Medicine balls are useful for improving your power and speed --- using heavier medicine balls to work on power, lighter ball for speed. Power is best developed through throwing motions involving an explosive release of the medicine ball. You improve speed, meanwhile, when you accelerate the medicine ball in one direction, and then change directions while maintaining control of the ball. Medicine balls can also be used to improve your overall fitness and conditioning when they are added to basic strength movements.
Medicine Ball Squats
Medicine ball squats are a squat movement with the added challenge of lifting a medicine ball over your head at the bottom or top of your squat. As in a normal squat, this exercise challenges your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, and abdominals; the medicine ball works your shoulders, biceps, and chest. To perform a med ball squat, stand holding your medicine ball at your chest, and brace your abdomen throughout the movement. Flex your hips, knees, and ankles to squat, and once you can no longer lower your butt, extend your legs to stand up and press your ball overhead. Your abdominals must absorb extra force imposed from your press if you are to avoid arching your back and stressing your discs. If you press the ball at the bottom of your squat, you will place more stress on your shoulders, in addition to your abdomen.
Medicine Ball Lunges
Add a medicine ball to your lunges to improve balance and coordination. Begin by flexing the hip, knee and ankle on one side, keeping your abdomen braced, and stepping your other leg backward to lower your body into the lunge position. Holding your medicine ball in both hands, rotate your torso and medicine ball towards your front leg; this movement will shift your center of gravity, developing your balance. The exercise will work your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and abdomen. You can also use the medicine ball in a lunge by pressing it above your head at the bottom or top of the lunge, similar to the squat. In addition, a partner can toss you the medicine ball at the bottom of your lunge, to further teach coordination and balance.
Medicine Ball Oblique Passes
Medicine ball oblique passes are used to train your abdomen and obliques with rotational movement. This exercise requires a partner's assistance for proper performance. Begin by standing back to back with your partner, holding your medicine ball with both hands. Rotate your torso and exchange the ball with your partner, who then will rotate his torso to pass you back the ball on the other side of your body. The ball will travel in a circular motion while you pass it back and forth. To further challenge your abdomen, sit on a decline bench with your torso at a 90-degree angle from the bench, forcing your abdomen to brace to avoid collapsing backward. Again, pass your medicine ball to a partner behind you by rotating your torso back and forth to pass and receive the ball. You will have to take turns with your partner as only one of you will be able to perform this version of the exercise at a time.
Medicine Ball Chest Passes
You can use the medicine ball chest pass to improve your pushing power and speed. Begin this movement lying on your back, with the medicine ball on your chest held in both hands. Your partner will stand above you, ready to receive the ball. Explosively push your ball as far from your chest as possible by extending your arms upwards and releasing your ball. Your partner should catch the ball and either pass it back to you, or drop it for you to catch, and change directions explosively. This exercise is used to build power in your chest and triceps muscles.
Medicine Ball Hip Rotations
Medicine ball hip rotations can be used to build power or speed in your hips, for change-of-direction and swinging or throwing actions. To perform this exercise, begin with the ball held at your hips; keep your abdomen braced throughout the movement. Pivot your left foot to rotate your hips toward your right foot, keeping your abdomen above your hips at all times. Once your hips can no longer rotate to your right, you will feel stretch in your right hip. Change directions once you feel this stretch by contracting the hip to rotate your pelvis back in the other direction. Throw your heavy ball in the direction of your hip rotation to build power, or simply move your light ball back and forth to build speed in your hip musculature.
Program Variables
If you are using the medicine ball for overall fitness purposes, you can perform as many repetitions or sets as you wish. Generally, more repetitions means more muscular endurance, while heavier medicine balls and fewer repetitions build more strength. If you wish to build your power or speed, the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends performing the last two exercises with five to eight repetitions per set, and rest breaks of three to five minutes between sets.
References
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; Ed. Thomas Baechle, PhD. and Roger Earle, PhD.; 2000
- "Strength Ball Training"; Lorne Goldberg and Peter Twist; 2002
- "Training for Speed, Agility and Quickness"; Lee Brown, PhD., Vance Ferrigno and Juan Carlos Santana; 2000
- "High Performance Sports Conditioning"; Ed. Bill Foran; 2001
- "Sports Power"; David Sandler; 2005
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