Weight-Loss Tool: The Medicine Ball

A medicine ball is a weighted ball with or without handles. A medicine ball can weigh anywhere from 1 to 50 lbs. How do you choose which weight is right for you? A lot depends on your goals. For weight loss you want to do sets with higher repetitions - anywhere from 12-20, repeating each set from 2 to 4 times. The goal is to be able to complete a set, just. You should use enough weight that by the last repetition you're tired and fighting to maintain good form. If, on the other hand, you're fighting to maintain form by repetition number 6 then you're using too heavy a ball. Likewise, if you finish the set without too much effort, then the ball weighs too little. Medicine balls are a great weight loss tool because they allow you the freedom of movement to use more than one or two muscles at a time. We burn calories (fat) in our muscles, so the more muscles you use the more calories you'll burn!

One can literally utilize a ball for any type of exercise motion - cardio, core, strength, etc. The following are fantastic weight loss medicine ball exercises, for the whole body! *Remember to check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.*

Total Body:

* Side to Side Twist - stand tall, feet shoulder
width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Slowly turn your torso from side to side, keeping hips facing forward.

* Floor to Ceiling - stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Tip forward at the hips, keeping your back very straight. Bringing the ball to about knee level. Squeeze your rear and back to lift your torso back up to straight.

* Squat Swing - stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Bend your knees, lowering your body as if sitting in a chair. Keep your knees over your ankles, by sitting your rear back. Once your knees are bent bring the ball next to one knee. Push though your heels to straighten your legs, as you swing the ball over your opposite shoulder, like swinging a golf club.

* Lunge Twist - stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Step one foot forward about 2 feet. Tilt your pelvis forward, tightening your lower abdomen. Lower your rear knee toward the floor until both knees are bent at 90 degrees. Once your knees are bent, twist your torso in the direction of your forward leg (if your right leg is forward twist clockwise, if the left is forward twist counter-clockwise). Untwist the torso to face front again. Push through your forward foot to press your feet back together.

* 1-Arm Roll-up to Side Plank - lay on your back, legs extended. Tighten your abdomen, pressing your lower back into the mat. Extend one arm toward ceiling, holding the medicine ball. Inhale. As you exhale, roll up in a sit-up. Once you're upright, plant your free hand on the floor next to your hip. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, your body in a straight line from head to toes. Keep shoulders rolled back away from the ears.

Upper Body:

* Extended Figure 8 - stand tall holding the medicine ball over head with both hands. Keep your pelvic tilt by squeezing your abdomen. Walk forward in a zig-zag pattern turning and repeating the pattern on the way back - forming a figure 8. *for more arm work, use 2 balls - one in each hand. Extend arms out wide from the shoulders holding the balls with palms facing toward ceiling. Keep arms out wide as you perform the figure 8.

* 1 Ball Push-up - Place one ball a little wider than your shoulder. You can perform on your knees or toes (with toes being the harder position). Place one hand on the ball, one on the floor. Tighten your abdomen to support the torso. Roll your shoulders back away from your ears. Inhale as you bend your elbows, bringing your chest toward the floor. Exhale as you push through your hands to straighten your arms. Try to move your body as one unit- keeping the body long and lean.

* 2 Ball Push-ups - same as the previous exercise, except both hands are on balls, not one ball and one on the floor.

Lower Body:

* Soccer Taps - place one ball on the floor about one foot in front of you. Place one foot so the toes just barely touch the ball. Hop, switching your feet so the other grazes the top of the ball. You have to be gentle to the ball will move. If the ball does move, just move with it!

* Walking Lunges - stand tall, feet shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Step one foot forward about 2 feet. Tilt your pelvis forward, tightening your lower abdomen. Lower your rear knee toward the floor until both knees are bent at 90 degrees.Lift your rear knee up toward your chest, stepping forward about 2 1/2 feet. Place the foot solidly on the floor. Lower the rear knee. Repeating.

* Sumo Squats - stand tall, feet wider than shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball in front of your chest, roll your shoulders back and tighten your abdomen. Turn your toes out slightly. Bend your knees like your sitting down, knees wide. Push through your heels to straighten your legs. Once your legs are straight, lift one knee up to your side (on the outside of your elbow). Plant your foot back on the floor, still wider than shoulder width. Repeat on the other side.

Core:

Reverse Crunch - Lay on your back, squeeze the ball between your bent knees. Place your hands on the floor next to your hips. Inhale. As you exhale, squeeze your lower abdomen bringing your knees toward your chest. Slowly release until your knees point toward the ceiling again. Do not arch your lower back. Keep abdomen tight.

Crunch - lay on your back, feet flat on the floor with the knees bent. Tighten your abdomen, pressing your lower back into the mat. Extend ball toward ceiling, keeping shoulders relaxed and away from your ears. Inhale. As you exhale, tighten your abdomen and lift your shoulders up off of the floor, bringing the ball toward the ceiling. Inhale as you release your shoulders back onto the mat.