Ever since beginning training for my full marathon, I have found myself turning more and more to short weight workouts. Although the workouts are shorter than normal, that doesn’t make them any less effective. I have had quite a bit of fun experimenting with new workouts…and getting nice and sweaty (and sore!) in the process.
Last week, I put together a workout that needed only one piece of equipment – a medicine ball. That one little piece of equipment can give you a lot of bang for your exercise buck.
Reasons I Love The Medicine Ball
- easy way to add some weight to traditional body weight moves
- can add a stabilization factor to some traditional moves
- GREAT to use with power exercises (like the squat toss in the workout below)
- reasonably priced piece of equipment for at-home use
- easy to travel with (I bring mine to the beach a lot of vacations!)
- brings out the kid in you!
Another bonus? Completing a full body weight circuit using just a medicine ball helps make the workout fly by! And it provides a fun new challenge. I loved this workout so much that I repeated it again a few days ago. That’s basically unheard of for me. Goes to show I really liked it! I think you will too. And please excuse the squishedness of the video. It’s quite flattering. Not.
Complete the workout in a circuit format, moving directly from one exercise to the next. Each round should take less than 10 minutes. Complete 2-5 rounds depending on desired length of workout. I have been completing 3 rounds in around 25 minutes and end feeling fabulous!
Do you ever train with medicine balls? What’s your favorite at-home piece of equipment?
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Mother. Wife. Personal Trainer. Exercise lover. Blogger. Woman of faith. Striving for fitness inside and out. 
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m starting to like medicine balls, but free weights are still my favorite…Especially for dumbbell pushups to rows!
I may have to go invest in a medicine ball. What weight would you recommend?
My favorite at home piece of equipment? Stability ball.
Great workout Tina, I just pinned it
and it might be my computer but for some reason I can’t get the video to work.. that’s alright though, I know most of the moves and am going to do this workout this very morning!
I have been wanting to buy a medicine ball for probably about two years. I think this will finally be the thing I needed to push me over the edge! This looks AWESOME!
I love this! I just got a medicine ball!
i do love medicine balls but i’ve never really utilized them myself for anything but ab work…i’m bookmarking this sucker!
I love medicine ball workouts! Thanks for some new ideas to incorporate!
It must be workout Thursday – I just posted a new one too!
I did one last night where I did supersets of staggered push ups and mountain climbers with the ball. It was HARD! Great workout – especially those squat tosses. Love.
I never really use medicne balls, even at the gym. Not sure why. I use my free weights all the time and even use them in place of a medicine ball to do a lot of the exercises you mentioned above. They can also double as a kettle bell for some exercises.
I LOVE med balls. I especially enjoy the staggered pushups and anything where I get to slam or throw the thing—think wall balls or overhead smashes!
I don’t actually have my own, so I slam one for attention at the gym.
I would label my kettle bell as my fav at home piece of equipment! It’s light enough that it can be a cardio type thing when I swing it, but it works for some strength stuff too!
Hhaa! Throwing things is fun!
Med ball work kicks butt (literally) because if you do it right, EVERYTHING targets your core muscles. My favorite is the squat with overhead med ball lift – uses triceps, shoulders, all leg/butt muscles and abs for stability. AWESOME. Thanks for the workout suggestions.
ooo this one looks awesome! i am loving so many of the moves within this workout! woodchops, staggered pushups, ball slams, and squat tosses are a few of my favorites. a medicine ball is one of the few at home pieces of equipment i don’t have quite yet, but i definitely plan on it!
i just did my first med ball workout last night!!! i got one for valentines day
it had a lot of the same moves 
definitely trying this one. great video! also, your arms are RIPPED! ps…excited to finally meet you at blend! ok that’s all. xoxo
I love using medicine balls when teaching my classes, I only wish my gym had more of them! On Tuesday night, I taught Circuit Training using partner drills (in honor of Valentine’s Day) and used a lot of medicine ball moves. My favorite move of the night was doing a single leg deadlift with the medicine ball – except instead of lowering and lifting right back up, we rolled the ball to our partners in between. So fun!
That does sound like a good move!
This is such a fun workout – I never thought to use a medicine ball and that’s IT for a weight workout. I bet even my husband would love this! I’m totally saving (and pinning!) this to show him later. PS I love the look on your face during the ball slams, totally fierce
I need to invest in a medicine ball!
now I really want to
Tina…awesome workout! I need to get a medicine ball asap! I had to laugh though at the video squishy-ness especially after seeing your tweet about it yesterday
too funny!
Thats actually less squishy than the original way!
Medicine Balls are great! That’s a really nice circuit you put together too! Good stuff
Great work out tip here with the use of a medicine ball. Another variation to include in one’s work out to prevent boredom of repeated routine. Thanks for sharing.
I haven’t used a medicine ball in awhile! I like to use it for sit ups. I have a weighted hoola hoop at home that I like to use when I remember!
I love that I can do this in the comfort of my own home while my son is sleeping! A great option when I can’t make it to the gym! Thanks Tina!
I’ve only ever used a medicine ball with a personal trainer. I always get nervous when we start though because I’m afraid I’ll hurt myself with it! Haha it’s always fun after I get over my initial fear
I love medicine ball workouts! I’ll definitely be doing this one…thanks Tina!
i think i have pinned and starred over half your workouts lately. therefore….. KEEP THEM COMING!!
This does look like a lot of fun! I really want to get a medicine ball now!
I love medicine balls! you’re right–I like bringing out the KID in me
I actually just got a medicine ball for my brother. I think I need to invest in one for myself now. I was never 100% sure what to do with it. This workout looks great!
Great workout Tina! I have three medicine balls and I don’t use them enough. Love all the moves you put together and the fun video with music.
Great workout! I’ve had my medicine ball forever and never used it until I tried your workout. I hope you will post more medicine ball workouts in the future. The video was a huge help as I am new to these types of workouts and was not familiar with the moves. Thanks for sharing this!
Great! So glad you liked it!
I can’t wait to try this workout! I’m always looking for new things to try so that I don’t get bored at the gym, my gym has so many medicine balls, but to be honest I just never really knew how to use them in my workout! Thanks for the words.
I love this! I think since I’m just starting out I may do this circuit a few times without the medicine ball and work my way up to it
lol
I love your squished look- you lo0k more my shape
Great ideas medicine ball workouts.
Next to my pullup bar, the MB is my favorite piece of equipment. I can take it and use it anywhere. Additionally, if you don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on one, you can make these for next to nothing. Round up a couple of old soccer or basketballs, some sand, old plastic grocery bags for filler, duct tape and you are set.
Looks like I’m the only guy to post here, but muscle physiology and exercise technique are pretty much the same for men and women.
My home gym consists of a wide selection of medicine balls, a stability ball, and a floor mat. The floor mat might be the most essential single piece of equipment, but my favorite is definitely the medicine balls. I use sets of three light medicine balls (4 or 6 lb.) to juggle for an intense bicep and coordination workout. I use the heavier medicine balls (10, 18, and 30 lb.) for lots of core, leg, and upper body work. I love the way the medicine balls stimulate muscle, tendon, and joint strength throughout my full range of motion, they are great for lower arm strength and isometric tension, and they are compact and unobtrusive in the corner of my bedroom when I’m not using them.
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