Heavy Ball Exercises

Heavy ball training is a good addition to any strength or sport-specific training program. Medicine balls, as they are more commonly referred to, are especially effective in core strengthening, upper-body plyometric drills and various multijoint exercises involving multiple muscle groups. Strength and plyometric training incorporating the medicine ball should precede traditional aerobic or anaerobic activity if performed on the same day.

Ball Squat Presses

This is an excellent exercise to begin your workout with as it engages upper body, lower body and core muscles. The move is executed by beginning with a stance where the feet are slightly past hip-width apart. Holding the medicine ball, squat down and touch the ball to the floor. Stand back up and raise the ball to the ceiling while extending ankles and finishing on your tiptoes. Squatting down engages quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals of the lower body, while holding the ball with arms fully extended involves the chest or pectoral muscles, and raising the ball overhead utilizes the deltoid muscles of the shoulder region. Also, at all times throughout the move, the abdominal muscles should be contracted for stability.

Kneeling Ball Toss

The kneeling ball toss is a challenging upper body plyometric move. Plyometric training improves muscular strength and/or power through the use of rapid movements. In other words, rapid stretches--eccentric contractions--are immediately followed by rapid shortening of muscles--concentric contraction. In this case, from a kneeling position on both knees, you would toss a medicine ball to a partner as you fall down into a push-up position. Immediately upon touching down with the palms of both hands, push yourself back to the start position in time to catch the return pass of the medicine ball, and repeat.

Seated Russian Twists

Russian twists with the medicine ball are ideal for targeting the obliques and overall core strengthening. Essentially, you sit on the floor with your legs bent to approximately a 45-degree angle. Lean back to a point where your abdominal muscles are engaged and are challenged to keep your upper body upright. Hold the medicine ball in front of your chest area. Twist side to side attempting to touch the medicine ball to the floor on either side of your body. To increase the intensity, you could lift one or both feet off the floor while executing the move.