If you ask us what is the best exercise for improving flexibility and agility is? The answer you would get every-time, is that it‘s the medicine ball workout. For those of us who have not seen this ball, here’s a little introduction- A medicine ball is a 14 inch ball that has weight and is used for a variety of exercises and fitness regimes. It is made up of nylon, rubber or any other similar material and can weigh anywhere between two to 25 pounds.
The medicine ball has been around for ages and has been used by ancient Greek and Persian warriors in a number of ways. Persian wrestlers used bladders filled with sand to train and Greek warriors used sacks made up of animal skin to improve their flexibility and agility. Hippocrates then started using the medicine ball as a way of treating sports and war related injuries as it puts minimal pressure on joints.
Nowadays, medicine ball exercises are performed by a number of and different types of athletes and sportspersons to improve their core strength. Wrestlers and boxers use the medicine ball to simulate pressure from their opponent and build strength in their arms, chest and shoulders. Also, many athletes who have been injured, use a medicine ball to regain their previous strength and agility as the medicine ball does not put any pressure on joints and simulates strength and core training.
Benefits of Medicine Ball Exercises
A medicine ball is a small weighted ball and can be held to perform various exercises. The main advantage of using it is that unlike traditional dumbbells, it does not put pressure on your wrists and joints but can give you a similar exercise and training experience. Here are some other important benefits of a medicine ball workout:
Stretching:
You can add an extra component of strength to your stretching regime, using medicine ball exercises. Holding the weighted ball adds weight to your exercises and has considerable benefit for you. Also, a medicine ball can be worked around during a stretching regime to ease pain in the joints and muscles.
Balance:
Medicine ball exercises help improve your balance as you workout. Add a medicine ball to your regular push up routines or dead lifts and as you try and balance your body for improving your core strength and burn more calories. In fact, medicine balls are being increasingly used to add intensity to workouts without increasing weights or repetitions.
Hand Eye Coordination:
Improve your hand eye coordination with a simple toss and bounce of a medicine ball. You will be a star thrower and a catcher in a short time!
Versatile Workout:
A medicine ball will give you an explosive workout and you really don’t even need to do anything extra with it. You can toss the ball around, hold it in your hands or place it around your body to add an extra punch in your workout. Infact, a medicine ball is so versatile that you can include it in any workout you do, whether it’s a push up routine or a ‘Pilates’ move and you will be guaranteed better balance, flexibility and increased strength. There is no dearth of the number of permutations and combinations you can use with medicine ball exercises to create a wholesome medicine ball workout routine.
Inexpensive and Fun:
A medicine ball is not an expensive piece of equipment like a bench press or a treadmill and can be used in a million different ways which will never bore you and add an element of fun to your workouts. From simply holding the ball and rolling, you not only add strength to your core muscles, but also have a fun exercise to add to your workout.
Medicine Ball Exercises
A medicine ball workout will add strength to your core, chest and arms and help improve your balance and flexibility. Also, it does not put any pressure on your joints, while you strength train with it and will help give you a good workout without the risk of an injury. Here are some medicine ball exercises which you can try:
Warm up:
Always warm up before any exercise as that reduces the risk of an injury and also helps stretch out your muscles so that you recover faster. Some warm up moves that you can try with the medicine ball are:
Hip Circles:
Stand with your feet apart and hold the medicine ball in your hand and pass it around your body as you switch hands. This will warm up the muscles in your arms and shoulder.
Ski Bends:
Stand with your feet apart and bend your legs slightly. Now hold the medicine ball at your waist level and bend towards your knee. Keep at this. As you do this slowly, it will warm up your abs muscles and thighs.
Total Body Stretch:
This warm up routine benefits all the muscles in your body. Stand with your feet apart and arms straight as you hold the ball. Slowly release the ball and then catch it as you lower your arms. Do this with varying intensities for a good warm up.
Core Exercises:
A medicine ball core workout will give you a comprehensive workout to tighten and strengthen your core muscles. As you try to get that perfect beach body, this is one of the best workouts to effectively burn more calories and give you definition without hurting your joints. Here are a few core medicine ball exercises that you can do:
Crunches:
Lie down on your back and bend your legs, keeping your feet flat on the ground. Your knees should touch each other. Hold the medicine ball in your hands with your arms straight and now crunch your abdominal muscles to come up towards your knees. Try and touch your knees with your forehead and go back to the first position. Repeat 20 times in three sets for the best medicine ball abs workout.
Plank:
Hold the medicine ball in your hands and place it on the floor and lift yourself, keeping your back straight. Crunch your abdominal muscles and try and hold the plank position for 20 seconds. Repeat thrice after resting and increase the time you hold the plank by 10 seconds. This will tighten your abdomen and give it good definition.
