WHY YOU SHOULD DO MEDICINE BALL WORKOUTS
Think you can’t build muscle, increase strength, and get fit with medicine balls? Wrong!
Medicine ball workouts are one of the most underrated yet effective tools in any training program.
From powerful Medicine Ball Slams to Dynamic Rotational Throws, these exercises are designed to ignite everything from your upper body strength to your hip flexors, ensuring an all-over burn.
You can use a light ball for explosive movements or a heavier medicine ball for building strength.
Either way, these versatile tools target the entire body, boost core strength, and improve functional movement patterns in all planes of motion.
You can be in a high-plank position, a split stance, or a squat position, and medicine ball workouts will still offer a dynamic way to take traditional strength exercises to the next level.
And the best part?
You’ll hit every muscle group—from your shoulder muscles to your quad muscles—without needing an entire gym.
With the right medicine ball in your hands, you can perform explosive power moves, improve body stability, and develop core strength in real-life applications.
Ready to get started with your new medicine ball workout routine? Let’s get to it!
MEDICINE BALL EXERCISES
Medicine ball exercises aren’t just about throwing a heavy ball around, they’re about building real strength that you can use.
Let’s get into some of the most effective exercises that will turn you into a powerhouse, one slam and roll at a time.
ROLLING PUSH-UPS
HOW TO DO ROLLING PUSH UPS:
- Start by getting into a high plank position with the medicine ball under your right hand.
- Lower your chest toward the ground for a push-up, making sure to keep your core tight and body in a straight line.
- As you come back up, roll the medicine ball across to your left hand.
- Now, do the same push-up on the left side. That’s one rep.
- Focus on maintaining stability as you transition the ball and don’t let your hips sag.
- Keep a solid plank the entire time.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Rolling Push-Ups are highly effective because they engage your chest, triceps, and core while challenging your stability as you transition the ball from side to side, leading to improved strength and control throughout the upper body and core.
TRICEPS PUSH-UPS
HOW TO DO TRICEPS PUSH UPS:
- Get into a high plank position, placing both hands on top of the medicine ball, keeping them close together to target the triceps.
- Make sure your body is in a straight line from head to heels with core tight, glutes engaged.
- Slowly lower yourself down, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your sides. This is going to make those triceps work overtime.
- Once you’re down, push back up explosively, extending those arms fully. The ball will challenge your stability, so stay focused and keep your core engaged to avoid wobbling.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: They isolate and intensify the work on your triceps while the unstable surface of the ball forces your core to engage, enhancing upper body strength and stability.
SHOULDER TOSSES
HOW TO DO SHOULDER TOSSES:
- Start by sitting on the floor with your legs bent and feet up, leaning slightly back. Keep your core engaged the entire time.
- Hold the medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands and straighten your arms all the way up above your head.
- Now, forcefully throw the ball straight up as high as you can—this explosive movement is what really works the entire shoulder.
- Once the ball reaches the peak, catch it on the way down, but control the descent—don’t let gravity do all the work.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: By slowing down the catch, you put more tension on those shoulder muscles.
WIPER / CRUNCH COMBO
HOW TO DO THE WIPER / CRUNCH COMBO:
- First, grab your medicine ball and squeeze it between your knees. Lean back on the floor, arms at your sides for support.
- Drop your knees down to one side, keeping control, then pull them back up to center. Drop them down to the other side, then pull them back up. That counts as one rep. Do 10 reps of these, making sure to keep that ball squeezed tight for maximum core engagement.
- Next, transition into the crunch.
- Place the medicine ball right on top of your feet and balance it there.
- Lift your hands up, keep your abs tight, and perform 25 crunches.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Keep the ball steady on your feet the whole time—this is all about focus, stability, and getting those abs to burn.
ROLLING SQUATS
HOW TO DO ROLLING SQUATS:
- Grab your medicine ball and get ready. Start by sitting down on the floor with your legs bent and the ball held out in front of you.
