Medicine Balls: Prescription for Strength

What's the saying, "Everything old becomes new again"? The seventies aren't the only thing to make a recent comeback. Once an exercise standard, medicine balls have gone through some very '90s-type changes. They can be found in a variety of colors and textures, and may be filled with any number of different substances. They can even be deflated, packed away and traveled with. Most importantly, the modern medicine ball offers a unique, and effective, means of increasing strength.

The primary advantages of the medicine ball are that it can be used for multi-joint activities, sport-specific movements and isolation exercises for individual muscle groups. Many personal trainers, fitness instructors and strength coaches are turning to the medicine ball as an integral part of their training programs. Variety always is an issue in designing a resistance-training program. The medicine ball opens up a broad spectrum of exercises from which you may select. Upper- and lower-extremity exercises are plentiful, but the most impressive area of use is in developing "core" strength. It seems there are never enough abdominal, back and general trunk exercises to keep exercisers happy. Medicine balls of two to 30 pounds can be used to effectively provide enough overload to the various muscle groups to obtain measurable results.

Variety in your exercise workouts is enhanced by the fact that you can use the medicine ball by yourself, with a partner, or in a group setting. The following exercises can be combined to provide a quick, full-body workout or used in combination with your existing weight-training program. Choose the appropriate difficulty level and aim to complete 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. When choosing a particular weight, keep in mind that these exercises are performed using both hands so a heavier weight may be in order. However, choose a lighter weight for any dynamic exercises such as those that involve throwing the ball.

Upper Body:

Triceps Extensions

Beginning: Sit on bench with ball behind the head. Keep elbows bent as you pull the ball over to the chest, return to starting position and repeat.

Advanced: Sit on bench with ball behind the head. Lift the ball overhead with full elbow extension.

Biceps Curls

Beginning: Sit on a bench and hold the ball at waist. Lift the ball toward the face and lower; repeat.

Advanced: Stand and hold the ball at the hips with elbows extended. Lift the ball toward face and lower back to hips; repeat.

Shoulder Flexion

Beginning: Sit and hold the ball at waist with elbows extended. Raise the ball to shoulder level and then lower; repeat.

Advanced: Stand and hold the ball at thigh level with elbows extended. Raise the ball to shoulder level and then lower; repeat.

Chest Press

Beginning: Lie back with knees bent and ball on chest. Move the ball up until elbows are extended halfway. Lower and repeat.

Advanced: Lie back with knees bent and the ball on chest. Move ball up until elbows are fully extended; repeat rapidly.

Lower body

Squat

Beginning: Hold the ball in front of waist, extend hips back while keeping knees over or behind the toes. Lower the body until the thighs are almost parallel to the ground.

Intermediate: Hold the ball in front of chest while lowering.

Advanced: Hold the ball behind head and extend hips back while lowering.

Reverse Lunge

Beginning: Hold the ball in front of waist and step one leg back while bending the front leg to 45 degrees. Repeat with other leg.

Intermediate: Hold the ball in front of chest and bend front leg to 90 degrees while stepping back.

Advanced: Hold the ball behind head and bend front leg to 90 degrees while stepping back.

Front Lunge

Beginning: Hold the ball at the waist and step forward with one leg, bending the knee to 45 degrees while keeping the toes in front of the knee. Return to a standing position.

Intermediate: Hold the ball in front of the chest and bend the front leg to 90 degrees.

Advanced: Hold the ball behind the head and bend the front leg to 90 degrees.

Core

Pullover to Knees

Beginning: Lie back with knees bent and hold the ball over head. Pull ball over to chest while keeping lower back on the ground.

Intermediate: Lie back with knees bent and hold the ball over head. Pull ball over head to hips. Advanced: Lie back with knees bent. Pull the ball over head while sitting the body up enough to touch the top of the knees.

Partner Version: Sit-up Pass

Sit with knees bent, facing one another, about four to six feet apart. The person with the ball lies back with ball overhead. Bring the ball overhead and throw the ball and contract the abdominals as you sit up. Aim for just above your partnerÕs head. As the ball is caught, the partner lowers back to the ground. Continue to throw back and forth.

Hip Crunch

Beginning: Lie back with knees bent and ball between the knees. Contract the abdominals and pull knees toward chest; lower feet back to the ground.

Intermediate: Prop up the upper body on the elbows and continue as for beginner.

Advanced: Leaning back on hands, continue as for beginner.

Partner Version: Oblique Throw

Stand four to six feet apart, each facing forward. Holding the ball with both hands, bring the ball to side opposite partner and toss across the body. continue to throw the ball back and forth.