The idea of completing an entire total-body workout using nothing more than a 4kg medicine ball may not seem intimidating. This 5 exercise routine strengthens and conditions. It’s designed to help you build a rock solid core, burn fat and improve your sports performance.
All you need is a medicine ball to do this workout any place, any time.
Perform this routine at the end of your regular workout, or as a standalone, 3 days a week.
- Use a 3kg, 4kg or 5kg medicine ball.
- Do 20 reps of each exercise in the order shown.
- Complete the routine as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement in succession and without resting.
- Too easy? Rest 60 to 90 seconds and do the circuit again.
1. Big Circles
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, and hold the ball with your arms extended above your head [A].
- Without bending your elbows, rotate your arms counterclockwise [B] using the ball to draw large imaginary circles in front of your body [C and D].
- Do 10 circles, then go clockwise and do 10 more.
2. Wood Chopper
How to:
- Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart.
- With your arms nearly straight, hold the ball
above your head [A]. - Now, bend forward at your waist and mimic throwing the ball backwards between your legs – but hold onto the ball the entire time [B].
- Quickly reverse the movement with the same intensity and return to the starting position.
- That’s 1 rep.
3. Standing Russian Twist
How to:
- Hold the ball with both hands in front of your chest, with your arms straight [A].
- Without dropping your arms, pivot on your right foot and rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the left [B].
- Then do the same to the right.
- That’s 1 rep.
4. Squat To Press
How to:
- Stand holding the ball close to your chest with both hands, your feet just beyond shoulder-width
apart [A]. - Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor [B].
- Then simultaneously drive your heels into the floor and push your body back to the starting position, as you press the ball over your head [C].
- Lower the ball back to the start.
- That’s 1 rep.
5. Medicine Ball Sit-Up
How to:
- Grab the ball with both hands and lie on your back.
- Bend your knees 90 degrees, place your feet flat on the floor and hold the medicine ball against your chest [A].
- Now, perform a classic sit-up by raising your torso into a sitting position [B].
- Lower back to the start. That’s 1 rep.
