Best Beginner Workouts With Medicine Balls

The Medicine Ball Russian Twist is a core exercise using a medicine ball to increase resistance. This variation challenges your stability and strength while twisting side to side, engaging your core effectively.

How to do it

1. Sit on the floor and hold a medicine ball with both hands at your chest.
2. Lean back slightly and lift your heels off the ground a few inches.
3. Engage your core to stay stable.
4. Twist to one side, bringing the ball toward your hip.
5. Return to the center and then twist to the other side.
6. Repeat the movement, alternating sides.

The Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up is a challenging push-up variation that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Using a medicine ball helps improve balance and strength on both sides of the body.

How to do it

1. Place your right hand on a medicine ball and keep your arms shoulder-width apart.
2. Raise your knees to form a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor, keeping your elbows at 45 degrees.
4. Push back up and roll the ball to your left hand.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

The Medicine Ball Lunge is an exercise that adds resistance to lunges, which helps improve balance and strengthen the legs and core. It makes your lower body workout more challenging and enhances stability and coordination.

How to do it

1. Hold the medicine ball with both hands.
2. Step forward with one leg and lower the opposite knee toward the floor.
3. Pause briefly at the bottom.
4. Push through your front heel to return to a standing position.
5. Switch legs and repeat.
6. Keep your knees behind your toes, shoulders back, chest up, and core tight throughout.

The Medicine Ball Push Up is a challenging twist on a standard push-up that uses a medicine ball to engage your chest, shoulders, and core more effectively. It helps improve your balance and coordination while increasing the difficulty of your push-up routine.

How to do it

1. Start in a push-up position with your hands on a medicine ball.
2. Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ball, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
3. Push back up to the starting position after your chest lightly touches the ball. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

The Medicine Ball Slam is a full-body exercise that builds strength and improves cardiovascular fitness. It involves lifting a medicine ball overhead and slamming it down, engaging your arms, shoulders, core, and back.

How to do it

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the medicine ball overhead.
2. Breathe in, brace your midsection, and slightly bend your elbows.
3. Hinge at your hips, bending your knees to bring the ball down.
4. When elbows reach waist level, slam the ball to the ground with force.
5. Squat down to pick up the ball and return to start.

The Medicine Ball Side Lunge is a powerful variation that uses a medicine ball to boost resistance and enhance balance. It works your thighs, glutes, and core, while also targeting your side muscles as you lunge sideways, providing a full lower body workout.

How to do it

1. Hold a medicine ball with both hands and stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Step to the side with one leg and bend that knee to lunge, keeping the opposite leg straight.
3. Pause briefly at the bottom, engaging your core for stability.
4. Push through your foot and return to a standing position, bringing your legs together.
5. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core tight throughout the movement.

The Medicine Ball Romanian Deadlift strengthens your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back while improving stability and posture. This exercise is great for building lower body power and is suitable for beginners.

How to do it

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Hold a medicine ball in both hands in front of your hips.
3. Hinge at your hips to push your butt back and lower the ball towards the floor, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
4. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstrings and hold for a moment.
5. Use your glutes and hamstrings to push your hips forward and return to starting position.
6. Keep your core engaged, shoulders back, and chest up throughout the exercise.

Medicine Ball Hip Thrusts are an advanced version of the standard hip thrust, using a medicine ball for added resistance. This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings, making it a great way to strengthen your lower body.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back with your heels about 6 inches from your glutes.
2. Hold a medicine ball against your hips with both hands.
3. Push through your heels to lift your hips up until they are in line with your knees and shoulders.
4. Hold for a moment at the top.
5. Lower your hips back down slowly while keeping your glutes and hamstrings engaged.

The Medicine Ball Glute Bridge is a modified version of the glute bridge that uses a medicine ball either on your hips or under your feet. It strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, and core while improving balance and stability.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about 6 inches from your glutes.
2. Hold a medicine ball with both hands and place it on your hips.
3. Push through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
4. Hold this position and keep your hips aligned with your shoulders and knees.
5. Make sure to engage your glutes and hamstrings; avoid straining your lower back.