Medicine Ball Core Strength Workout

We would love to tell you that you can solo this core strength workout, but we’re not. Why? Because the fact is medicine ball exercises are more effective when you have a buddy to toss them to.

Walls are great. Slam balls are cool. But, in this workout we’re using a traditional medicine ball that you should be thrusting at someone with power who can return it to you with equal or greater intensity.

Here’s Your Circuit

No funny business. We’re going to make this really dynamic with 3 exercises that force you to tap deeply into your core. You start with sets of 12 reps for each exercise and then take away 1 rep each circuit until you’re done. That’s a total of 234 reps. It’ll go faster than you think.

Let’s start with 12 of these hummers…

Do this 12 times as fast as you can with as much power and control as you can muster: drop down, do a pushup, get back on your feet and do a one-armed power toss. Make sure to switch arms each time and your friend should always return to the same arm you toss with. Now, as far as going from pushup position to standing…ideally you’ll power-pushup yourself in one fluid motion.

If that’s not possible (and it isn’t for the brunt of humanity), then do what you have to do. Even if you go to your knees and then stand up, you’re still working your body and burning tons of calories in the process.

Now 12 of these puppies…

Again, do these as quickly with as much fluid and determined motion as possible: start on the ground on your back with your hands holding a moderately heavy medicine ball above your head also resting on the ground. You’re going to thrust the ball over you and generate enough momentum that you can roll forward onto your feet. Your friend should be behind you so you have to twist around and then pass them the ball. They return, you turn around and do another and so on.

Don’t be deceived. If you choose a really heavy medicine ball it will put tons of tension on your triceps and add its own level of difficulty. Best to go middle of the road to really lay it on the core.

Finish it off with 12 of these bad boys…

We’re focusing on the oblique’s here so alternate which side you choose each circuit to even things out. Okay, so you start holding the ball at your waist in a standing position facing forward with your friend on either side of you about 1 ½ to 2 yards away. You’re going to do a lateral lunge away from your friend and then you’re going to do a lunge-hop towards them and toss the ball.

Ideally when you catch their return toss you’re already heading back into starting position and the first away-lunge. Get it? Once you get the hang of it you’re constantly lunging, catching and tossing the ball in one continuous core-motion.

Not bad right? We were tempted to add in a few other creative exercises but there’s no reason to get hasty. That right there is easily a solid 20-30 minute workout for most people. Yeah, those first few circuits might not be too bad, but about half way in the entire body begins really using up its reserves. Make sure to have a really nutritious post-workout meal with plenty of healthy protein, carbs and a smidgen of healthy fat.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please leave a comment below and we will respond.

Published by Ready Set Go Fitness www.readysetgofitness.com.au