A medicine ball is a weighted ball covered with leather or plastic for conditioning exercises that have application to various sports like athletics, baseball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, football, squash, netball, and rugby. Also known as a stability ball, flexibility ball or fitness ball, it is a great way to build human power, and is recommended by medical doctors and many personal trainers alike for those who are doing strength, balance or weight-loss workouts, that include the ultra grip, double-grip, easy grip, single grip or power yoga exercises.
A popular exercise using the stability ball is the fit-chair ball or ball on a chair, that promotes active sitting to improve posture while sitting at home or in the office. It strengthens the abdominals which are some of the most important muscles for gymnastics and many sports events, as well as back and chest muscles, and can relieve stress on the spine, back and shoulders.
There are forms of gymnastic exercises that you can do using a medicine ball. These include a squat jump which uses a 10-pound ball; hollow-rock tossing requiring three medicine balls; lower torso conditioning; rear overhead throws, and Russian twist, that all need a partner to perform; and the medicine ball oblique that have the ball held between the knees. A rubber ball is used in rhythmic gymnastics where a gymnast demonstrates the skills in ballet, dance or artistic gymnastics.
In gymnastic exercises, a routine with a balance ball is effective. You can strengthen your inner thighs by holding the stability ball between your ankles while standing and squeezing your legs together to hold the ball as you jump up and down on the floor. To help you strengthen your abs, lie flat on your back while holding the ball between your feet, and placing your arms at your sides, lift your legs to form a 90° angle, and then lower them down to starting position. To strengthen your core, lie on top of the ball with your spine from your buttocks to your shoulder blades on the ball, and then place your feet firmly on the floor in front of you for support to enable you to do abs crunches while you maintain your stability on the ball. For a lateral flexion exercise, lie on your side over the medicine ball and spread your legs for balance before curling up towards the ceiling using the ball over your head, and lying back down across the ball to repeat the movement, and to repeat with the other side. To help begin the core strengthening process, sit up straight with your legs out in front of you, hold the ball between your feet as you bring your legs up to form a 45° angle before leaning back to hold your arms out in front of you and release this pose after 15 minutes.
To start a medicine ball routine, one should follow some important guidelines to maximize the benefits of your training and avoid injuries from possible accidents, such as: (a) Warm up thoroughly before the start; (b) You must have plenty of space and a competent training partner; (c) Training should be completed when you are fresh before an aerobic or anaerobic training; (d) Focus on speed of movement without sacrificing techniques; (e) Choose a ball that is not too heavy to prevent your movement from getting slow; and (f) Be careful not to hyperextend your spine too far when throwing a ball from behind your head.
