt yourself or cause some kind of emergency if you are not careful.

Therefore, it is advisable to take help from fitness professionals. They know all about the techniques of handling a heavy medicine ball. Their advice and tips will help you avoid the risks. Moreover, you should consult your physician about your health conditions to know if you can handle its weight.

So, exercises with medicine balls can be beneficial for your health. As this piece pointed out, it might be slightly challenging to continue these routines because of the weight of this ball. Taking proper precautions and tips from fitness experts will help avoid unnecessary complications.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ What is a good weight to start with a medicine ball?

According to the American Council of Exercise (ACE), beginners should start with medicine balls weighing 4-15 pounds.

✓ Can you build muscle with a medicine ball?

Yes, medicine balls are effective in building muscles. Particularly, heavy slamming can help you build muscles quickly.