Strength training isn’t just barbells and plates. There’s a wide array of tools out there than can be used to provide external resistance, in unique ways, to help you progress in your fitness journey. Medicine balls are a great example of an alternative training tool that are particularly beneficial for training the core abdominal muscles.

Benefits of Ab Training

During compound exercises and day to day activities, the core is often used to transfer force from the lower body to the upper body. For example, during a push press, the legs push into the floor, transferring force through the core to assist in the upper body press. However, the core often doesn’t get sufficiently isolated in large compound movements, leading to lack of progress. For these reasons, training the core and abs can be really beneficial to help improve your performance in compound exercises.

Benefits of Med Ball Ab Exercises

• The ball shape can be used to providing instability, which helps progress traditional core exercises.

• Slam Balls can be thrown during ballistic exercises that improve explosive power.

• They can be used in both the gym and home workout settings.

• Med ball core exercises can be easily integrated into functional workouts and HIIT workouts, which often use medicine balls for other exercises.

• Medicine Balls with Handles can be purchased, which makes some exercises easier.

Ab Exercises with a Medicine Ball

Half Kneeling Rotational Med Ball Throws

Aim for 4 sets of 5 reps on each side with maximal effort on each rep.

• Take a knee facing perpendicular to a wall, 2 arms lengths from the wall, with a med ball in your hands.

• Rotate your arms away from the wall with the med ball.

• Rotate back towards the wall, leading with your torso before following through with your arms to throw the ball at the wall as hard as you can.

• Repeat on each side.

Med Ball Russian Twists

Aim for 3 sets of 10-20 reps at slow and controlled effort so that your arms are not using momentum or a bounce off the floor to assist the movement.

• Sit on the floor with your shoulders and feet off the floor to create a V shape with your body.

• Start with a med ball held in front of your chest.

• Alternately, reach to one side, then the other side, aiming to tap the floor with the med ball. Keep your feet off the floor for the whole exercise.

Stir The Pot

Aim for 5 sets of 3-5 reps each side, aiming to draw a circle as big as you can, as slow and controlled as you can.

• Assume a low plank position, with your elbows elevated on a med ball.

• Slowly draw a circle with your elbows.

• Repeat both clockwise and anticlockwise for even reps.

Med Ball Ab Roll Out

Aim for 5 sets of 5-10 reps, progressing the exercise by rolling out further and slower over time.

• Kneel on the floor and place your fists on a medicine ball.

• Roll the medicine ball forwards, until you have stretched as far as you can go without your core collapsing.

• Pause at the end position, before slowly rolling the med ball back to the start position.

Med Ball Plank Roll In

Aim for 5 sets of 5-10 reps, pausing at the start and end position and progressing by moving slower.

• Assume a plank position, with your shins elevated on a med ball.

• Slowly pull your knees towards your chest by rolling your legs over the ball.

• When you reach a fully contracted position, pause, then roll your legs and the med ball back to their start position.

Plank Cross Body Rolls

Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps to start and progress to 15-20 reps as you get stronger.

• Assume a plank position with one hand on the floor as normal and the other hand raised on the med ball.

• Initiate the exercise by rolling the med ball to the hand on the floor.

• Place the raised hand onto the floor and place the hand that started on the floor onto the med ball.

• Repeat this action, rolling the ball from one hand to the other.

Med Ball Dead Bug

Aim for 5 sets of 5-10 reps on each side and progress by pausing for longer in the end positions.

• Lay supine on the floor with your thighs perpendicular to the ground and shins parallel to the floor. Hold a med ball over your shoulders, arms fully locked.

• Keeping the med ball still throughout, slowly extend one leg back towards the floor, until the heel is an inch from the floor.

• Pause briefly, before returning the leg to the start position.

• Repeat on both sides.

Med Ball Mountain Climber

Perform 10-20 reps, progressing by moving your hands closer together on the med ball to increase the instability and thus the effort from the core to remain stable during the lower body switches.

• Assume a plank position with both hands on a med ball, arms extended.

• In an alternate cyclical fashion, bring one knee to your chest, switching the legs so that there is only ever one foot on the floor.

• Aim to keep your shoulders and core square to the floor throughout.

Add these exercises into your training regime, either as part of a wider routine or a stand-alone core workout. The abdominals are like any other muscle, they will grow and progress most when they have specific training to isolate them and bring them closer to failure.

Do not mistake this as a replacement for the big compound movements that use the core. Rather see it as a complimentary routine to improve your overall functional abilities. Finished your workout? Check out our range of Medicine Ball Storage.

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Tags: Equipment > Medicine Balls and Slam Balls ; Exercise Type > Conditioning