A strength or medicine ball is a vital tool for developing sport-specific power, upper body mobility and overall stabilization. A major benefit of medicine ball training is it can help augment all of your fitness components: strength, endurance, agility, power and stability. These improvements are made by placing your body in many different positions. Exercising in diverse body planes prevents muscle imbalances.
Standing Exercises
A strength ball is utilized as external resistance for an abundance of weight-bearing movements. Most of these standing movements involve the upper extremity. Strength balls allow you to perform functional or sport- type maneuvers that other types of equipment can't. Trunk rotation is a motion that is executed in every sport. A medicine ball can train athletic movements such as side-to-side rotations or diagonal rotations. You can also use a strength ball for plyometric throws. These exercises build strength and power for overhead activities, such as throwing a ball or lifting an object. A strength ball can also be used in a catching drill to work on balance. Two examples are catching a strength ball as you stand on a bosu ball or stand on one leg.
Seated Exercises
Seated strength ball exercises are more basic in nature. Older adults can utilize a medicine ball as external resistance for upper extremity movements. This type of population doesn't require heavy weights for strength activities. Seated arm elevations, overhead ball presses and strength ball bicep curls are among a bevy of exercises that engage your upper body muscles. You can sit on a stable exercise bench or work on core stability by sitting on a physio ball. A physio ball forces the gluteals, abdominals and lower spine to contract to maintain support.
Supine (On Back) Exercises
Medicine ball exercises for the lower extremity are mostly done in a supine position. Bridges is a movement that integrates a strength ball as a stabilization device. You can place two med balls on a floor and place the bottom of your left foot on one and the right foot on the other. As you carry out the bridge, your lower leg balance is challenged. A further advancement is placing the bottom of one foot on top of one ball, creating a one-leg bridge. Double-leg raises is an exercise that incorporates a medicine ball as added resistance. A med ball is held between the ankles, legs together and elevated. Lower your legs toward the floor until you lose your abdominal stabilization. The medicine ball stresses the adductor muscles, along with the abdominals and hip flexors.
Prone (Face Down) Exercises
Push-ups and planks (push-up holds) are the most common activities from a prone body plane. You can either put two hands on one strength ball or each hand on its own individual ball. Strength balls serve to intensify these exercises in two ways. It places on your hand on a round device, creating instability in the upper extremity. It also elevates the contact point, which forces the chest and shoulders into a deeper contraction.
Side Lying Exercises
A strength ball can be an added dimension to two side lying movements. A basic side plank has your bottom arm straight and your hand flat on the floor. A med ball bumps up the intensity by becoming the contact point for the palm of your hand. The roundness of the strength ball creates an unstable surface for your hand. Side lying double-leg raises can also be advanced by placing a med ball between the ankles. The weighted med ball recruits the adductor muscles in coordination with the outer gluteals.
References
- "Strength Ball Training"; Lorne Goldenberg and Peter Twist; 2007
- "The Complete Guide to Medicine Ball Training Book"; Vern Gambetta and Steve Odgers; 1991
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