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Using a heavy medicine ball can add so much to your workouts and help accentuate your physique. Not many people use this underrated piece of equipment, however it has a plethora of great uses.
In this list, we'll examine how you can use a medicine ball to build the perfect six-pack.
Best Medicine Ball Exercises For Ab Strength
1) Crunches
Medicine balls can be used to take your crunches to the next level.
- Lie down as you would for regular crunches, with the ball close to your chest.
- Extend the ball outward and tighten your core.
- Then, push your core as you propell your body upwards, keeping it tight while you do so.
- Repeat this for several reps.
2) Russian twists:
If you're tired of plain Russian twists with no weights, try testing the limits of your abs with a medicine ball. This will help your core get stronger and tighter, and make for a killer ab exercise.
- Lie down flat and bend your knees towards you.
- Grab the medicine ball and hold it slightly away from your chest.
- Lift yourself up from your upper back region, forming a boat-shape of sorts.
- Next, begin performing Russian twists with the medicine ball, remembering to keep your core tight during the exercise.
3) Planks:
While it seems impossible to incorporate a medicine ball into a usually straightforward exercise, your planks can benefit from the addition of a medicinal ball.
- Get into standard plank position, only this time use the ball as a platform to rest your arms on.
- Lift your arms up and place them on the ball, ensuring that you maintain good posture and balance.
- Then, straighten out your body and begin your plank.
- Hold for as long as you can.
Planks with an added incline can increase core strength more effectively than generic planks, and your workouts could greatly benefit from this addition.
4) Standing throw:
This one's a simple and fun exercise. You'll need a partner, but if not, a wall works just fine.
- Stand upright while keeping your core flexed.
- Using your core to generate energy, throw the ball towards your partner or the wall with as much force as you can.
- Remember, the greater the force, the more contraction, which means better abs.
- Put all your force behind each throw, and you'll be rewarded with a six-pack in no time.
5) Leg raises:
This exercise will test precisely how strong your core is.
- Lie down on a bench or on a flat surface, and place the medicine ball in between the sides of your feet.
- Secure your feet if the need arises, but if you have faith in your feet's grip strenght, you might not need to do this.
- Following that, begin performing leg raises, making sure to keep the medicine ball safely between your feet.
- Bring your legs up to a right angle, and then bring them down slowly.
- Repeat for reps.
6) Ball slams:
Arguably the most popular use of these, the ball slam is a great way to test your strength and simultaneously fire up your core.
- To perform this exercise, grab the ball and stand upright.
- Keep your core tight and flexed and use it to generate force.
- Place your feet slightly beyond shoulder distance and lift the ball up.
- With all your force, slam the ball down against the floor as hard as you can, just a few inches away from your feet.
- Pick up the ball and repeat.
This exercise is great as it builds strength throughout your body, but uses your core to generate throwing force, making it an optimal all-rounder choice.
7) Side planks:
If you're looking for those picture-perfect obliques, you need to start doing side planks. While they're great on their own, side planks with the medicine ball elevate the exercise to a different degree of difficulty. Thus, it is advisable to gain a sufficient amount of experience and strength before moving to this exercise.
- For this exercise, lie on either side of your body and use the arm on that side to support the rest of your body.
- Place your feet on the ball, and ensure that you stay steady and keep your body straight.
- Hold for as long as you can, for razor-sharp obliques.
Takeaway
Medicine balls can add a layer of tenacity to your workouts. If used correctly, they can elevate your core strength, far beyond what basic ab exercises are capable of. However, they require a great deal of balance and established core strength to do so.
If you're a beginner, focus on the basics and aim to build enough core strength to be able to perform these exercises. If you're an intermediate/advanced gym-goer looking to change things up in the gym, this is the perfect workout for you.
