Best Medicine Ball Exercises to Train Your Whole Body

Thursday, September 24, 2020

As gym trends come and go, there are some things that have stayed consistent over the years. One of those is the popularity of the medicine ball and its versatility in aiding your workouts – no matter your current fitness level or goals.

Many gym-goers and fitness fanatics will break up muscle-building strength training into three main categories: upper body, lower body and core exercises. Although focusing your efforts into smaller muscle groups in each workout can be a good approach, there are also a number of ways (and benefits) to incorporate full-body moves to enhance your training and results. You’ve guessed it, get out the medicine ball!

This handy piece of equipment has multiple uses and can help your body progress leaps and bounds. It’s important to not start on too high a weight, but the right option can work the entire body successfully.

Challenge Yourself with the Medicine Ball

Here are our top picks that target all of the right areas:

Push-Ups – Get in the press-up position, with one hand on the floor and the other on the ball. Roll the ball across from one hand to the other ten times. Not only to push-ups help to build pectoral muscles, they also work shoulders, triceps, lower back and the abdominal muscles.
Superman! – Lay on your front, arms and legs outstretched on a comfortable mat. Lift the medicine ball slightly above your head, then proceed to elevate your legs and arms off the mat in a similar motion, hold for a few seconds and return to position. As well as strengthening your lower and upper back, this move also works your glutes, hamstrings whilst increasing your core strength too.
The dreaded Squats – Your legs will feel the pain the next day, but definitely worth the intensity. Squat as normal, but with a light Dynamax medicine ball, working the legs that little bit harder. Squats offer a fantastic dynamic exercise that trains multiple muscles at once, causing them to work together simultaneously. A square is an exercise that challenges the most of the muscles in your body including glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors and calves to name a few.
Wall ball – This is a really fun exercise, and perfect for explosive training, working the whole body too! ‘Simply’ hold the medicine ball against your chest and push out, launching the ball upwards against a high wall. Later add markers to improve the height and difficulty. Not only will this exercise train your quadriceps, glues, hamstrings, back, shoulders and chest, it’ll increase your heart rate improving your cardiovascular fitness at the same time!
Lunges – A great workout for the legs and upper body, start in a standing position with the medicine ball against your chest. Then take one pace and bend down with the leading leg, and go back up to the position. Feel the burn! A proper lunge posture can help you achieve a stronger and stable core but also your legs, buttocks and hips. Similar to squats, lunges work multiple areas at once without putting as much pressure on the spine.

Selecting the Right Size

How difficult you make these exercises depends on the goals you have set at the gym or home. There are plenty of medicine balls for sale, ranging in size and weight depending on your level of strength. If you’re a beginner using the medicine ball, it’s best to start on a low weight and work your way up. Check out our guide here.

Shop our Dynamax medicine balls for sale and check out our top medicine ball exercises and workouts for some fitness inspiration. Take home your very own Dynamax medicine ball today and take your workouts #ToTheMax!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information.