5 Slam Ball Exercises to Build Muscle and Relieve Stress

Slam Ball is a versatile and useful exercise tool that can be used in place of free weight during workouts. It offers added weight and resistance while performing resistance training and dynamic movements.

As the ball is compact and is made of rubber, that makes it less bouncy, more productive and helpful to build muscle and let go all the tension and stress. Sam ball exercises target your entire body and enhance your overall heart rate. So, are you ready to develop your muscles and release your anxiety and frustration?

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Slam Ball Exercises

Here's a look at five slam ball exercises to build muscle and relieve stress:

1) Overhead Slam

Ball slams or overhead slams are explosive movements that help improve muscle strength from your shoulders to your legs. This exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, quads, upper back, shoulders and abdominal muscles.

To do it:

• Stand tall with a slam ball in your hand.
• Hold the ball tightly, and extend your arms overhead.
• Engage your core muscles, and throw the ball on the floor while squatting down as you lower your body.
• Pick the ball again, and repeat the movement.

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2) Alternate Reverse Lunge

Reverse lunges target your quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes, and the reverse motion, particularly, reduces the tension on your knee joints. Additionally, adding a ball to your workout routine enhances the muscle-building process and strengthens the core muscles.

To do it:

• Hold the ball at your chest height, and stand tall with your feet at a hip distance.
• Step a few feet back with your left foot, and lower your back knee so that it hovers above the floor.
• Make sure your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Pull your body forward using the hamstrings of your front leg by pressing it against the floor.
• Alternate sides, and continue repeating the exercise.

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3) Sit-up

The slam ball sit-up is a great exercise to elevate your heart rate and challenge your core muscles. This exercise largely targets your shoulders and abdominals.

To do it:

• Lie on your back on the floor, and keep your legs bent and feet flat.
• Hold the ball with your arms extended and out from your head.
• Tighten your core muscles, and lift your torso as you bring the ball to your feet.
• Lie back again into the starting position, and repeat.
• Remember not to keep the ball on the ground during any part of the exercise.

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4) Goblet Squat

Goblet squats target the quads, hamstrings and glute muscles. This exercise enhances your core engagement and allows for maximum force.

To do it:

• Stand with your feet at your hip distance, and keep your toes pointing in the front.
• Hold the ball with your hands at your chest level, and hinge at your hips.
• Push your butts back, and bend your knees as you squat down.
• During the movement, make sure to keep your spine straight and chest lifted.
• Press your feet to the floor; push your hips forward, and activate the muscles in your hips and legs as you stand back up in the initial position.

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5) Push-up

This push-up variation allows for stability and makes it more challenging than the standard push-up exercise.

To do it:

• Get into a plank position, and keep your feet a little wider than usual for better balance.
• With one hand on the ball and the other on the floor, start to lower your chest.
• Make sure to keep your back flat, neck relaxed and both your elbows properly drawn in towards your body.
• To get back to the starting position, push the ground away using your chest muscles till your arms get straight.
• Switch sides, and repeat.

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Takeaway

Exercising with a slam ball can improve several movement skills, including coordination, speed, balance, dynamics, range of motion, strength, etc. Moreover, it can also help develop muscles, strengthen the core and improve your overall physical fitness.

If you're a beginner or new to weightlifting, always start with a lightweight ball weighing no more than ten pounds, and work your way up as you get stronger and feel more confident. If you're an advanced exerciser, you may use a heavyweight slam ball, but be careful, and make sure to perform every exercise correctly to prevent any muscle strain or injury.