Medicine balls are a great tool for rehabilitation, in addition to its integration into strength training workouts. For medicine ball exercise ideas, here are a number of medicine ball exercises you can perform. This is not an extensive list; there truly are a significant number of medicine ball exercises available.
Russian Twist
At stomach height, twist your body from side to side. Turn and rotate your back foot and keep your core tight for a greater range of motion.
Diagonal Chops
Move the ball from one side of your body above your head to the opposite side, ending near your knee.
Figure 8
The figure 8 uses the diagonal chop motion and then immediately does the pattern on the other side.
Chops
Bring the ball from over your head directly between your feet.
Circles
Beginning over your head, bring the ball through the largest circular motion route as you can around your body.
Single Leg Russian Twist
Perform the Russian Twist, yet when your weight is off of your bag leg, remove it from the ground.
Single Leg Chop
Perform the Diagonal Chop exercise on one leg.
Front Reach
Begin in standing position with ball at the stomach. Move forward with one foot in front of the other; touch the ball to the foot.
Side Reach
Perform this like the Front Reach; step to one side, however.
Throws
If you have the space for medicine ball throwing exercises, there are quite a few to choose from. These are great total body workouts.
Self-Explanatory Medicine Ball Exercises
Medicine Ball Lunge
Medicine Ball Pushup
Medicine Ball Squat
One Leg Squat (ball held in front of body)
Use any of these exercises to build a workout routine. Medicine ball routines are best suited as a total body strength training workout, though it is possible to target specific muscle groups with some exercises.
 | Strength training exercises help build physical strength, tone muscles, speed metabolism and maintain good bone density. Choose from a variety of strength training methods so you can stay fit at the gym, at home or on the road. |
 | If you think that women lifting weights equates to unattractively muscle-bound female forms, think again. There are many benefits of strength training for women that result in lean, toned looks. |
 | Starting any new exercise program can be intimidating and tough, but when you add to the need navigate a whole new world of dumbbells and weight machines, it gets even harder. |
With the advances in weight-lifting technology, the choice between free weights and weight machines comes down to a matter of comfort, preference and safety. |
I'd like to present a case for choosing and using quality weight-resistance machines, while granting that free-weight "purists" do make some compelling arguments. In the course of this discussion, I will also allude to Weider and Parabody as two general types (and brands of) weight-resistance machines. |
