Medicine Ball #1 Ab workout
When a change is needed in the ab-workout turning to the medicine ball is always a good option. Here is an easy to follow ab workout specifically designed to use a medicine ball. Continue this routine until you can get 20 reps of each workout. Try to keep the rest between exercises to a minimum, only resting long enough to get into proper position to begin the next exercise. Once you can complete all the exercises without stopping 20 reps each then move onto 2 then 3 sets of all of the exercise resting in between sets.
Some advantages to using the medicine ball with ab workouts are they add extra weight and having to hold onto the ball activates other muscles as well as the abdominals. Also the core is activated when having to move the medicine ball with the different exercises. Which weight of medicine ball to use is completely up to you. REMEMBER that proper form is more important than having form suffer because the weight is too heavy. If you feel that the weight is too light, do a few extra reps on each exercise and use a heavier medicine ball the next set.
#1- Vertical Wood Chopper- Start with the ball above your head with your arms straight. Keep a slight bend in the hips and the knees. Your legs should be slightly wider than your shoulders. Use your abs to bend towards the ground, keeping your arms straight until your upper body gets to a 90 degree angle or parallel to the ground. Then bend your arms bringing the medicine ball down in between your legs. At the bottom, rise with your arms first straightening them to the 90 degree angle then engage the core as you bring your upper body back up to the erect position. This is one rep.
#2- Diagonal Wood Chopper- Starting with the ball once again above your head and
arms straight but this time the ball will be on the outside of your right shoulder. With both hands on the ball activate your core and. the movement should be from 2 o?clock to 8 o?clock. Remember to twist at the hips and try and keep your abs flexed. the twisting motion helps with target the obliques while the rectus abdominis is also engaged. Do 10 reps with the ball over the right shoulder then do 10 reps over the left shoulder.
#3- Russian Twists- This exercise is done by sitting on the ground, back as straight as possible and feet extended in front of you. Start with both hands on the ball at your side. Lean back slightly and lift your feet and legs off the ground. Keeping your abs flexed and trying to maintain a 90 degree angle between your legs and upper body rotate your midsection touching the medicine ball from one side to the other. A complete rep would be starting with the ball on your right, twisting to the left, touching the ball to the ground or close to it then bringing the ball back to your right side. Complete 20 reps.
#4- V-Sits (with ball in between feet) - With your legs at about a 45 degree angle from the ground and your upper body close to a 45 degree angle to the ground place the medicine ball in between your feet. MAKE SURE the ball is secure between your feet and is not going to slip out and fall on you during the work out. Once the ball is between Medicine Ball #1 Ab-workout your feet, lower your feet and your upper body until they are flat just off the ground. remember to keep your arms extended straight above your head. Lift your feet and arms to the V position, then lower yourself at a controlled tempo back until you are just off the ground. This is one rep, repeat 20 times or until failure. At this point in the ab workout your might start to feel a burn in your legs or your hip flexors. Far too often the hip flexors are a muscle over looked and not worked out enough so keep it up and endure the pain, after continuing this workout your will start to notice your strength increase and your core will become significantly stronger with the strengthening of your Psoas Major and Iliopsoas muscles commonly referred to as the
hip flexers.
#5- Toe Touches (with ball in hands) - Lay on your back with the medicine ball in your hands extended above your head, lift your feet to a 90 degree angle. Proceed to sit up and touch your toes with the medicine ball, then return to the starting position. Remember to lift as high as you can to your toes to increase the effectiveness of this exercise.
#6- Leg Lifts (with ball in between feet) - Keeping your upper body flat on the ground secure the ball between your feet once again, your body should be flat on resting on the ground. Raise your feet to a 90 degree angle then lower them until they are just off the ground. Repeat this 20 times.
#7- Laying Double Crunch (with ball in hands) - The starting position for the laying double crunch is laying on your back. Hands extended overhead just a few inches off the ground, and your legs also extended lifting your feet up also inches off the ground. Bring your right leg up to your chest almost like a bicycle kick, while at the same time lift your upper body bringing the medicine ball up and touch it to your toes. Return to the flat position with your arms and legs still off the ground and repeat this action with your left leg. Remember to keep the leg which is not coming up to the chest off the ground and straight. it is ok if the leg comes up a little bit but do not let it rest on the ground, keep your core engaged and keep your legs and arms off the ground. 10 reps on each leg will give you 20 total reps. Nice work! you’re done.
