American adults need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day to stay healthy, according to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. A comprehensive exercise program includes both cardiovascular activity and strength training. To maximize your strength training workout, take advantage of the equipment available to supplement your activity.
Medicine Balls
Medicine balls are about the size of a basketball and weighted. They aid in increasing your body's strength, stabilization and balance. As an exercise that requires a partner, medicine ball sit-ups work your chest, arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your partner holds the medicine ball. Sit up, keeping your feet flat on the floor, as your partner throws the medicine ball at you and you catch it, holding it at your chest. Lower your upper body back down to the floor. Sit up again and throw the ball back at your partner.
Work your legs, glutes and obliques with a lunge with torso twist. These can be done either stationary or walking. Hold a medicine ball at your chest and stand up tall with your core muscles tightened. Step one foot forward far enough that your front and back legs are near a 90-degree angle. Bend your back knee down toward the floor and rotate your upper body and medicine ball over the front leg, keeping your core muscles tight. Step back to the starting position.
Stability Balls
Stability balls are larger, air-filled balls that are often known as exercise balls. It helps build your core muscles as you attempt to keep balance and maintain control as the ball rolls slightly under even the slightest movements.
To do a straight leg bridge, lie on your back with your legs straight and feet resting on top of the ball. Tighten your core muscles. Lift your lower body off the ground while squeezing your gluteal muscles. Stop when your head, upper back and warms are the only body parts left on the floor. Slowly return your body to the ground. Repeat five to 10 times.
Bosu Ball
While its name is a Bosu ball, these pieces of exercise equipment are actually half-spheres with a solid base. Do a push-up/plank on the Bosu ball by turning the ball over so the flat surface is on top and the curved ball is on the floor. Get into a push-up position with your hands on the sides of the Bosu's flat surface. Either hold steady for a plank exercise or make it more difficult by lowering yourself into a push-up.
Bosu Ballast Ball
The Bosu Ballast Ball is a hybrid of a medicine ball and a stability ball that has 2.5 pounds of heavy material in the sphere. Complete a ballast rotation by holding the ball in both hands in front of your body. Keeping your hips facing forward, tighten your core muscles and rotate your torso from side to side. Do three sets of 10 rotations.
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