9 Best Medicine Ball Exercises (Proven Full-Body Workout)

This exercise will effectively target your core muscles.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent.
• Keep your feet off the floor.
• Hold a medicine ball with both hands.
• Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight as you twist from side to side, passing the ball from one hand to the other and tapping it against the ground each time.
• Keep twisting for as many reps as possible based on your fitness levels.

Lateral Lunge

This medicine ball lunge will work your legs, glutes, and core.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding a medicine ball in both hands.
• Step out wide to one side and lower into a one-legged squat position, keeping the medicine ball close to your chest.
• Push back up to standing and repeat on the other side for the desired reps.

Medicine ball overhead squats are a challenging and effective full-body exercise to add to your routine.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Hold a medicine ball over your head with both hands.
• Slowly lower into a squat position, keeping the ball and arms extended throughout the movement.
• Pause for a few seconds at the bottom of the squat before slowly standing again.
• Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Related: 7 Squat Variations To Try

Push-Ups

To increase the difficulty of your upper-body workout, incorporate your body weight by performing a medicine ball push-up, which involves a different position compared to a classic push-up.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Kneel on the floor and place a med ball in front of you.
• Place your hands on the top half of the ball with your fingers pointed downward. Have a firm grip.
• Get into a classic push-up position, keeping your body in a straight line and your feet hip-width apart.
• Lower your body, almost touching the medicine ball underneath you with your chest, then push back up.
• Repeat for the desired number of reps.

“While the push-up largely targets the muscles of the chest, the pectoralis major and minor, several other muscle groups contribute. Namely, these include the triceps, anterior deltoids, and the core muscles.”

- Daniel Preiato, BSc, RD

These exercises strengthen your core and improve your balance.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Lie on your back with a med ball in your hands and your arms overhead.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles and use them to lift your torso and legs off the floor.
• Keep your arms and legs straight and raise yourself into a V shape, bringing the ball straight over your body.
• Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
• Repeat for the desired reps.

Overhead Slam

If you are looking for an explosive, full-body exercise to increase strength and stability, try the overhead slam.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Start standing, holding a medicine ball straight overhead with both hands.
• Bend at the hips while keeping your chest up, and explosively throw the ball onto the ground in front of you using all the power you can muster.
• Pick up the ball again and repeat for as many repetitions as desired.

With this exercise, you’ll work your hips and glutes and improve your balance.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Start by standing on one foot and holding the medicine ball held in your hands in front of you at chest height.
• Keep your back and torso flat, your right leg slightly bent, your core tight, and your neck in a neutral position.
• Hinge forward from the hips, extending your left leg straight behind you until both arms and the left leg are parallel to the ground, ensuring you don’t lock the right knee.
• Pause briefly before returning to the starting position.
• Keep your weight on your right leg throughout the exercise.
• Repeat for the desired number of reps.
• Switch legs and perform the same number of reps.

Also Read: 4 Best Deadlift Alternative Exercises

Medicine Ball Pass

Medicine ball chest passes are great full-body exercises that can improve speed and power.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Stand holding the medicine ball in both hands in front of your chest.
• With a quick, explosive motion, throw the ball straight out from your chest, pushing it away from your body with both arms extended.
• Use both hands to catch the ball with both hands as it comes back toward you, softening your elbows to absorb its impact.
• Repeat for as many repetitions as desired to finish one set.

Here’s how to do it: 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a med ball.
• Bend over from the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
• You will start with your arms straight.
• Pull the medicine ball toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Pause briefly at the peak of the movement before slowly lowering.
• You can do a specific number of reps or perform the exercise for a certain amount of time.