The much over looked Medicine Ball appears to be having a strong revival back into many peoples workout routines. Like the swiss ball a few years ago - everyone is talking about the wonders of this super ball! The medicine ball is used to build strength and power, especially explosive power - which made it a gym must for any amateur boxer!
This little ball is great for sports enthusiasts as 100's of exercises exist and many replicate the pattern of movement in many sports (although i wouldn't attempt to kick one!) and as any sports coach would tell you, it's far better to include exercises in your workout that replicate the sport you are training for rather than just hitting the bench press. But if you're a gym junkie for the pure devotion of muscular development and not sport you'd still be a plank for ignoring the medicine ball!
With this in mind, i borrowed a friends ball and incorporated a few medicine ball exercises in my workout. With many of the exercises being plyometrics (exercises designed to improve explosive power) i was soaked in sweat after 40 mins! Here's what i did - Please bear in mind that this workout will be more suited to fat stripping, cardio and power than building bulk.
15 minute cardio (punch bag/skipping/running)
Power Clean 3 sets 6 reps
Explosive Crossover Press-Up (place one hand on the floor and one hand on the medicine ball, lower body as you would a normal press-up, push-up explosively so both hands lift into the air, land with the alternative hand on the ball) 3 sets 12 reps
Squat Press (start in the squat position with the ball on the ground, explosively stand up and throw the ball directly upwards with straight arms, catch ball and return to the squat position) 3 sets 12 reps
Bulgarian split Squat (rest one foot on a bench, hold the medicine ball out in front with straight arms, and slowly lower body, return to standing) 3 sets 20 reps
Jump Pull up (Find a bar slightly higher than usual, so that you have to jump to reach it, lower as though you were squatting and explosively jump up and grab the bar and in one fluid movement pull yourself up, lower and drop) 3 sets 15 reps
Plate Row (Rest a large steel plate on top of a smaller one, position yourself as if doing a bent over row, grip the side of the plate with both hands, and explosively lift the weight to your chest, lower and repeat) 3 sets 20 reps
Oblique Chop (Hols the ball to one side by your knees, with straight arms rotate body and lift ball up to the other side slightly above head height) 4 sets 20 reps
Reverse Crunch (Lie on your back, with knees bent, place ball inbetween knees, and lift knees to chest bringing your bum off the floor) 4 sets 20 reps
15 min warm down (cycle, jog, fartlek)
If you do try this, let me know how you get on!
Enjoy!
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2 comments:
Nice, looks like a decent workout! The explosive squats had me amused though. I suppose you need you own home gym for that rather than being this nutter in a gym throwing medicine balls around
Keep up the good work.
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