10 Medicine Ball Exercises for Beginners + Sample Workout

Looking to add variety to your fitness routine? Beginner medicine ball exercises offer an excellent way to challenge your body and improve strength, coordination, and core stability. This versatile piece of equipment can transform simple movements into effective full-body workouts. 

What are Medicine Balls?

Medicine balls are heavy, spherical tools frequently employed in strength training and rehabilitation exercises. These balls come in various sizes and weights, generally ranging from 2 to 25 kg or even higher. They are widely used in functional fitness routines, sports training, and physical therapy to focus on specific muscle groups, enhance overall athletic performance, and boost coordination and balance.

If you're aiming to elevate your fitness routine, medicine balls are among the most adaptable and efficient options available. Whether your goal is to improve cardiovascular health, increase strength, or boost endurance, incorporating a medicine ball workout can be highly beneficial.

How are Medicine Balls Made?

The creation of medicine balls is a fascinating process. Essentially, these are weighted spheres designed to endure rigorous use. The production begins with a sturdy outer shell, often made from resilient materials like leather, rubber, or polyurethane, chosen for its ability to withstand the impact of repeated slams, throws, and general wear and tear.

The shell is then filled with a heavy substance, such as sand, gel, or iron pellets, depending on the desired weight and feel of the ball. The filling is carefully measured and distributed to ensure the ball remains balanced during use. Once filled, the ball is tightly sealed, maintaining an even weight distribution throughout. While the design and materials have advanced over time, the fundamental purpose remains unchanged: to provide a durable, weighted tool that adds resistance to your workouts.

To learn more about everything medicine balls, read our ultimate guide. 

Warm Up Routine

Begin with a 10-minute warm-up, such as brisk walking or marching in place. Select at least five different exercises from the list provided and rotate through them for 20 minutes to achieve a comprehensive, effective workout. As you move through your exercise list and gain more experience with the exercises, consider using a heavier medicine ball to further test your strength and endurance. 

10 Medicine Ball Exercises

10. Slams

Medicine ball slams are one of the most popular exercises to do with this piece of equipment. This explosive exercise works the entire body, focusing on the core, shoulders, and arms. It involves forcefully lifting the medicine ball overhead and slamming it onto the ground, which builds power and stamina.

Here’s how to do a Slam:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the medicine ball with both hands.
2. Raise the ball overhead, fully extending your arms.
3. Engage your core, and while bending at the hips to keep your back flat, forcefully slam the ball down to the ground as hard as you can.
4. Squat down to pick up the ball and repeat.

9. Russian Twist

This rotational movement targets the oblique muscles and improves core stability. It involves holding the medicine ball while twisting your torso from side to side, often performed while seated with knees bent and feet either on the floor or elevated.

Here’s how to do a Russian Twist:

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet either on the ground or slightly off the ground.
2. Hold the medicine ball close to your chest with both hands.
3. Lean back slightly and without moving your pelvis and knees, rotate your torso to one side, bringing the ball to the ground beside your hip. 
4. Rotate to the other side, moving the ball across your body, and repeat.

8. Circles

This exercise engages the shoulders, arms, and core by moving the medicine ball in a circular motion around your head or body to enhance  coordination and upper body strength.

Here’s how to do a Circles:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of you.
2. Begin by making a large circular motion with the ball around your head or torso, keeping your core engaged.
3. Complete the circle, then reverse direction, and repeat.

7. Mountain Climbers

Incorporating a medicine ball into this cardio-intensive exercise adds an extra challenge to the core and upper body. The movement mimics climbing a mountain, with a focus on agility, endurance, making it a great medicine ball core movement.

Here’s how to do a Mountain Climbers:

1. Get into a high plank position with both hands on the medicine ball directly under your shoulders.
2. Keep your body in a straight line and engage your core.
3. Quickly drive one knee towards your chest, then switch legs as if running in place.
4. Continue alternating legs at a steady pace.

6. Overhead Squat

Holding the medicine ball overhead while performing a squat increases the demand on the core, shoulders, and legs, improving balance and overall lower body strength.

Here’s how to do an Overhead Squat:

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, holding the medicine ball overhead with both hands.
2. Keep your arms extended and your core tight as you lower into a squat by bending your knees and hips.
3. Push through your heels to return to a standing position, maintaining the ball overhead throughout.

5. Single-leg Deadlift

This exercise enhances balance and targets the hamstrings, glutes, and core by performing a deadlift motion on one leg while holding the medicine ball.

Here’s how to do a Single-leg Deadlift:

1. Stand on one leg with the medicine ball in both hands in front of your thighs.
2. Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips to lower the ball towards the ground while extending your free leg straight behind you.
3. Lower the ball as far as your flexibility allows without opening your hip, then return to the standing position by engaging your glutes and core.
4. Switch legs and repeat.

4. Superman

Lying face down and fully extended, while holding the medicine ball in your hands, lift your arms and legs off the ground.  This exercise focuses on strengthening the lower back, glutes, and shoulders.

Here’s how to do a Superman:

1. Lie face down on the floor with arms extended above your heads and legs extended behind you. Hold the medicine ball in both hands.
2. Simultaneously lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground, squeezing your glutes and lower back.
3. Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds, then lower back down and repeat.

3. Side Lunge

This lateral movement works the inner thighs, glutes, and core. Holding a medicine ball while performing this exercise adds resistance, making this exercise more challenging.

Here’s how to do a Side Lunge:

1. Stand with your feet together, holding the medicine ball at chest level.
2. Step out to the side with one leg, bending that knee while keeping the other leg straight.
3. Lower your body into a side lunge, pushing your hips back while holding the ball in front of you.
4. Push off the bent leg to return to the starting position, then switch sides and repeat.

2. Pushups

By placing one hand on the medicine ball during pushups, you create an uneven surface that increases the challenge to your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, promoting better stability and strength.

Here’s how to do a Pushups:

1. Get into a pushup position with one hand on the medicine ball and the other on the floor.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your core tight and back straight.
3. Push back up to the starting position, then switch the ball to the other hand and repeat.

1. Toe Touch

By holding a medicine ball between your hands while performing a straight leg toe touch, the core, shoulders, arms are challenged more because of the increased resistance.

Here’s how to do a Toe Touch:

1. Lie on your back with your legs extended straight up towards the ceiling, holding the medicine ball in both hands.
2. Engage your core and reach the ball towards your toes, lifting your shoulder blades off the ground.
3. Lower back down with control and repeat the movement.

How to Choose the Right Medicine Ball Weight 

When selecting a medicine ball, it's crucial to choose the correct weight to ensure an effective workout. There isn't a one-size-fits-all rule, but a helpful guideline is to pick a ball that allows you to comfortably lift it overhead and lower it back down ten times in a row with controlled movements. By the end of these ten reps, your arms should feel fatigued. If you find it too easy, consider moving up to a slightly heavier medicine ball to increase the challenge.

Conclusion

In the fitness world, versatility is essential, and medicine balls perfectly embody this concept. These weighted tools provide countless opportunities to boost strength, balance, endurance, and functional fitness, ranging from basic exercises to advanced techniques. Whether you're new to fitness and want to expand your routine or an experienced athlete searching for a more significant challenge, medicine balls are a must-have for any workout regimen.