Looking for a few total body medicine ball exercises to add to your next workout? These power moves will get your heart pumping and muscles working. Check out the latest installment of this month’s Inspired To Be Fit.
POWER PROGRESSIONS: TOTAL BODY MEDICINE BALL EXERCISES
Good Morning! How are you doing today?!
We have 2 FREE WEEK’s this month, how fun! Be sure to link your fitness posts to the Inspired To Be Fit Community! This month, we are talking progressions! The first week, I went over acute variables and how we can take 4 – 5 moves and make a multitude of workouts, just by switching up the acute variables. I shared a quick & easy bodyweight workout and a fun & challenging stability workout last week.
Today, let’s talk POWER.
Brand new POWER Medicine Ball Workout is up #ontheblog! Check it! #fitfluential @fitfluential Click To TweetOne way you can progress your workout is by increasing the intensity through power exercises. Power is defined as the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount of time (NASM). The equation for power is force multiplied by velocity. So, we know we can increase with load of an exercise by increasing the weight (force). With the medicine ball (remember, I did a whole Modality of the Month on Medicine Balls), you can increase the speed at which a weight moves (velocity).
Power training increases the rate of force production, which actives more motor units, which means more muscles working! When progressing power with traditional strength training, we aim for 85 – 100% of the max, as fast as can be controlled. That italicized part is important, which is why core strength is crucial. With bodyweight, we are focused on the velocity side, working at 30 – 45% intensity, and 10% intensity is recommended for medicine ball training.
The workout is a combination of medicine ball work and bodyweight exercises. You’ll want to choose a medicine ball weight that challenges you and allows you to throw the ball with a high velocity. I’ll say a 2-4# ball is probably too light and it’s likely a 20# + is getting to be a bit too heavy. Go quickly, but controlled.
EQUIPMENT
- Medicine Ball (8 – 12#)
SETUP
Complete 5 rounds of all moves listed, resting when needed.
NOTES
Use explosive movements and move through as quickly as possible.
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THE MOVES:
- MEDICINE BALL SLAMS: Hold ball at chest height, feet spread slightly more than hip width apart, feet pointed out slightly. Raise ball overhead, keeping core engaged to avoid a hyperextended back. Throw or SLAM ball on the ground, using lats, upper back and chest muscles. Watch out if the ball bounces – don’t hit yourself in the face!
- SPLIT LUNGE JUMPS: Come into a lunge stance and lower, bending knees. Explode up out of the split lunge, switching legs, and landing back in a lunge position. Jump up again, this time, back into the squat jump.
- MEDICINE BALL OBLIQUE THROWS: With ball at chest, stand perpendicular to wall, a few feet out, with shoulders back and down and pelvis slightly tucked. Straighten arms as you move ball out in front of you. Throw the ball to the wall, with force, using obliques to brace yourself.
- DIAGONAL BOUNDS: Get low in an athletic stance. You are going to perform skaters, but rather than move side to side, move forward. One step forward counts as 1 repetition.
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Don’t forget to add your fitness related posts to the link-up below! While we know nutrition plays a huge role in fitness and overall healthy living, Jill and I would like ITBF to focus totally on the fitness aspect of healthy living. We’d like this to be a go-to resource for workouts and fitness information, motivation and support. If you have a delicious recipe to share (and we know many of you do), come back on Friday and link-up with Living a Life of Fitness Health & Happiness.
Linking up for Wild Workout Wednesday too!
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How was your weekend?! So, I totally took advantage of my ‘day off’ Friday. I hung with my mom for a bit, then went shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding in March (we are going to be in Boston for the weekend!!), then did a little house cleaning before seeing Deadpool with The Hubs. It was a pretty good movie – and Ryan Reynolds nearly naked in a few scenes – I’ll take it.
Saturday was busy with classes, and online bootcamp and filming ALLLL the workouts and videos for the next month (Jill & I have lots of cool things planned!) because it was like 68 degrees! Ah, so beautiful. Sunday, I took a ‘rest day’. The Hubs and I slept in, had a slow morning, pancakes for breakfast, time with the Lord, did a little laundry. No one showed up to my class (I’m assuming because it was another AMAZINGLY beautiful day), so I had even more time to slowly get stuff done and still enjoy some time outside. I went on the LONGEST walk and listened to some podcasts. It was such a great day!
Back to the grind this week. By the time this post is live, I’ll have already trained a client (gotta love 4:30am mornings)! Lots going on this week. Expect a fun little giveaway/survey on Wednesday and a guest post on Friday – another edition of Fierce Female Friday – can you guess who it will be?!
So, tell me:
What was your favorite part about this weekend?!
Do you incorporate power moves into your workouts?
Do you have a favorite medicine ball exercise?
XOXO,
Jen
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We have med balls at the gym and I try to play around with them as much as I can. My favorite way to use them has to be wall balls! Love them!
Wall balls are so stinking fun, Sam! I need to incorporate them more often!
The key to medicine ball slams? Keeping your face out of the way! My nose/face still hurts from last week’s incident….
I love that you altered a strength move with a power/jump move. Thats my favorite way to train!
hah, yes, Kat! I’ve done this before myself! 🙂
You know what? I haven’t used a medicine ball in quite a while, but this workout has definitely inspired me. I’m loving these exercises. Consider it pinned!
Also, this is my first link-up with you guys! My post is tucked right in between your post and Jill’s. And thank you so much for hosting the link-up. I’m really excited to start meeting other like minded bloggers:-)
Jen, I hope you have the most wonderful week, and thank you again. -Katie J
Woo! Yay, Katie! So glad you joined the link-up!! So glad to meet you!
MB exercises always challenge me, because I can feel when I start to get lazy and rely on my back!!
I am right there with you, Jess!
I haven’t worked out with a med ball in forever. I don’t know why. It’s a favorite.
It’s one of my favorites too, Jill!
I need to do more power moves in my workouts. The medicine ball is such a great tool that I wish I had access to in my gym. That nice that you had a fun weekend – Ryan Reynolds is kind of growing on me, maybe I should see Deadpool, haha!
A medicine ball is a super fun piece of equipment, for sure. Deadpool was great – it was a little crass, but not too much that it made for a bad movie.
Looks like an awesome workout! I haven’t done a med ball workout in forever- pinned for later and sharing! Thanks for linking up!
Thanks for pinning, Annmarie!
medicine balls are so versatile love to workout with them
They are so versatile, Deborah!
Love this workout! I do a lot of wallballs at crossfit- ooph!
Yeah – I love wallballs too!!
Dang! I’m always learning something new from you. The fun variations just keep coming…I don’t usually use medicine balls but now I really want to try it. Love the use of gravity/body weight here.
That’s great to hear – glad you are always learning! I bet you’d love them – great for at home workouts too!
YOUR. BACK.
that is all
<3
Heh, thanks girl!
I always eye the medicine balls at my gym but never know what do with them. Now I finally have some inspiration to work off of. Thank you Jen for the ideas!
Definitely try these moves out, Julia! Medicine Balls are great!