- From this position, roll back slightly, using the momentum to help you.
- Now, roll forward and use the ball to help propel you up into a squat position.
- As you come up, control the movement, keeping your core tight and your back straight.
- Stand all the way up, then immediately lower back down into a seated position, letting the ball guide the movement.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: The key here is control; let the ball assist, but don’t rush it. Each rep should be smooth, with power on the way up and control on the way down. Let’s make every squat count!
LUNGE WITH OVERHEAD TWISTS
HOW TO DO THE LUNGE WITH OVERHEAD TWISTS:
- Start by standing tall with the medicine ball held overhead, arms fully extended.
- Step forward into a lunge position, making sure to keep your back knee hovering just above the ground.
- Lower into the lunge and rotate your torso toward the front leg. Engage your core to maintain control throughout the movement.
- Push back up to the starting position, bringing the ball back overhead as you stand tall. Then lunge out with the opposite leg, repeating the twist.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Focus on maintaining a strong, stable core and keeping the ball overhead with each lunge. It’s all about combining lower body strength with rotational core power for that full-body challenge. Let’s get twisting!
MED BALL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (RDL)
HOW TO DO THE MEDICINE BALL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT:
- Start by standing tall with the medicine ball held in both hands in front of your thighs.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees, feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips, pushing them back as you lower the ball down towards the floor, keeping your back flat and core tight.
- You should feel the stretch in your hamstrings as you go down—keep the ball close to your legs.
- Once you reach that stretch point, squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to drive yourself back up to the top.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Remember, it’s all about controlling the descent, feeling the tension in those hamstrings, and squeezing your butt to come back up. Keep your balance and keep it controlled for maximum gains.
CURL CATCHES
HOW TO DO CURL CATCHES:
- Start by positioning your feet hip-width apart, extending the medicine ball forward with both hands in front of your chest.
- To start, curl the ball up explosively, and at the top, toss it just a few inches into the air.
- Catch the ball right at the hardest point of the curl—about 90 degrees—and slow it down on the way down to maximize that time under tension.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Think you can’t work your biceps with a medicine ball? Think again. Medicine ball Curl Catches are here to prove you wrong. The key here is to control it up, catch it at 90 degrees, and feel those biceps working.
MEDICINE BALL SLAMS
HOW TO DO MEDICINE BALL SLAMS:
- Begin by taking an athletic stance, feet set at hip-width, while gripping the medicine ball securely with both hands in front of you.
- Raise the ball overhead, fully extending your arms, keeping your core tight.
- Now, using your entire body, slam the ball forcefully down to the ground, bending slightly at the knees as you follow through.
- Make sure to engage your core and keep your back flat as you hinge down with the slam.
- Grab the ball quickly and go right back up for the next rep.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: Remember, this move is about power—throw the ball with everything you’ve got, reset, and repeat. Let’s work on that explosive strength and get your heart rate up.
HOLLOW ROCKS
HOW TO DO HOLLOW ROCKS:
- Start by lying flat on your back with the medicine ball held above your head, arms fully extended.
- Lift your legs off the ground, keeping them straight, and raise your shoulders slightly off the floor to form a hollow position. Your lower back should be pressed firmly into the ground.
- From here, rock back and forth, keeping your core tight. The movement should be smooth; rock from your shoulders to your hips while maintaining that hollow position the entire time.
- Remember, it’s all about keeping the hollow position tight, using the medicine ball to add extra resistance and make those abs work even harder. Keep rocking and keep that core engaged.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: The key here is control. Don’t let the ball drop or your feet touch the floor. Keep that core under constant tension to feel the burn.
OVERHEAD TUCK CRUNCH CATCH
HOW TO DO THE OVERHEAD TUCK CRUNCH CATCH:
- Start by lying on your back, holding the medicine ball overhead with your arms fully extended.
- Lift your legs up off the ground so they’re hovering slightly, keeping your core engaged.
- Now, bring your knees in towards your chest while simultaneously crunching up, bringing the medicine ball towards your knees.