Curl ups:
Lie down, keeping your feet in the air and legs bent at 90 degrees. Now, keep the medicine ball on your shins and with your lower back on the floor, try and reach towards the ball with your shoulders. Do this in three sets with 20 repetitions. You will feel a burn in your upper abs.
Oblique Twists:
Stand straight with the medicine ball in your hands and arms straight. Now, slowly twist yourself from one side to the other keeping your arms straight. This is a good exercise for your side abs. Do 20 reps in three sets for best results.
V Sits:
This is one of the very good medicine ball exercises for your upper and side abs.
Bend your knees and sit at an angle keeping your back straight. Now, hold the medicine ball in your arms and twist from left to right with your stomach pulled in. Do 15-20 reps in three sets for best results.
Upper Body:
Medicine ball exercises for upper body will give a very good workout to your arms, shoulders and back. Men who want a well defined back should do this diligently and women, who tend to usually ignore the upper body, should also add this in their workout routines. Here are a few Upper body exercises that you can do with a medicine ball:
Bicep Curls:
- This is the standard bicep curl just without a heavy dumbbell. Stand with your feet apart and hold the ball in your hands, keeping your arms straight. Now, gently push the ball down and then lift it up, all the while keeping your elbows close to the body.
- You will feel your biceps getting a good workout. Increase the number of repetitions to increase the intensity of your routine. For best results do two-30 reps in three sets.
Triceps Extension:
- This medicine ball exercises for the upper arm is very good for people who want to build good triceps and for women who want to lose their bingo wings (those pesky bits of flab under the arms).
- Hold the medicine ball above your head in your hand and keep your elbows close to the body. Now move your hands up and down behind your head, all the while keeping your arms straight and your elbows closed. Do 20 reps for best results.
Push ups:
You can add intensity to your regular push ups by placing your hands on a medicine ball instead of on the floor. Now, lie down in the push up position and push yourself down and up, all the while trying to maintain your balance on the medicine ball. Repeat 20 times in three sets.
Front Raises:
- Keep your feet apart and hold the medicine ball in your hands and keep your arms straight. Now, raise your arms all the while keeping them straight to shoulder level and then lower them. You will feel your shoulder muscles working as you continue this routine. Do 20 reps in three sets for best results.
Shoulder Press and Catch:
This exercise replicates the shoulder press machine with a fun twist.
Stand with your feet apart and hold the medicine ball in your hands as you press it to your chest. Now push the ball above your head and catch it and then press it to your chest. Repeat 20 times for best results.
Lower Body:
You can get a comprehensive lower body workout with a medicine ball and target your glutes and thighs. We’ll show you how:
Squats:
Keep your feet a little apart and hold the medicine ball in your hand, keeping your arms straight. Now bend down, keeping your back straight and rise up. Repeat 20 times.
To add intensity to this squat, balance yourself on one leg and then squat down as much as possible, hold the position and lift yourself up. For best results, try and do 15 repetitions on each leg in three sets.
Wall Sits:
- Stand near a wall and keep your back straight. Now, bend your legs at 90 degrees and keep them at least a foot apart from the wall. Hold the medicine ball in your hands while keeping your arms straight. Now, bend down with your back straight up against the wall and hold the position for as long as you can. Ideally, do this three times holding the position for 30 seconds, at least.
Walking Lunges:
Hold the medicine ball in your arms and take a wide step, bend down till your other knee almost touches the floor and then twist yourself to one side. Now, get up and do the same with the other leg and twist to the other side. Repeat this 20 times in three sets for best results. This exercise targets your entire lower body along with your abs.
A medicine ball is an easy and inexpensive exercise equipment which can be used on the go and anywhere. You do not need a gym to do these exercises and when you are on a vacation, or when visiting a gym seems like a pain, medicine ball exercises will always come to your rescue. As all the above exercises are low impact exercises, you reduce the risk of an injury by a considerable amount.
Adding to the benefits of a medicine ball routine, is the fact that it’s great fun. Nobody can be bored of doing medicine ball exercises and in fact, there is just so much that you can add to your regime all the time. Another big benefit of a medicine ball workout, is that you can incorporate it into your lunges and push up regime. Also, as medicine ball exercises help improve your balance and flexibility, they play an important part in your muscle grooming regime and should not be ignored.
Whether you are a highly motivated workout expert or a novice trying out new exercises for fun, a medicine ball workout routine has something for everyone. You also have a lot of leeway while exercising with the medicine ball. It can be used for increasing the intensity of your regular workout or you can go easy on your body and do light medicine ball exercises. So, exercise, have fun and have fun with your medicine ball!
Original article and pictures take urbanwired.com site
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий