Abstract: 

As efficient exercise equipment, medicine balls have a long history. Since its humble beginnings as animal skins filled with sand, the modern medicine ball has developed into a tool that offers fitness enthusiasts a variety of advantages at every stage of their fitness journey.

Introduction

Have you heard about medicine balls before? If so, you must wonder, "What is a medicine ball, and what is its purpose?" If you are new to working out or have traditionally stuck to cardio or using dumbbells in the gym, yes! Dumbbells are for lifting. Medicine balls aren't just for pulling. They're also for bouncing on, so what do they do? When we hear about medicine balls, many questions arise, such as: do they provide any therapeutic benefits, as their name implies? What sets it apart from other spherical exercise equipment? How does it assist you in staying fit? Don't be concerned; sit down, relax, and continue reading. We will give you proper knowledge related to medicine balls. 

What is a medicine ball?

Medicine balls have existed in some shape or another for a very long time. Hippocrates, the founder of medicine in ancient Greece, is said to have invented them by using filled animal skin balls to aid in wound healing. Though a medicine ball's anatomy has thankfully changed since then, the idea has remained the same. Medicine balls are available in various weights today to increase strength and endurance, spice up strength training workouts, and add variety to plyometric exercises.

Although medicine balls come in various sizes, the most widely used ones have a diameter of around shoulder width. Some medicine balls are designed to rebound when thrown onto a hard surface, while others have little to no rebound.

What Are the Benefits of a Medicine Ball?

There is no single explanation for why individuals use medicine balls. People use them for a wide variety of advantages, such as:

  • Developing body strength 

Increased circuits or movement patterns using a medicine ball can make strenuous actions more challenging. Fitness enthusiasts who utilise medicine balls can improve their explosive strength by employing them in other exercises. For instance, combining a squat with a ball throw will strengthen your squat and throwing skills.

  • Achieving a full-body workout

The use of a medicine ball activates your core muscles. Regardless of the type of activity, the added weight will strengthen your core, resulting in a powerful full-body workout that burns more calories and builds strength more quickly over time. 

  • Recovering after injury 

Medicine balls are crucial equipment for speeding up patient injury recovery. The balls stimulate your entire body weight without unduly taxing your joints, making them a powerful yet gentle technique to aid your body's recovery from an injury or setback. Patients recuperating from knee, shoulder, and spinal injuries frequently use medicine balls. Always consult your doctor before returning to exercise while you are recovering. 

  • Simplify your workout 

A medicine ball also provides a simple entry point into resistance training for people just starting their fitness journey because it could seem less frightening than other pieces of equipment.

Most individuals have picked up a ball at some point in their lives, yet only some are familiar with the right way to load a barbell.

How to Use a Medicine Ball

Medicine ball exercises are a great way to increase strength, coordination, and flexibility. But typically, only athletes who participate in a specific sport or those who have sustained an injury while playing a sport use them. You may use this adaptable gear by yourself or with a companion. You may use medicine balls for many workouts, including lunges, crunches, and Russian twists. 

Given that using medicine balls adds weight to your workouts focusing on your form can help you avoid injury. Here is some more safety advice: 

  • Pick a ball that has the right weight for your level of fitness. 
  • Make sure you have picked the correct weight by performing one rep. 
  • Avoid extending your ribs or arching your back. 
  • When bending to pick up a medicine ball, always bend your knees while maintaining a straight back. 
  • Make sure your lower back contacts the ground before beginning any grounded movements.

You can use medicine balls for aerobic and anaerobic exercise (tossing them back and forth) or for strength training (like medicine ball crunches or push-ups). Medicine balls are incredibly versatile, so that you can use them in many different ways during training. Here are some more tips for using medicine balls, which are listed below:

  • Fitness Workout

Use a medicine ball throughout your strength training sessions to develop your muscles. The additional resistance will result in more intense exercise, whether you're doing medicine ball slams or high-intensity interval training.

  • Improve in balancing 

Use a medicine ball during your workouts to improve your stability and sense of balance. Holding the medicine ball in front of you while standing on one leg, turn your core from left to right. Continue with your other leg.

  • Rehabilitation 

Exercise with a medicine ball to gain the strength necessary to bounce back from an injury and prevent it from happening again. Include low-impact medicine ball exercises to help ease into a strength-training routine.

MEDICINE BALL EXERCISES

1. MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Mountain climbers, regardless of the form you choose, provide full-body benefits, but using a medicine ball can help your mountain climbers reach new heights. To perform climbers with a medicine ball:

  • With both hands on the medical ball, begin on your knees.
  • With your hands remaining on the ball, carefully raise yourself into a plank posture.
  • Spend time regaining your equilibrium.
  • Maintain a straight neck and spine while using your abdominal muscles.
  • Place your right knee back down after bringing it up to your chest.
  • Repeat the action quickly with your left knee.
  • For a 30-second set, continue this action as rapidly as you can.

