Medicine balls are an effective tool for adding weight to abdominal exercises and for creating plyometric muscle responses in upper body exercises. While plyometrics are typically thought of as jumping exercises that engage the lower body, catching and throwing a weighted ball can create the same power and speed development in the upper body, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Add medicine ball exercises to your workout in order to add variety and enhance your overall fitness.
Partner Medicine Ball Sit-up
Grab a partner for this abdominal exercise. Sit on a mat, knees bent, heels a few inches in front of your butt, upper body straight and tall. Your partner will stand a few inches in front of your feet, holding a small or light-weight medicine ball. You will perform a basic sit up, leaning backwards, engaging your abs, lowering your torso to the floor. Hold your hands in front of your chest, palms facing outward. As you lower your torso, your partner will toss you the medicine ball. Catch the ball, finish lowering yourself to the floor, and as you begin to sit back up and return to starting position, extend your arms, forcefully throwing the medicine ball back to your partner. Repeat 15 to 20 times, catching the ball as you lower yourself and throwing the ball as you sit up.
As this becomes easier, your partner can start throwing the ball to you more forcefully, you can increase the weight of the medicine ball or you can begin adding a twisting motion to your torso, turning to the right or the left as you lower your body and receive the pass.
Partner Twist
Stand back to back with your partner, holding a small, light-weight medicine ball in your hands at waist-height. Your elbows should be at a 90 degree angle, your upper arms fixed to your sides. Twist your torso to the right, keeping your arms and the medicine ball in a fixed position. As you twist to the right, your partner will twist to his left, so that he is turning his body to meet yours. Hand the medicine ball to him, and immediately twist to the left while your partner twists to the right, moving to receive the ball back from your partner on the opposite side of your body. Continue this twisting and passing motion 15 to 20 times, then switch directions, passing the ball to your left and receiving the ball on your right. This will work your abs.
Partner Chest Pass
To engage your entire upper body, including your chest, arms, shoulders and abs, perform a partner chest pass with a small or light-weight medicine ball. Stand approximately 8 feet away from your partner, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a medicine ball in the center of your chest, elbows just slightly lower than shoulder-height. Step forward with one foot while simultaneously extending your elbows forward, forcefully passing the medicine ball to your partner, aiming for the center of her chest. She should receive the ball with arms extended to catch it, allowing her elbows to bend as the ball meets her hands, bringing the ball into her chest. She will then pass the ball back to you. Repeat 15 to 20 times.
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