- As you reach the top, toss the medicine ball just slightly into the air, then catch it at the highest point of the crunch.
- Slowly lower your legs and the ball back to the starting position, keeping your abs engaged the entire time.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: The goal here is explosive power on the crunch and catch, and then control on the way back down. Every rep should have that catch at the peak, forcing your core to work even harder.
RUSSIAN TWISTS SLAM
HOW TO DO THE RUSSIAN TWISTS SLAM:
- Start by sitting on the floor, knees bent, and feet either flat on the ground or lifted slightly for more challenge.
- Hold the medicine ball in both hands in front of your chest, keeping your core tight.
- Twist your torso to one side and forcefully slam the medicine ball into the ground next to your hip.
- Catch the ball quickly, twist to the opposite side, and repeat the slam on the other side. Keep your core engaged the entire time and move with power from side to side.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: This exercise is all about explosiveness; twist, slam, and catch in one fluid motion while keeping control throughout. Let’s work those obliques and get the whole core firing!
3-WAY SCISSOR SLAMS
HOW TO DO 3-WAY SCISSORS SLAMS:
- Start by lying on your back, holding the medicine ball with both hands above your chest.
- Lift your legs off the ground into a scissor position, with one leg hovering low and the other raised higher.
- From here, slam the ball forcefully to the outside of your right leg, then quickly bring it back up.
- Next, slam the ball to the center between your legs, and bring it back up. Finally, slam it to the outside of your left leg.
- That’s one complete cycle—keep alternating sides, and switch the scissor position of your legs with each rep.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: This move is all about coordination and core strength. Slam with power, keep control, and keep those legs moving to work the abs from all angles. Let’s go!
3-WAY MED BALL SWAPS
HOW TO DO 3-WAY MED BALL SWAPS:
- Start by lying on your back, legs straight, and holding the medicine ball in your hands overhead.
- Lift your shoulders and legs slightly off the ground—this is your starting position.
- First, bring the ball towards your feet, meeting in the middle, and pass the ball to your legs.
- Lower your legs with the ball between them while keeping your core engaged.
- Then bring the ball back up, pass it back to your hands, and move the ball to the left side, lowering it slightly.
- Next, repeat the movement and pass the ball to the right side. That’s one full cycle.
WHAT MAKES IT EFFECTIVE: The key here is to keep your core tight, and your movements controlled. Every swap should be smooth, and your core should stay under tension the entire time. Get ready to feel that burn all across the abs!
MEDICINE BALL WORKOUTS: COMMON MISTAKES
Medicine ball workouts can supercharge your fitness routine, but if you’re not doing them correctly, you could be missing out on the true benefits, or worse, setting yourself up for injury.
Let’s break down some of the most common mistakes people make during their medicine ball exercises and how to fix them to boost your results.
INCORRECT STARTING POSITION
One of the most common mistakes in medicine ball workouts is starting in the wrong position.
It doesn’t matter if you’re performing a medicine ball throw or working on stability balls exercises, starting in the correct position is essential.
For example, when beginning an overhead ball throw, make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, knees are slightly bent, and you’re holding the ball with arms extended.
Keeping your feet flat on the ground and maintaining a balanced stance helps you perform the movement with power and prevents unnecessary strain on your back.
Remember, a solid starting position sets the foundation for an effective workout.
POOR LOWER BODY ALIGNMENT
When performing medicine ball exercises like Russian Twists or a Full-Body throw, alignment matters.
A common error is failing to keep your lower body in the proper stance.
When in a lunge position, ensure your left knees are at 90-degree angles with your left foot flat on the floor.
This not only ensures you’re in a correct position but also engages the target muscles (including your core, glutes, and legs) more effectively.
If your alignment is off, you’ll not only lose power but also risk injury. Remember, the key is keeping feet hip-width or feet shoulder-width apart for stability.
