A good medicine ball workout will help you tone the abdominal muscles, and increase your strength. These simple exercises are suitable for all age groups and genders.
A medicine ball workout is an effective method to tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles. These balls are available in different shapes and sizes to help the user increase the difficulty level, and perform a variety of routines while doing abdominal exercises. However, while doing this, ensure to maintain the correct form and technique.
Before starting your ab routine, indulge in warm-up exercises, like jogging on the spot, walking on the treadmill, or using an exercise bike, for at least 5-8 minutes. Supplement your ab machines routine with some medicine ball exercises given below.
Ball Crunches
On a flat floor, lie down on your back. Bend your knees, and bring your feet close to the torso. Ask your friend to stand on your feet so that your able to maintain your form, as you crunch your body up and down. Once you are in this start position, hold the ball with both your hands close to your chest. Now crunch, your body and lift your torso off the ground. When you go up, hand the ball to your friend, and come down to the start position. Again lift yourself, take the ball back, and lower yourself. Do 2-3 sets of this exercise, with 15-20 repetitions in each set. Ball crunches can also be included in the medicine ball workouts for women.
Reverse Crunches
Lie down on your back, bend your knees. Hold the medicine ball between the knees, and put your hands under your head. Now bring your knees as close to the chest as possible by lifting your feet off the ground. Breathe out as you bring the knees towards your chest, and breathe in as they go away from the body. This exercise will not only tone your abs but will increase your stability and strength. Do 2-3 sets, with 15-20 repetitions. If you cannot do so many reps try 10-12 reps, but increase them as you become comfortable with the range of motion.
Torso Twists
Sit back to back with your partner, and extend your legs in front of you. Ask your partner to sit in a similar fashion. Hold the ball just over your thighs with both hands. Now twist to your right as much as possible, and hand the ball to your partner, who will receive it, and hand it to you on the other side. Which means, now you have to twist towards your left to receive the ball. This workout is a good way to lose some fat from your love handles.
Wood Chop
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulder-width. Hold the ball above your head, ensure that your elbows are straight. Now come down with full power as if you are going to sling the ball behind between your legs. Do not let go of the ball, and come back up to the starting position with your arms extended over the head. Try to maintain the same intensity when you go down and when you come up.
While performing your medicine ball ab workout maintain correct posture, and you will see good results. Follow a healthy diet along with your workout, and you will get chiseled abs just like the one’s you see on magazine covers.