Using a Medicine Ball to Add Variety to Your Workouts
When you do your workouts at home, motivation can quickly fade as things become too routine and start to feel monotonous. Even varying reps, intensity, rest periods and style, you may find yourself just going through the motions and not enjoying your workouts the way you did before the novelty wore off. To keep this kind of boredom from setting in, it becomes necessary to find new ways to keep your mind engaged and your body challenged. Incorporating new kinds of equipment is a great way to change things up.
When adding to your home gym, a medicine ball is an excellent piece that I highly recommend adding to your collection. Compact in size, and very affordable, it is a fun way to add variety to your workout while helping to continue to build your strength, conditioning, core stability and overall balance. Check out this killer G-Fit Circuit that incorporates some of my favorite medicine ball exercises to work your entire body.
G-Fit Medicine Ball Circuit Workout
Staggered Push-Ups off Medicine Ball – 5 on each side
Start in the top of a push-up position with one hand on top of a medicine ball and feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Make sure your abs are engaged and your body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the hips, knees and ankles. Inhale as you lower down to the bottom of a push-up, bending your elbows and dropping your chest toward the ground. Exhale as you straighten your arms and push back up to the starting position and repeat until you have completed 5 reps. Switch the ball placement to the other side to perform another set of 5 for a total of 10 reps.
Staggered Knee to Elbow – 10 on each side
Start in the top of a push-up position with one hand on top of a medicine ball and feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Make sure your abs are engaged and your body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the hips, knees and ankles. Keep your core engaged and bring your knee toward your elbow that is on top of the ball. Bring your foot back to the starting position and repeat the movement 10 times. Switch the ball placement to the other side and perform 10 reps on the other side.
Medicine Ball Crunches – 10 reps, slow and steady
Lie down on the ground with your knees bent and hands holding a medicine ball directly overhead. Perform a crunch, allowing the ball to guide you up toward the ceiling. Squeeze at the top, and then lower back down and repeat until you have completed 10 slow and steady weighted crunches.
Opposite-Hand Toe Crunches With Medicine Ball – 10 on each side
Lie down on the ground with one leg bent and other directly out in front of you. Grab a medicine ball with one hand and perform a crunch, bringing the medicine ball to touch your opposite straight leg. Lower down and repeat 10 times before switching out your legs and ball to perform 10 reps on the other side. Aim to have each crunch slow and controlled rather than using momentum to quickly get through the exercise. Slow and steady exhaling as your toe meets the medicine ball and inhaling as your leg and body lowers to the starting position.
Medicine Ball Butt-Blasters – 10 each side
Start on the ground on all fours. Place a medicine ball in between your hamstring and calf on one side. Squeeze the ball so it is secure, then with your heel flexed, raise your foot up toward the ceiling and then lower it back down. Perform 10 reps then shift the ball to the other side, and repeat on the other side.
Pendulum Lunge With Medicine Ball* (alternating side to side with front raise, opposite lunge leg with arm) – 10 reps, each side
Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width, holding the medicine ball with both hands at your chest. Turn to one side and lunge down while extending the opposite hand out in front of you. Stand back up and meet in the center with medicine ball at your chest, and then lunge to the opposite side, extending the opposite hand out in front of you. Repeat, alternating from side to side until you have completed 10 reps on each side.
*This exercise takes a bit of coordination, so go slow and increase speed as you get more familiar with the move.
Rest and repeat the circuit twice.
I hope you enjoyed this awesome Medicine Ball Circuit! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Keep digging deep and remember CHANGE and VARIETY will be KEY to keeping you excited to show up and crush your goals!