LIFTING TOO HEAVY TOO SOON
Another mistake is going too heavy, too soon. Using a medicine ball that’s 10 pounds or more when you’re not ready for it can lead to poor form and even injury.
If you’re just starting out, grab a lighter ball (like 6-10 pounds) to focus on getting the movement pattern correct.
For example, in a bodyweight deadlift variation using a medicine ball, the key is not about how heavy the ball is but rather maintaining good form and a full range of motion.
Build up to heavier weights gradually as your strength and stability improve.
NOT ENGAGING CORE PROPERLY
Medicine ball exercises are all about boosting core strength, but if you’re not properly engaging your core muscles, you’re missing out on the best part.
During moves like a Ball Throw or even stability ball exercises, it’s essential to keep your core tight and your spine neutral throughout the movement.
A weak core means you’ll lack stability, leading to improper execution and placing unnecessary pressure on your lower back.
Focus on keeping abdominal muscle tone throughout each rep, such as when you’re tossing a ball toward feet or holding a position with hands resting on the ball.
LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION
Another big mistake is limiting your range of motion, especially during exercises that require a 45-degree angle or a circular motion.
Whether you’re doing a Ball Slam, ball movements overhead, or even a stability ball exercise for core training, it’s crucial to move through the entire range of motion to maximize muscle activation.
For example, when performing a medicine ball throw, don’t cut the movement short, extend your arms fully, follow through, and make sure your head to knees are in alignment to boost your power output.
FORGETTING THE IMPACT OF STABILITY AND BALANCE
Medicine ball workouts are meant to challenge your stability, so another common mistake is not focusing enough on balance.
Exercises like stability ball packs or working with balance balls aren’t just about the movement, they’re about control.
Keep the ball steady throughout the exercise and pay attention to maintaining a bilateral stance, especially when performing dynamic moves like a ball throw in a counterclockwise direction.
Stability ball exercises are great for core training, but only if you take the time to establish a stable foundation with your feet flat on the exercise mat.
LACK OF CONTROL DURING DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS
Medicine ball exercises often involve explosive, dynamic movements—think of ball slams or rotational throws.
However, lack of control during these exercises can lead to injury, especially in the lower back and shoulders.
When performing these power moves, make sure the motion is controlled from start to finish.
For example, if you’re throwing the ball overhead or rotating it, avoid just relying on momentum.
Focus on engaging your biceps muscles, triceps, and core to control the movement entirely.
Controlled, purposeful movements are the way to achieve maximum impact without risking injury.
IGNORING FORM DURING FAVORITE EXERCISES
It’s easy to get sloppy with your favorite exercises you’ve done a hundred times, but consistent form matters!
During a Pushup with a medicine ball, keep a 90-degree angle in the arms and a stable core for best results.
Similarly, when performing full-body workouts, maintain proper form by positioning your feet hip-width apart and ensuring your head and neck are in line with your spine.
Avoid these common mistakes and you’ll notice a big difference in how effectively your medicine ball workouts help you reach your fitness goals.
It doesn’t matter if it’s core training, stability, or dynamic power development, medicine balls are a versatile tool—so make sure you’re using them right to get all the benefits they offer.
Medicine ball exercises aren’t just for beginners.
You can use a heavier ball for advanced variations that challenge your balance, range of motion, and stability—all while keeping your core muscles fired up the entire time.
If you think fitness routines have to be monotonous to be effective, it’s time to rethink your approach.
Medicine balls can make your workout dynamic, fun, and functional—so grab a ball, take an athletic stance, and let’s get to work.
Check out our ATHLEAN-X programs to see which is the best fit for your personal fitness goals and fitness level.
- Medicine ball workouts are a must for any strength training program. Here’s why:
- Hits all major muscle groups—from core to chest, shoulders, and legs. Dynamic movements like slams and overhead throws engage everything, from biceps to lower body.
- Keeps your spine neutral, developing core stability and overall body strength.
- Train beyond the sagittal plane—work in frontal and transverse planes.
