subject: Getting Into Great Shape Through A Medicine Ball Workout [print this page] If you want to get your muscles in shape, but you do not want to fork out hundreds of dollars for an expensive gym memberships or a personal trainer, try a simple medicine ball. This little ball can help you to get the body you always wanted, without draining your bank account.
The idea of completing an entire total-body workout using nothing more than an 8-pound medicine ball may not seem intimidating. However, the following workouts are designed to help you build a rock-solid core, burn fat, and improve your sports performance.
First, you need to have a real medicine ball-you can get one at any kind of fitness store, or even at a garage sale sometimes if you are lucky! Next, perform this routine at the end of your regular workout or as a stand-alone workout, 3 days a week.
Use a six, eight, or ten pound medicine ball. Do twenty repetitions of each exercise in the order shown.
Complete the routine as a circuit, doing one set of each movement in succession and without resting. Rest for sixty to ninety seconds and do the circuit again.
Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, hold a medicine ball with your arms extended directly above your head. Without bending your elbows, rotate your arms counterclockwise, using the ball to draw large imaginary circles in front your body.
Do ten circles, and then reverse direction to clockwise and do ten more. Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart.
With your arms nearly straight, hold a medicine ball above your head. Now, bend forward at your waist and mimic throwing the ball backward between your legs-but hold onto the ball the entire time.
Quickly reverse the movement with the same intensity, and return to the starting position. That is one repetition.
Next, hold your weight with both hands in front of your chest and with your arms straight. Without dropping your arms, pivot on your right foot and rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the left.
Then reverse direction: pivot on your left foot and rotate all the way to the right. That is one repetition.
Stand with your weight held close to your chest with both hands, your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart again. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
Then simultaneously drive your heels into the floor, and push your body back to the starting position as you press the ball over your head. Lower the ball back to the start.
Repeat each of these as many times as you can. Grab the medicine ball with both hands and lie on your back on the floor.
Bend your knees ninety degrees, place your feet flat on the floor, and hold the weight against your chest. Now perform a classic sit-up by raising your torso into a sitting position.
Lower it back to the start. That is one repetition.
Next, sit on the floor with your legs straight, and hold a medicine ball with both hands just above your lap. Twist your torso to the right and place the ball behind you.
Then twist all the way to your left and pick the ball up and bring it back to the starting position. Do ten repetitions.
Immediately do another ten repetitions, but this time start by twisting with the ball to your left. Next, lie on your back, and raise your legs so they are straight and perpendicular to the floor.
Hold the ball above the top of your head with your arms straight. Without moving your legs or bending your elbows, simultaneously lift your arms and torso until the ball touches your toes.
Lower yourself back to the starting position. Do this as many times as you can.
If you are consistent about doing these exercises every day, you may begin to notice a difference in a matter of just a few weeks. Your abdominal muscles, among others, will begin to push forward and become more noticeable.
You will be just as happy with your results as you would be with a thousand dollar gym membership! Go get one of these useful little fitness tools today.
