3 Easy Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine balls are a fun alternative to weights and offer a bit of a challenge as there are no handles. This requires more work from your hands, and offers additional toning benefits as it requires the stabilization of the core or “trunk”.

Seated medicine ball trunk rotations:

Sitting with your feet out in front of you, and the knees slightly bent and back straight, hold the medicine ball out in front and rotate the waist to the right or left while keeping your core flexed and straight. Keeping the ball close to your chest, rotate the torso right and left, but pause in the middle. Calm controlled movements will offer the greatest reward.

Standing shoulder lift:

This move will work abs, shoulders, and arms. Standing with knees shoulder width apart, hold the medicine ball at the hips and lift diagonally. Right shoulder and then left, always coming back to the center in between.

Ball Bounce Backs:

This is a fun exercise that requires you, a medicine ball, and a wall. These can be done seated (as shown in the picture) or standing. Squat down and as you come up, toss the ball against the wall and catch it when it comes back, and squat. This is a dynamic and fun workout that can keep you challenged and engaged.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. Changing things up and integrating different equipment can make things fun and keep you engaged with what you’re doing. These are just a few examples of exercises for the core using medicine balls. Depending on what’s going on with your body, a specific customized workout can be very helpful for reaching your unique goals.

Santa Cruz Core offers trainers who specialize in creating customized workout plans for everyone from the professional athlete to the computer professional and everyone in between.