2. MEDICINE BALL CIRCLES

Although medicine ball circles seem easy, they will quickly burn your shoulders. Move gently and keep control at all times to get the most out of this workout. Making medicine ball circles

  • Holding the medicine ball squarely overhead, begin with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Take a deep breath, and tighten your abdominal muscles.
  • Draw a circle with your medicine ball, going clockwise, with your arms outstretched.
  • During the entire workout, keep your feet stationary.
  • To finish the motion, your core should only twist slightly.
  • Turn this eight to ten times clockwise.
  • To complete one set, perform the exercise eight to ten times, going anticlockwise.

3. OVERHEAD SQUAT

The steadiness required for overhead squats is meant to energise your core. You can work out your arms, shoulders, and upper back by adding the medicine ball for weight. Focus and proper technique are necessary for overhead squats. With your medicine ball, perform an overhead squat as follows:

  • Let's begin with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Hold the medicine ball over your head with your arms parallel to your ears.
  • Focus on your core.
  • Sit on a chair in your mind while you bend your knees and thrust your hips back to squat.
  • Only squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
  • Never bow inward; instead, maintain your knees crossing over your toes.
  • Plant your heels firmly on the ground and tighten your glutes to return to the beginning posture.
  • To finish one set, repeat this 12 to 15 times.

8 Best medicine balls to buy in 2023

  1. Gym Medicine Ball, 3 kg, 22 cm

An equipment piece for performing various standing or seated exercises for a total-body workout! it is carefully developed to endure wear. You must choose this medicine ball if you love exercising with your buddy or a special one. 

You can perform various exercises; for example, you can do a squat and throw the ball to your partner as you come up, and then they do the same! It is only Rs. 2,099 in value. 

  1. Gym Medicine Ball - 5 Kg / 24 Cm

It is a set of medicine balls designed to tone muscles and strengthen them. This medicine ball slam can tone your body and muscles, strengthening and coring your body. It has a versatile grip that secures you from injury. 

You can also use its circular shape to improve your coordination, balance, and core strength by performing mountain climbing with your hands on top of it. This medicine ball price is just Rs. 2,199 only. 

  1. Gym Medicine Ball, 2 kg, 22 cm

This medicine ball from Fitness Freaks is one of the best for toning. One of the best fitness accessories available, it comes in different sizes and promotes fitness. This medicine ball weighs 2 kg and is 22 cm long. 

This ball is tossed and caught in commercial and home gyms as a form of exercise. When used in plyometric exercises, medicine balls are excellent for developing punch-countering skills, strengthening the core, and developing the ability to evade and deflect blows. A handle makes it simple for you to hold onto this weighted ball.

  1. Fitness Water Ball, 3kg - Black

Water balls are used in stability training, a stimulating and challenging form of exercise. Get a complete body workout, whether at home, at the beach, at the gym, or on vacation.

The water ball is the perfect exercise tool to increase explosive strength, balance, stability, and agility because of the many training options and intensity variations. Training with water balls involves more muscles than training with conventional equipment, especially the stabilizing and core muscles.

  1. Gym Medicine Ball - 1 Kg / 20 Cm

This gym medicine ball has a 1 kg weight and 20 cm width. It is the best choice for newbies or those who want to lose weight. This gym medicine ball can quickly strengthen your muscles. The ability to increase forearm, back, hip, and leg mobility. Moreover, this weighted ball with a handle has a durable surface that makes it headwear. This medicine ball price is just Rs. 799. You can buy medicine ball sets for yourself and your loved ones. 

  1. Gym Medicine Ball: 4 kg; 24 Cm

You can use this medicine ball at home or in the gym for static or dynamic strengthening exercises. It is ideal for the forearms, arms, and back. Practice with a variety of muscle groups. You can buy this gym medicine ball according to your strength and body weight. You can therefore use heavier weights for your squats and lunges. 

It's ideal for exercise because it won't scratch your floor. You'll enjoy this game, which pairs exercises like squats with throwing the ball! This gym medicine ball is available for Rs 1,899. 

  1. 1 kg Fitness Water Ball

It is explicitly created the surface to withstand wear. It's small and portable, so you can take it wherever you go! Because of the movement of the water, it encourages excellent muscular work. A tool for performing various standing or seated exercises for a total-body workout! Eco-design actions have reduced the product's impact by 10%.

  1. Fitness Water Ball 2 kg - Pink

A ball is a multipurpose tool that you can use to carry out a variety of exercises and up the difficulty of your workouts. It's a great alternative to using weights as well. Throws and floor taps are examples of dynamic activities, as are sitting twists. By mountain climbing with your hands on the ball, you can also use the rounded shape to strengthen your core and improve your coordination, balance, and flexibility. The cost of this medicine water ball is just Rs. 1.699. 

Conclusion

This training is simple to incorporate into your next workout because it works well for a variety of exercise plans and fitness objectives and has several advantages over medicine balls. If you want to improve your physical fitness, you must join the medicine ball sessions in your nearby gym, or you can buy these medicine balls from the well-versed Decathlon website either online or offline. We hope that you like our write-ups. Do share and let us know what you want to know in our next blog. 

“Happy reading and happy shopping!"

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