No matter what your go-to sport is, functional strength conditioning is critical for muscular balance, joint stability, core strength and overall performance. You don’t always need weights to get a killer workout.
Using a simple tool such as a medicine ball is a great way to challenge yourself by changing the stimulus and increasing the stability demands on your body. Long term this is an excellent way to enhance sport performance and reduce the risk of injury through the adaptation of your body’s integrated network of stabilizing muscles.
The following five-exercise routine should be completed in a circuit fashion with minimal rest between each exercise. Once all five exercises are completed, move back to the first exercise for a second round. Complete 3-4 sets of this sequence in total.
Warm-Up:
Complete two sets of walking lunges (approximately 12/leg) and two sets of push-ups for 10 reps each by alternating these two exercises. Be sure to work through the full range of motion.
Workout:
1. Single Leg Squat
- Holding the med ball in both hands, stand on your right foot
- Slowly sink your hips back into a squat while extending the med ball in front
- Aim to get at least 90 degrees while keeping your spine straight
- Drive through the heel and pull the med ball in as you move back up to starting position
- Complete 10-12 reps then repeat on the opposite leg
2. Stability Push-Up
- Begin in push-up position with your left hand on top of the med ball
- Lower your body down as deep as you can go
- Drive forcefully off the med ball with your left hand while simultaneously extending your right arm as high as possible in a thumb-up position
- Hold for 2 seconds at the top before lowering back into the push-up
- Complete 10-12 reps then repeat with the opposite side
3. Wood Chop
- Stand with your right foot on a step behind you and your left foot forward in a lunge position
- Keeping your core tight begin with the med ball held beside your left hip
- Explosively rotate your trunk so the med ball moves in an upward diagonal motion as far as you can go
- Return to the stating position and repeat 15 times
- Switch leg position and direction to complete 15 reps on the opposite side
4. Med Ball Depth Jump
- Begin with med ball close to chest and body lowered in a deep squat position
- Explosively leap as far as you can while pushing the med ball forward with extended arms
- Return med ball back towards chest while absorbing your landing
- Repeat immediately into a second jump
- Complete 15 reps
5. Rebound Trunk Rotation
- Sit parallel to a wall, balanced with legs off the ground and posture tall
- Medicine ball should start beside the hip that is furthest from the wall
- Explosively rotate trunk while releasing the ball upward against the wall
- Absorb the rebound as you return back to your starting position
- Repeat 15-20 times then switch sides
