5 Weighted Ball Exercises to Burn & Tone
May 21, 2014Take your cardio and resistance routine to a whole new level with this weighted ball workout. Combining these movements with the added weight of the ball challenges your stability, builds and tones muscle, and burns a serious amount of fat. A weighted ball or medicine ball is a great tool to use to mix up your routine because you can vary the weight you use, challenge your core, and travel with and store it easily. Weighted exercise balls can be found in a variety of sizes and weights. For this workout I’m using a small eight pound ball with a sand filling.
Overhead Throw
Begin in a regular stance with your core engaged and a soft bend in your knee. Raise the weighted ball up over your head and throw the ball with force towards the ground. Lower into a squat position and pick the ball up off of the ground and raise it back up over head. Repeat with intensity for 20 reps. (With this exercise it is important to use a ball that doesn’t bounce! It is no fun if it pops up and hits you on its way up.)
Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your shoulders relaxed and core muscles engaged. Hold the weighted ball between outstretched arms. Keep your arms straight and your feet planted as you bring the ball in a downward diagonal movement towards your left foot, bending in both knees and bringing the ball to the outside of your left foot. Immediately swing the ball up over head to the right side of your body in a sweeping motion to reverse the motion as you stand again. Repeat on this side 10 reps then switch to crossing the body in the opposite direction for 10 reps.
In the same body position as the Overhead Throw, just reverse the motion and from a squat position toss the weighted ball up with force. Watch for it to fall on the ground in front of you and pick up and toss to repeat for a total of 20 reps.
Lunges with Oblique Twist
Extend your arms out in front and engage your arms, chest, and shoulders to hold the ball with a tight squeeze. (To challenge yourself more, try holding the ball with your palms only. Wiggle those fingers to be sure none are touching and continue!) To begin either walking or stationary lunges, begin with a step forward to come into a lunge position and twist the weighted ball the opposite direction of your forward leg. Repeat on the other side as you switch legs and complete 15 on each side.
Side to Side Throws