Medicine Ball Workout in 5 Minutes

Reading time: 3 min.

"Out with the old, in with the new" – under this motto, personal trainer Arne Derrick presents nine top exercises with the medicine ball. Tried-and-tested, grippy cowhide is combined with modern, effective exercises!

Contents

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Exercise 6
Exercise 7
Exercise 8
Exercise 9

Exercise 1

Let's start with the classic "Squat" and the three-kilo ball. This is held in front of the body as additional weight. Now you go into squats, with holding the medicine ball not only adding extra weight to the legs and back – always keep it straight – but also stabilizing the shoulders. To make the whole thing a bit more dynamic, the medicine ball is now thrown upwards when getting up from the squat and caught again before the next squat. The higher the ball is thrown, the more effective the exercise.

Exercise 2

The second classic in the program, the "Lunge," but combined with a shoulder and rotation plane. The starting position is a straight stand. You hold the Vintage Series medicine ball overhead and go into a clean lunge. In the end position, you extend your arms, including the medicine ball, forward in front of your body and go into a rotation: if the left foot is forward, rotate to the left; if the right foot is forward, rotate to the right.

Exercise 3

The "Good Mornings": For this, you stand in a slightly squatting position, holding the medicine ball above your head, either with arms extended or bent. Now you bend forward with a straight back and straighten up again with a straight back. The more extended your arms hold the medicine ball, the more strenuous, but also more effective, this exercise is for the core. Important: The back always remains straight.

Exercise 4

Continuing directly from this exercise are the Throw Downs: From the extended Good Morning position, you powerfully throw the medicine ball to the floor, catch it again with a slight squat, and return to the extended position. A bit louder, but super effective and challenging.

Exercise 5

The next exercise focuses on stabilizing the lateral muscles. To do this, you get into a squatting stance, kneeling on one leg while extending the other leg straight out to the side. Now, lift the medicine ball over your head again and lean to the side over your kneeling leg. The further you lean to the side, the more strength your opposing abdominal muscles must exert to counteract this movement and stabilize you. Note: As always, perform this exercise on both sides.

Exercise 6

For the next exercise, you'll need a wall or a pillar against which you can powerfully throw the medicine ball. You do this from a rotational movement. To do this, stand at a right angle to the wall/pillar with some distance, feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bent. With a rotational movement, throw the ball powerfully against the pillar and catch it again. This exercise thrives on its speed and dynamism, because if executed too slowly, the ball will fall to the ground.

Exercise 7

A similarly dynamic throwing exercise can be developed from the squat: Squat with a touch down on the floor, straighten up, and push against the wall. Dynamics, impact, and leg movement are effectively combined here, and the cardiovascular system is also put to good use.

Exercise 8

Next up is the abs. For this, you combine the large and small medicine ball with the classic abdominal exercise, the jackknife. So, lie down on your back! Now, you clamp the small ball between your knees (easy) or ankles (more challenging), hold the large ball with extended arms above your head, and start with the jackknife exercises. Still a super exercise for the abdominal muscles.

Exercise 9

Another classic in terms of abs is the "Russian Twist". Here, you sit with slightly bent legs and a straight back, leaning slightly backward, holding the medicine ball in front of your body with outstretched arms and moving it alternately to the right and left towards the floor in a twisting motion. A great exercise that targets both abdominal muscles and torso rotation.