A Medicine Ball Workout Will Help You Get Flat Abs
A medicine ball is essentially a weighted ball, approximately 14 inches in diameter and available in weights between 2 and 25 lb. These balls are mostly used for rehabilitation and strength training. This kind of training is actually one of the oldest forms of strength training and the first reference to this was seen nearly 3000 years ago when Persian wrestlers would train with sand filled bladders. There are so many different uses for this ball and so many medicine ball exercises to choose from.
Medicine ball workouts are great for achieving flat abs and stomachs. There are various exercises which you can do to tone different muscles and strength your core.
A simple game of trow and catch with the medicine ball can assist you in your weight training. Stand across from your training partner and simply throw the weighted ball back and forth between you. When you are throwing make sure that you put some effort into it and when you are catching, include a squat as you catch the ball. This type of easy exercise will work your arms, chest and legs at the same time.
When planning a medicine ball workout always make sure that you have enough space to be able to perform the movements properly. It is also important to make sure that you are performing the exercises using the correct techniques. Rather use a lower weight to enable to correct movements.
A great medicine ball exercise for your core muscles is the single leg chop. In this exercise you will stand on your left leg with your arms extended holding the ball in the air but to slightly to the right. The movement you will do will replicate you chopping wood, so you should bring the ball down in a sweeping motion towards your left foot. Then switch feet and repeat on the other side.
Another exercise is the figure of eights where you would begin with the medicine ball in the air over your right shoulder. Then, as before, bring the ball down and in front of you in the same sweeping or chopping movement, towards the opposite foot. Stand back up straight, raising the ball up over your left shoulder and continuing on to bring it down towards your right foot. With this exercise, remember to bend at the knees.
The Russian twist is an easier exercise which also targets the abdominal muscles. The essentials of this exercise is to hold the ball to your one side and whilst rotating your upper body move it in front of you and through to the other side.
If you enjoy the conventional sit ups but feel that you need to add a little something extra you can incorporate the medicine ball into these too. Lie on your back with your knees bent, stretch your hands out above your head and hold the ball tightly. As you raise your arms and lift the ball into the air, lift your chest. At the same time, raise one leg up to meet the ball in the air. Lower both the leg and arms and repeat, raising the opposite leg this time.
If you need to target the muscles on the side of your stomach, your oblique muscles, lie on the floor and bend your knees. Lift your feet off the ground so tour legs form a ninety degree angle. Place the ball between your knees and slowly rotate your legs from side to side. Make sure that you keep your back flat and engage your stomach muscles. Do this exercise slowly to make sure you are doing it correctly.
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