If you've seen a medicine ball before, you may have looked at it, then quickly walked away thinking that it must be a piece of equipment for athletes only! Do not fear! These weighted balls are a GREAT addition to your home gym and your workout routine. They come in many varieties--handles, no handles, small, large and a variety of pounds. They don't take up a lot of space and will last you a long time. Not only are they great for abdominal exercises, but upper and lower body as well. (in the next few months we'll explore these)
The exercises performed below are done with an 8 pound ball. If you do not have a medicine ball, you should be able to grab one weight and complete the exercises. (although some of the moves may not be as comfortable)
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Oblique Twist with Medicine Ball: Grab your medicine ball and sit down. Plant your feet firmly in the floor about hip width apart. Hold the ball at your chest and begin twisting right and left with control. Keep the chest lifted (don't sink) and shoulders away from the ears. The elbows should be close to your body as if you are knocking someone out at your hips. Exhale as you twist right and left. REPS: 12-15 reps 2 sets ADVANCED: Lean back slightly as you twist. Try lifting your feet off the floor a few inches while maintaining balance!
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Lower Ab Drop: Grab your medicine ball and lay down. Put the ball between your knees and extend your legs into "chair pose" (see picture) Keep your head to the floor and put your hands to the side on the floor. Inhale, then exhale and with control, drop your legs to where your toes almost touch the floor and return them to starting position. Do NOT collapse the legs. Keep them extended. Repeat. REPS: 10-12 reps 2 sets ADVANCED: Lift your head as you do the move
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Tummy Tuck on the Ball: Get the aerobics ball and lay with your tummy on it. Roll out to your thighs. Keep your hands a little wider than shoulder-width and your gaze ahead (do not tuck your chin to your chest) Slowly use your lower abs to draw the ball towards your chest then extend your legs back to starting position. Continue breathing and go slow especially if you are new to the exercise. REPS: 8-10 reps 2 sets ADVANCED: Roll out to your knees or shins and do the exercise.
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Angle Variety: Lay on your back with your legs on top of the aerobics ball. The ball should be adjacent to your thighs. (We'll call this level 1) Put your hands behind your head with elbows wide. Begin doing a basic crunch keeping the lower body still. After you've done 8 reps in this position, shift the ball to your calves (level 2) as you KEEP MOVING the upper body in a crunch. Try not to stop. Do 8 reps in this position then move the ball to your heels (level 3) as you continue crunching. Do 8 reps in this position then hold the crunch at the top in a small pulsing movement for an 8 count. REPEAT for another set returning to Level 1. TRY NOT TO STOP THE CRUNCH. If you are just starting out you will find you may need to break. That's OK. *Be cautious of keeping your elbows away from your ears. As you get tired you'll find that you'll start "pulling" on your neck and you want to avoid that. Stop when you need a break.
REPS: 8 reps at level 1, 8 reps at level 2, 8 reps at level 3, 8 reps at pulsing, then repeat for another set. You can just do 2 sets of these or work your way up to 4.
Ball Pass Thru the Legs: Lay on your back with the aerobics ball in both hands. Look at your belly. Drop your legs toward the floor at the same time you take the ball behind your head. Bring the legs and arms back to starting position, then pass the ball to your legs. Drop your legs to the floor (with ball in legs) as your arms go behind your head (with nothing). Bring arms and legs back to starting position and repeat alternating the ball between your arms and legs. Only drop the legs to where you feel comfortable--you do NOT need to drop them all the way to the floor. Keep breathing through this exercise. REPS: 6-8 Reps 2 Sets
ADVANCED: Drop the legs lower
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