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23 Best Medicine Ball Exercises For A Full-Body Workout, From A Trainer

You’ve got to see this pistol squat.

If you’re looking to revamp your workouts, you might try different training methods or switching up your equipment. Instead of only grabbing (beloved) dumbbells and kettlebells, it’s time to spice things up with a medicine ball. Once you do, there are oh so many benefits waiting for ya. Gym Ball

23 Best Medicine Ball Exercises For A Full-Body Workout, From A Trainer

“Training with a medicine ball develops explosive power, increases body strength, increases speed, and provides more versatile movement in different planes,” says Tatiana Lampa, CPT, ACSM-certified trainer at Fithouse and SLT, and creator of the app, Training With T. That's why many athletes train with a medicine ball. The versatility of the ball helps you nail down mechanics and ultimately perform better.

Meet the expert: Tatiana Lampa is an ACSM-certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, creator of the Training With T app, and instructor at Fithouse in New York City. Rebecca Stewart, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, mobility coach, and pain-free performance specialist. Gina Newton, CPT, is a certified personal trainer and holistic body coach.

Medicine ball workouts are also great because they engage the *entire* body in all three planes of movement, says Rebecca Stewart, CPT, a certified personal trainer, mobility coach, and pain-free performance specialist. “The majority of people complete exercises in only the sagittal plane (front to back and up and down movement like squats, deadlifts, and pushups), while neglecting the frontal (side to side movement) and transverse (rotational and twisting movements) planes,” she explains.

Training in all planes of movement helps reduce the chance of injury, especially in the case of balance, coordination, and core strength, says Stewart. In fact, medicine ball workouts significantly improve static and dynamic balance which is key for preventing falls and instability, studies found.

Another perk? Most medicine ball exercises have little to no impact, which makes them a great choice if you want to increase power without stressing your joints, adds Stewart.

Now, you may be wondering…why can’t I just use plain hand weights for these exercises? They are both weighted tools, but there are major differences in what you can do with them. “You can’t slam the weights to generate power the way you can with a medicine ball,” Lampa says. “You are definitely working muscles differently with weights and the medicine ball in different planes.”

Ready to power up your workout with all those perks? Here, the best medicine ball exercises recommended and demonstrated by Lampa for challenging your entire body and building explosive power.

Time: 18 to 25 minutes | Equipment: 8 to 12 pound medicine ball | Good for: Total body

Instructions: Choose six moves below. Do as many reps as you can for 45 seconds, then take 15 seconds of rest. Repeat that three to four times. Then continue to the next move.

Why it rocks: This move targets your glutes, quads, core, and upper body, says Gina Newton, CPT, a certified personal trainer and holistic body coach. It also elevates your heart rate for a killer cardio workout, she adds.

Why it rocks: Kneeling medicine ball slams are an awesome exercise that develop rotational core strength. That skill is important for everyday functional movements, says Stewart. They also work your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, lats, core, chest, and shoulders, so you really get a bang for your buck.

Why it rocks: Looking for a low impact move with big results? Newton says bent-over medicine ball rows are your go-to because they work your upper back, chest, and arms, while also silently torching your legs and glutes.

Why it rocks: This is a great move for athletes to develop dexterity and proprioception (AKA the perception of location, movement, and action of your body parts), says Stewart. It also targets your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and core.

Why it rocks: The weight of the ball increases the load on your core to fire up your abdominals, says Stewart.

Pro tip: Engage your lower abs to ensure you’re not overcompensating with your hip flexors, adds Newton.

Why it rocks: The deadlift is a great compound lift, meaning it works muscles across multiple joints in your body, says Stewart. For this move, you can expect your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and lats to be on fire, she adds.

Why it rocks: By setting the ball on the floor between reps you start from a dead stop and have to increase your speed and strength from the floor with no assist from momentum, explains Stewart. The move also strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and lats, she adds.

Why it rocks: “I love this move for the cardio aspect and the core work,” says Newton. It also works the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, she adds.

Why it rocks: This is a lower impact variation of high knees that fires up your core for stability. Not to mention, you’re also working your shoulders, obliques, hip flexors, and glutes.

Why it rocks: “This is extra tough on the core because the medicine ball throws off our stability,” says Newton. “This is primarily working the core, but also benefits the upper body, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.”

Why it rocks: This move is extra tough on your glutes because the added weight requires you to engage your bum while lowering down in order to stay stable and supported, says Newton. The move also requires killer balance.

Why it rocks: When you lift one arm off the ground to tap the ball, that causes your core to work overtime to keep you stable, says Stewart. This is a full body move that you'll feel primarily in your core, back, and shoulders, she adds.

Why it rocks: “Adding a deficit to your pushup increases the range of motion, which in turn increases your strength and flexibility,” says Stewart. The move also targets your chest, biceps, triceps, back, and core.

Why it rocks: This move is an excellent antidote to a sedentary lifestyle and can combat tight hips and lower back pain, says Newton.

Pro tip: Modify with feet resting on the floor if needed for support.

Why it rocks: The medicine ball allows you to work through a greater range of motion than a traditional pushup, says Stewart. That creates added upper body challenge.

Why it rocks: Adding a medicine ball to your situp increases the intensity while building strength in your core and hip flexors, says Stewart.

Why it rocks: This is an extra tough move because it trains balance and stability while simultaneously strengthening your core, adductors, and legs, says Stewart.

Why it rocks: This is a small movement, but the weight of the ball engages your upper abdominals, chest, and shoulders, says Newton.

Pro tip: Avoid using momentum so you properly activate your core and use it to stay in control, Newton says.

Why it rocks: “The addition of an overhead press at the top of the situp makes this a great complex exercise to strengthen your core, hip flexors, and shoulders,” says Stewart.

Pro tip: Level up the upper body challenge with a heavier medicine ball, Newton says.

Why it rocks: This is a super challenging move that strengthens your core, hip flexors, and the deep abdominal muscles, says Stewart.

Kristine Thomason is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience creating content for print and digital publications. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine's work has appeared in Men's Health, Travel + Leisure, Health, and Refinery29, among others. She holds a journalism degree from New York University, and is certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Addison Aloian (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. When she’s not writing about all things pop culture, health, beauty, and fashion, she loves hitting leg day at the gym, shopping at Trader Joe’s, and watching whichever hockey game is on TV. Her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media. 

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass consumer of social media and cares about women’s rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.  

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23 Best Medicine Ball Exercises For A Full-Body Workout, From A Trainer

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