Tag Archives: medicine ball

Medicine Ball Pop Up

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HOME EXERCISE OF THE WEEK

The Medicine Ball Pop Up is a challenging plyometric pushup variation that’s going to work your chest, shoulders, triceps, core, balance, and coordination. This exercise is going to take some practice so take your time and start with a modified from-the-knees version if needed. You will need a medicine ball for this move but if you don’t have one you can also use a soccer or volleyball instead.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Medicine Ball Pop Up.

  • start by getting in to a full plank position with your hands on the medicine ball and the ball directly underneath your chest
  • make sure your feet are wider than your shoulders to provide stability throughout the movement
  • squeeze your abs and your glutes to keep your body nice and straight and to prevent your hips from dropping
  • in one move, quickly remove your hands from the ball and out to the side so that you’re now in a pushup position
  • lower your body down towards the ball until your chest is almost touching
  • now pushup as hard and as fast as you can while bringing your hands back on top of the medicine ball
  • pause for a moment to get your balance and then repeat the move
  • make sure your abs and glutes are engaged throughout
  • perform this move from your knees if you need to start with an easier version

So there you have the Medicine Ball Pop Up. Give it a shot and let me know how you do in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you soon with another new exercise!

Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week. This week I have an upper body exercise to show you called the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup.

This is a great exercise to work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. I’m using a weighted medicine ball for this exercise but if you don’t have one you can use any medium sized ball like a soccer or volleyball. The uneven position targets the muscles from different angles, challenges the core, and increases the intensity for one side. If you find this exercise a little too challenging from the full pushup position, you can drop down to your knees to complete your reps.

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup.

  • start in a full pushup position with your hands wider than your shoulders and in line with your chest with one hand on the ball and one on the floor
  • descend towards the floor while engaging your abs and glutes (this will keep your back nice and straight)
  • try to get as close to the floor as you can and once you feel a good stretch in your chest muscles, push back up to the starting position without locking your elbows
  • from this top position push the ball underneath and across your body to the other hand and now you will repeat the movement for that side while keeping your abs and glutes engaged
  • if this is too challenging from the full pushup position drop down to your knees to complete your reps but just make sure to keep your hips down

So there you have the Medicine Ball Side to Side Pushup. Try adding this exercise to your upper body or full body routine to add an extra challenge and to hit those muscles a little differently. 

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

 

Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss

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Hello, it’s time again for a new Home Exercise of the Week.  This week I have another variation of everyone’s favourite exercise…the burpee!  I call it the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.

This variation of the burpee is going to give your core an extra challenge since you will be adding the instability of placing your hands on the ball when you’re in the full plank position.  As with other burpees, you will also be working your legs, shoulders, and arms.  The shoulders will get an extra workout as well with the overhead throw of the medicine ball.  And don’t forget the cardiovascular conditioning you will get when your heart is pumping hard during this exercise!

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.

  • crouch down and place a medicine ball down on the floor in front of you
  • keeping your hands on the ball and under your chest, jump your feet back until you are fully extended in a full plank position
  • keep your abs engaged to maintain your balance on the medicine ball
  • from this full plank position, jump your feet back up and underneath you then pick the ball up and stand up while trying to keep your back as straight as possible (like standing up from a squat)
  • once you are fully upright throw the medicine ball straight up over your head and then catch it on the way back down
  • lower the ball to the floor and repeat the movement for your desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the Burpee Medicine Ball Overhead Toss.  Add this fun variation of the burpee in to your full body routine and let the sweating begin!

Let me know how you do with this one in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

Lateral Lunge Medicine Ball Extension

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Hello, it’s Home Exercise of the Week time again and this week I have a full body exercise for you to try called the Lateral Lunge Medicine Ball Extension.

The Lateral Lunge Medicine Ball Extension works your gluteus medius (the sides of the glutes), quadriceps, hamstrings, and your adductor muscles which are the muscles of the inner thigh.  The medicine ball extension works your shoulders and to a lesser degree your biceps and triceps.  So as you can see you are working a lot of muscles here which means you’ll be burning more calories and making your heart work more creating a cardiovascular component to the exercise.

If you don’t have a medicine ball that’s ok.  You can use any heavy object you have around the house.  You can even hold your baby or pet for this one!

Let’s take a look at the key performance points of the Lateral Lunge Medicine Ball Extension.

  • stand tall with your feet together and holding the medicine ball close to your chest
  • take a big step to the right while keeping your toes pointed forward
  • bend your right leg so you are descending in to a lunge
  • keep your weight on your right heel and drive your hips back as you lunge
  • keep your back straight as well as your left leg
  • make sure your right knee stays in line with your right toes (you don’t want your knee going forward past the toes)
  • hold this lunge position and push the medicine ball forward away from your chest
  • pull the ball back to your chest and push up through your right heel to the starting position
  • repeat the movement for your left leg
  • lunge side to side for your desired amount of reps or time

So there you have the Lateral Lunge Medicine Ball Extension!  Add this in to your full body routine to spice things up and hit your legs in a different way.

Let me know how you do with this exercise in the comments below or if you have any questions.

See you next week with another new exercise!

Medicine Ball V Up

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Hey there, it’s time for a new Home Exercise of the Week!  This week I have an excellent core exercise for you to try called the Medicine Ball V Up. 

The Medicine Ball V Up targets your upper and lower abdominal muscles as well as your hip flexors.  The advantage of doing this exercise with a medicine ball is the added resistance you will get throughout the movement.  This will work your abs harder and make the exercise more challenging.  If you don’t have a medicine ball you can do this exercise with any object around the house that is easy to hold and has some weight to it. 

Let’s take at look at the key performance points of the exercise. 

  • lay down on your mat in a face up position
  • place the medicine ball on the floor behind your head and fully extend your legs and arms 
  • grab the medicine ball, flex your abs, and crunch up keeping your head in line with your spine (try not to tuck your chin in to your chest)
  • at the same time raise your legs up and move them towards the medicine ball in your hands (you’re now in a V type position)
  • engage your abs and hold this V position for a second and then lower your arms and legs back down towards the floor
  • stop lowering your arms and legs right before they touch the floor – this will keep tension on your abs throughout the exercise 
  • repeat for your desired amount of reps

So there you have the Medicine Ball V Up.  Add this challenging core exercise to your ab routine or at the end of your workout.

Let me know how you do with this exercise in the comment section below or if you have any questions. 

I will see you next week with another new exercise!