It’s not just a name: when used the right way, medicine balls can be the prescription you need to seriously improve your overall health and wellness.

That’s particularly true for your core – the group of muscles located in the centre of your body, including your abs, lower back muscles and hips. A strong core is essential for good posture, stability and overall strength, as it acts as the foundation for nearly every physical activity.

Medicine balls, and variations like slam balls (no bounce) and wall balls (larger, softer, some bounce), are truly unique training tools that are capable of developing your strength, power, mobility and coordination all at once.

In this guide we’ll reveal how you can use medicine balls to ensure that you stay healthy and feel strong, by enhancing the strength of your core.


Benefits of medicine ball core training

When done correctly, medicine ball core training offers a number of benefits:

  • You can improve your core strength, which forms the basis of almost all exercise.
  • You can enhance your balance and stability, both during exercise and in everyday life.
  • The dynamic nature of medicine ball exercises can help you develop new levels of power and explosive strength, particularly in compound and rotational movements.
  • Throwing and catching medicine balls can enhance your hand eye coordination.
  • You can develop functional fitness – the type that you can use in everyday activities.
  • You can reduce the risk of injuries by strengthening some of the body’s most important muscles and improving your flexibility.
  • You can improve your posture by strengthening the stabilising muscles around the spine.
  • You can enhance your endurance.

The ‘why’ of medicine ball core training is compelling… so let’s turn our attention to the ‘how’.


Top medicine ball core exercises

Unlike a lot of other exercise equipment, it isn’t immediately apparent how you should use a medicine ball. But if your aim is to develop core strength and stability, the following six exercises are a great place to start.

  • Wood chops: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your pelvis. Rotate your torso and lift the medicine ball over your shoulder, then swing it down to the opposite foot. Repeat this movement a few times, then switch sides. 
  • Russian twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent, your back at a 45 degree angle, and your feet either flat on the floor, or lifted a few centimetres off the mat. Holding a medicine ball and move your arms from one side of your body to the other, tapping the ball on the ground either side.
  • Toe touches: Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your arms holding a medicine ball above your head. Bring both your arms and legs up so they meet above your torso, touch your toes with the medicine ball, then return to your starting position.
  • Medicine ball slams: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a slam ball overhead. Keep your core tight while you push your hips back and slam the ball down, finishing in a slight squat.
  • Medicine ball chest pass: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, one metre away from a wall or two metres away from a partner. Bring a wall ball up to your chest with your palms facing up, then throw the ball forward. Catch the ball after it bounces off the wall or is thrown back by your partner, then repeat the movement.
  • Overhead throws: Same as above, but this time you’ll throw the ball from over your head.

All these exercises help to strengthen your core, improve your balance and enhance your posture, giving you the most functional and useful type of strength. They’re also very easy to incorporate into your workout routine, provided you have the right type of weighted ball on hand.


Choosing the right medicine ball

There are three main types of weighted balls, which primarily differ in how much they bounce. Medicine balls bounce the most, wall balls bounce a bit, and slam balls don’t bounce at all.

Each of these ball types come in a range of sizes, and it’s critical to choose the right one, as going too small won’t deliver results, while going too big can lead to injuries.

The ideal ball weight is the one that challenges you while still allowing you to complete the exercises with the proper form. The perfect weight will change from exercise to exercise, and will increase as you get stronger.

It’s wise to start small, say 2-4kg, then gradually increase the weight as you build strength and develop better form. You can buy weighted balls in sets so you always have the right weight on hand.

There are a few other factors to consider when choosing the ideal medicine ball, including:

  • Material: Rubber weighted balls are grippier and better for throwing exercises, while leather balls are more comfortable to hold, and can be better for controlled exercises.
  • Size: Some medicine balls are smaller and denser, while others are larger and lighter. The perfect size ball for you should simply be easy to hold, throw and catch.

Sample medicine ball routine to build core stability

Ready to put your new knowledge into action and strengthen that core? A simple weighted ball core workout session might look something like this:

  • Wood chops: 12 reps per side (obliques and torso rotation)  
  • Medicine ball chest pass: 10 reps (upper and lower abs)  
  • Russian twists: 15 reps per side (obliques and core)  
  • Toe touches: 12 reps (upper abs and flexibility)  
  • Medicine ball slams: 10 reps (full-body power and core engagement)  
  • Overhead throws: 12 reps (core, shoulders, and arms)  

If you feel up to it you can repeat the circuit two or three times. If you’re unable to stay in control of your movements or maintain good form, that’s a good time to stop.


Find your ideal medicine ball at GymQuip

Home to Australia’s largest fitness showroom, and with an even greater selection of products online, you’re sure to find your ideal weighted ball in GymQuip’s sprawling range. On top of traditional medicine balls, we also offer a variety of specialised gym balls, including slam balls, wall balls and FitBalls.

Core strength and stability sits at the base of the exercise pyramid – the foundation from which you can build towards peak performance. If you’re ready to improve yours, browse our sprawling collection of training tools and equipment today!

Not sure which training ball is right for you? Get in touch and our friendly team will be happy to help.