A medicine ball is a basic piece of equipment that can have a big impact on your training. They can be used in just about any type of training. Depending on the ball type, you can throw them, slam them or just move them through multiple movements to get the best out of your training. With the range of weights ranging from light to extremely heavy there will always be a medicine ball for your ability and training.
Louis – Fitness Expert
Medicine Balls - The complete guide
Medicine Balls - The Complete Guide
Medicine balls have a vast range of applications that can be applied to most training methods and across all abilities.
Weighted balls can be included in training methods ranging from power training, to strength, core and stability training as well as endurance training. Workout balls come in various forms and names such as med ball, wall ball and slam ball and each can have its benefits.
While we might think of those old cloth filled medicine balls from school gyms as the original medicine balls, the humble medicine ball actually has a much longer history that spans centuries with texts citing weighted training balls from as early as 4AD. There is also a link to the father of medicine himself, Hippocrates. In his study of Hippocrates, Jack Berryman credits Hippocrates as suggesting to athletes that they use weighted balls to improve their physical health. Regardless of the exact origin, it is clear that simple medicine balls have been around for a lot longer than many other fitness devices.
What are the benefits of medicine balls?
Medicine balls are highly versatile. By using a free weight – like a medicine ball, you are able to do multi-directional or functional exercises. For example, instead of just lunging with a weight you could lunge and perform a rotational wall ball throw at the same time.
While power training is most commonly associated with medicine balls, you can also perform strength, core strength, stability and endurance training with them.
Power training – The main function of power training is the speed of moving a weight. Most standard gym equipment is limited due to the fact that you need to decelerate towards the end of the moment. Both slam balls and wall balls allow you to accelerate through the movement by releasing the ball. The key to power training is to select a slightly lighter weight that you can move quickly. The number of reps should be very low with long rests between reps and sets.
Functional strength – Medicine balls provide a great option for functional strength training. By having an easy to hold free weight you are able to perform multi-directional exercises. Exercises such as a lunge and rotate or woodchop challenge your stability while improving your strength. Medicine balls with handles are a great option for these types of exercises. Select a heavier medicine ball when performing these types of exercise. Ideally you should be doing between 8 – 10 reps.
Core training – A light medicine ball is a great option to add to your core exercises such as crunches or Russian twists. As your strength improves you can increase the weight of the medicine ball.
Stability training – By moving a medicine ball through the different planes of motion, the body has to adjust to counteract the weight. The stability and core muscles are activated to prevent us from falling over.
Endurance – Hitting a golf ball as far as possible requires power training. Hitting forehands repetitively in a long point on the tennis court requires endurance. While the exercise to train both might remain the same, the method of training is different. For power you want to move a weight as fast as possible for one repetition. The ball doesn’t have to return to you. For endurance where you want to do a high number of repetitions. A wall ball is a great option for training this as it reduces the time between reps as it bounces back to you. Select a light weight and perform a high number of reps.
Metabolic conditioning – Metabolic conditioning requires moving through a number of exercises in quick fashion and a short recovery period. Medicine balls are great to include in metcon routines as you can perform a number of different exercises with them, you can move them about easily and they will always get your heart rate up. A relatively heavy medicine ball works well for this.
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What is the difference between a medicine ball and slam ball?
It is always important to select the right tools for the job and this applies to fitness equipment as well.
Slam balls do not bounce and are suitable for performing exercises where you are aggressively throwing or slamming a ball. Slam balls feature a high durability outer shell and are generally filled with sand. They are designed to be slammed whereas regular medicine balls are not.
Wall balls on the other hand rebound rather than having a dead bounce. This is useful when performing more endurance based exercises with a higher number of reps. Exercises such as wall throws then become easier as the ball rebounds to you and you can perform the next rep. Wall balls generally have a stitched design and are not designed to be aggressively thrown into the floor or bounced.
Medicine balls can also come with handles, which make holding the ball easier. With these handles you could do stabilising exercise on the floor such as medicine ball mountain climbers or use the medicine ball in a similar manner to a kettlebell, gripping the ball with one hand.
| Name | Description | Exercise Examples |
| Slam Ball | High durability balls that don’t bounce. These balls have excellent grip and can be slammed into the floor. | Granny toss, Squat and throws, slams |
| Wall Ball | Balls that when thrown at a wall rebounds to the thrower making it easy to do the next rep. These balls are not designed to be used for slams | Side wall throws, front wall throws |
| Medicine ball with handles | Balls with hand grips. Ideal for doing movements that require holding onto the ball during the exercise | Lunge and rotate, wood chopper, Mountain climber on medicine ball |
Training with medicine balls
You don’t need to be an advanced strength athlete to train with medicine balls. In fact, medicine balls can also be great training aids for the elderly as they are able to safely move the weight around to train their stability and aid in preventing falls.
As with any type of fitness, progression is the most important part. You need to start with a lighter weight and get comfortable with the movement of the exercise before increasing the weight. Your training age and training goals will dictate where you should start. Medicine balls can be used as the sole piece of equipment for a workout or be added into other routines.
Medicine balls come in a range of weights so you will always be able to find the appropriate weight for your training and strength level. Medicine balls take up little space and can be easily stored with the Mirafit Medicine Ball Rack to make sure your home gym remains clutter free. In the summer months you can select the right weighted medicine balls and take your training outside.
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