- Moves like Ball Rotational Throws develop rotational core strength for real-life power.
- Train from different angles—lunge, split stance, or standing. Engages different muscle fibers, including fast twitch for explosive strength.
- Boost explosive strength with slams, overhead throws, and toe touches. Activates fast-twitch muscle fibers for power in sports and daily tasks.
- Moves like high-plank with Medicine Ball challenge core stability. Develops deep core muscles, hitting abs from every angle—no weak spots.
- Medicine ball exercises are scalable—use a light or heavy ball based on fitness level. Adjustable to beginner or advanced, ensuring continuous progression.
- These exercises enhance real-life strength for everyday activities while improving body coordination, balance, and stability—ensuring you’re ready for anything.
- Here are some medicine ball exercises to consider implementing into your routine: Rolling Push-Ups, Triceps Push-Ups, Shoulder Tosses, Wiper / Crunch Combo, Overhead Tuck Crunch and Catch, and Russian Twists Slam.
MEDICINE BALL WORKOUTS FAQS
Medicine ball workouts are not just effective, they're a must for functional fitness.
Using a medicine ball for power moves like slams or throws builds explosive power that standard weightlifting can’t replicate.
Holding the ball at arm level or using it on the floor with knees bent adds dynamic impact variation that challenges both strength and stability.
Medicine balls are perfect for core training, helping boost your core strength while forcing you to stabilize your entire body.
These workouts are versatile, fitting into almost any body strength training routine while keeping things challenging.
Applications for medicine balls include everything from explosive power moves to core-focused stability exercises, ensuring a comprehensive workout that keeps your fitness progressing.
Medicine balls are one of the best tools to boost your strength fast.
Medicine ball exercises go beyond just lifting; they engage your entire body in functional, explosive movements that translate directly to real-life strength.
Using a ball for core training not only helps build abdominal strength but also improves your overall stability, making you stronger from the inside out.
Adding medicine balls to your body strength training routines introduces dynamic movements that recruit more muscle fibers than traditional static lifts.
From powerful slams to rotational throws, these exercises work the entire body, giving you that all-important boost with medicine ball training.
Fitness trackers will show you the difference—expect more calorie burn, more engagement, and yes, more strength.
Medicine balls are like the Swiss army knife of workouts—they hit everything.
From core to legs to upper body, medicine ball exercises work a wide range of muscles.
When you're slamming the ball, you're working the shoulders, chest, and core.
Holding a ball during rotational moves targets the obliques and boosts your core strength like no other tool can.
Want stronger legs?
Medicine ball squats and lunges activate the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
The real benefit? Medicine balls don’t just isolate muscles, they involve multiple groups at once.
This makes medicine balls the ultimate way to strengthen your whole body while building functional power.
Every fitness writer should promote a versatile tool like this—one that gets the job done efficiently.
A medicine ball can definitely help you lose belly fat, but let’s be clear: it’s not magic. It’s about how you use it.
Medicine ball exercises are fantastic for boosting core strength and burning calories.
Moves like slams, Russian twists, and rotational throws crank up your heart rate and engage the core, which helps you burn fat all over—including your belly.
The key is intensity and consistency.
Incorporating medicine ball exercises into full-body strength training routines will burn calories and build muscle, which ultimately helps reduce body fat.
But remember, you can’t out-train a bad diet. Pair those killer medicine ball workouts with smart nutrition, and you’ll start seeing that belly shrink.
REFERENCES
Jeff Cavaliere M.S.P.T, CSCS
Jeff Cavaliere is a Physical Therapist, Strength Coach and creator of the ATHLEAN-X Training Programs and ATHLEAN-Rx Supplements. He has a Masters in Physical Therapy (MSPT) and has worked as Head Physical Therapist for the New York Mets, as well as training many elite professional athletes in Major League Baseball, NFL, MMA and professional wrestling. His programs produce “next level” achievements in muscle size, strength and performance for professional athletes and anyone looking to build a muscular athletic physique.
