A medicine ball is a weighted ball made out of an inelastic, strong rubber that is resistant to heavy impact. You can use it for power, speed, coordination and balance training.To train for explosive strength, use a 10-lb. medicine ball to start with, but only if you can do the exercises easily. Use a lighter weight if you cannot perform the exercises with good form or ig you wish to train for speed.
Vertical Chop
Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart and hold a 10-lb. medicine ball over your head. Brace your abs, and swing the ball between your legs by bending your legs and your torso forward at your waist. Do not round your back. Swing the ball back up over your head, and repeat the movement pattern as fast as you can with control. Perform three sets of 10 reps.
Standing Rotation
Stand in the same position as the first exercise, and hold the ball in front of your chest. Turn your torso to your left, and pivot your right hip and foot to the left at the same time. Swing the ball to your left by using your body, not your arms or shoulders. Turn your body all the way around to your right, and pivot your left hip and foot at the same time. Keep your posture at all times. Perform three sets of 20 rotations total.
Soccer Throw
This exercise teaches you how to generate force by using your lower body and transfering that force into your upper body. Stand about 3 to 4 feet away from a sturdy wall, and hold the ball over and behind your head. Step forward with your right foot and throw the ball at the wall at the same time. Do not hunch your back forward. Catch the ball after it bounces off the wall once. Repeat the throw for three sets of 10 to 12 reps as fast as you can.
Diagonal Swing
This exercise works on total-body stability while you move your arms in a diagonal pattern across your body. Stand with your left foot in front of you, and hold the ball over your left shoulder. Tighten your right buttock, and swing the ball down and across your body toward your right hip without moving your body. Reverse the movement pattern and perform 10 swings. Switch leg positions and repeat the movement pattern on the opposite side. Perform an extra set on the side that feels weaker and less coordinated.
Expert Insight
Perform all four exercises with little rest between exercises. This method, called circuit training, can help you improve muscular endurance and stamina, save you time and burn more calories than performing each exercise individually, according to Coach Robert dos Remedios, author of "Cardio Strength Training." For example, perform the vertical chop exercise for 30 seconds, and then perform the standing rotations for 30 seconds with very little rest between exercises. Repeat this pattern for all exercises. When you have completed all four exercises, rest for one minute and repeat the circuit two more times.
References
- "Cardio Strength Training"; Robert dos Remedios; 2009
- "Athletic Development"; Vern Gambetta; 2006
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