medicine balls

wendygurl

Cathlete
Do you use them??? My trainer put this in my routine and now I'm thinking it's a really cool toy. How do you use it?
 
Yeah, I use mine in ab routines. Cathe has medicine ball workouts in Core Max and STS abs and I love using it. I'd like to see more use of it in the workouts, actually. Gets a little extra shoulder work in.
 
I love that CM section! I do it very often.

There are some other DVDs that use a med ball as well. Kimberley Spreen has a KB/bodybar/med ball combo workout that I really love. It's almost like a total body w/o with a high cardio factor. I use this one pretty frequently on my ab day since your core is working almost the entire w/o. Tracey Staehle has a really fun hi/lo med ball DVD, but the med ball section is pretty short, and she also has a med ball section in her Core Blast DVD. Amy Bento's In the Ring has med ball intervals that kick butt--in fact, that's one of my favorite KB DVDs. Again, high cardio factor w/serious core work combined.

That's all I can think of right now. :p
 
I love to do an exercise I refer to as "changing lightbulbs" with a medicine ball!!

I hold the ball in the palm of one hand right at the rib cage, elbow at a 90 degree bend, shoulders are down and away from the ears. Slowly start lifting the arm up and rotating the ball overhead with control...fully extend arm (keep the shoulders down the whole time) then rotate in the opposite direction to come down to that initial starting point. Try to look straight ahead and not look at the ball while you work. At first you may only be able to rotate slightly and not get a full extension but keep working on it and you will feel that shoulder strengthen. Great for range of motion for rotator cuff too!!

Start with a light med ball/low reps then work you way up...you will always have to do this one with focus and control. For a progression on this I sometimes lift the opposite leg from the working arm to get a little contralateral balance challenge going!!
 
I use med balls all the time. My favorite move is the ball slam because it hits so many muscle groups. WARNING****You need to use a non-bouncing med ball for this exercise. You basically raise the med ball over your head and slam it to the ground, then squat down to pick it up and repeat. It will give you a great cardio, quad, ab and shoulder workout. I use a 25# med ball and I really think that one move has really defined my shoulders.

I also used a med ball just as a weighted tool to use for step ups, ab exercises, squats, squats and presses, and push ups. I even run with my smaller med balls.
 
There are some other DVDs that use a med ball as well. Kimberley Spreen has a KB/bodybar/med ball combo workout that I really love. It's almost like a total body w/o with a high cardio factor. I use this one pretty frequently on my ab day since your core is working almost the entire w/o.

Laura,

Are you talking about Cardio Combat Surge? It's a great work out for sure! :D
 
I have fallen in love with med ball workouts.

Cardio Combat surge med ball parts are awesome. I don't like the body bar so much.

Patrick Goudeau Play Ball is a fun workout. 30 minutes of med ball.

Tracey Long's Staying Power also has med ball in it. Plus her new one that is coming out is a med ball workout.

I use Cathe's 8lb weighted ball and it's a challenge for all of these workouts.
 
Laura,

Are you talking about Cardio Combat Surge? It's a great work out for sure! :D

Yep, that's the one! I love that DVD! I always forget the names of her workouts b/c they're so generic. :D

Jenn, thanks for the Goudeau tip. I have completely fallen in love with that man's workouts. OH MY GOOOOOOOOSH! LOL! I'll have to check that out. I love med ball cardio on core days. :)
 
Laura,

I have 4 of Spreen's work outs I think and love them all. I am dying to try Patrick's med ball w/o! I asked for it for Christmas. If I don't get it, it'll be one of the first things I buy after the holiday! :D
 
Well I got an 8 pound yesterday and did the core max section for the first time ever. I definately felt this workout in the obliques! Looking forward to incorporating this into my routines.
 
Laura,

I have 4 of Spreen's work outs I think and love them all. I am dying to try Patrick's med ball w/o! I asked for it for Christmas. If I don't get it, it'll be one of the first things I buy after the holiday! :D

4? I only have 3. I have the cardio combat surge, hi/lo KB, & the other bodybar w/o--KB exreme I think? So what am I missing? Must. Have. It. :D
 
4? I only have 3. I have the cardio combat surge, hi/lo KB, & the other bodybar w/o--KB exreme I think? So what am I missing? Must. Have. It. :D

I have:

Cardio Combat Surge: med ball, combat w/body bar, k/b
Absolute Kickbox: combat w/body bar, k/b
Kickbox Boot Camp: k/b using step
Cardio Camp Work Out: k/b, hi-lo

You probably do not have Kickbox Boot Camp from what I can gather....It's not bad but I don't reach for it like I do the others. It's shorter and not quite as much fun IMO. I don't regret the purchase...just my least fave. I've only done it once since I've had it. I keep going for the other ones instead. :)
 

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