Are you familiar with a medicine ball? Yes, it is the weighted ball in the gym that you have possibly kicked thinking it was a football (we’ve all been there).
Whilst gym machinery is suited to particular purposes, the medicine ball is one of the most diverse pieces of gym equipment. It can be thrown around (not recommended with normal weights) as well as being used anywhere (gym, home, office, outdoors)! At 4 Core fitness we now have our own online medicine ball training system. Sign up now by clicking here.
Like many exercise tools, you must the choose the correct ball weight for your body or risk injury! Ensure your ball is heavy enough to slow your motion without affecting control. My curiosity to find the heaviest medicine ball led me to this video of man lifting a 150 pound ball! Don’t try this at home!
Whether you are training to improve stability or power, the medicine ball is a fun way to reach your goals. Many clients prefer this type of training because it feels more like a game!
An example of an amusing medicine ball game is to…
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- Pair up with a buddy.
- Whilst both hopping on one leg, practise throwing the ball back and forth
- Once you get the hang of it, try distancing yourself from your partner and throwing the ball awkwardly and in turn making it more difficult for your partner to catch!
The medicine ball’s time tested and proven techniques date back to around 3,000 years ago when Persian wrestlers trained with sand filled bladders and then 2,000 years ago when master of Greek medicine, Hippocrates instructed his injured patients to perform exercises with animal skin bags stuffed with sand. Gladiators also used early medic balls to prepared for fighting within the arena. The medicinal purposes of the ball gave it its name!
If you’d like free advice or to find out more about our training methods, learn how to use weights or arrange an consultation, get in touch here.
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