Medicine balls are a fun and versatile training tool that can help you perform a wide variety of exercises for strengthening the muscles in your limbs, your hamstrings, adductors, and gluteal and abdominal muscles.
They can also help improve your coordination and balance, and overall, can be used as a routine calorie-burning tool.
Teaming up with a partner can make your exercises more indulgent and fun, so here we have listed some good workout exercises with a medicine ball that both you and your partner can do together.
Contents
1. Squat Press
- Two partners stand face-to-face 2-3 meters apart (or simply a suitable distance for throwing the ball overhead and catching).
- Partner A holds the medicine ball in front of his chest with both hands on either side of the ball. He goes down for a normal squat while holding the ball in that position and as he comes back up, he pushes the ball above over his head and throws it for his partner to catch.
- Partner B receives the ball with his arms stretched up, brings the ball to his chest level, goes down for a squat, and throws the ball back up to his partner again to complete one rep.
- Repeat this exercise till you complete 15-20 reps and then relax.
2. Under-Chuck Squats
- Similar to squat presses, both partners stand 2-3 meters apart, face-to-face.
- Partner A holds the ball with outstretched arms parallel to the ground. As he goes down for a squat, he should swing the ball downward to bring it under his groin and he rises from his squat he makes an underpass with the ball (throwing the ball from below without raising it above chest level).
- Partner B catches the ball and similarly goes down for the squat and makes an underpass as he comes back up and this completes one rep.
- Perform this exercise to complete 15-20 reps as well.
3. Jump Squat Passes
- Both partners stand not more than 2 meters apart, face-to-face.
- Both partners do squat jumps in sync.
- Partner A holds the medicine ball near his chest, goes down for a squat, comes back up, and throws the ball to the other partner while completing a jump.
- Partner B performs the squat and jump in unison to partner A and receives the ball as he comes down from his jump, then goes down for the squat and throws the ball back as he comes up from his squat to complete one rep.
- Repeat this exercise till you complete 10-15 reps at least, ideally.
4. Rotational Lunge Pass
- Both partners stand side to side and close to each other at a half-arm distance.
- Now both partners lunge forward with their leg that’s closest to each other’s leg for the first rep. (for eg. If partner B is standing to the left of partner A, then A brings his left leg forward while B brings his right leg for the lunge)
- After the lunge, both partners rotate their upper body away from each other and comes back and then rotate to face their partner.
- Partner A, who’s holding the medicine ball, passes the ball to partner B as they both rotate to each other and then they both go their standing position.
- Now again both partners lunge forward but this time with their other legs forward completes the rotation away from each other. Then Partner B passes the ball back to A as they both rotate towards each other.
- Repeat this exercise 10-15 times.
5. Russian Twist Pass
- Both partners sit down back to back and similar to sit-up positions. Sit close enough for passing the ball from side to side.
- Partner A holds the ball close to his chest.
- Now both partners lean back slightly and rotate their upper bodies to one side so that Partner A can pass the ball to partner
- Partner B collects the ball and rotates to the other side and passes the ball back to A.
- So, both partners rotate left to right back to back to make the ball travel in circles around their chest.
- Repeat this exercise until the ball completes at least 10 rotations.
6. Cross Toss
- Both partners sit up face-to-face with their legs outstretched and your toes, back, and neck straight up.
- Now partner A holds the ball in front of him with his arms stretched out parallel to the ground. He then brings the ball to his side while keeping the arms as straight as possible and tosses the ball to partner B as he swings his arms back forward again.
- Partner B catches the ball, holds it in front of him, and similarly brings it to his side and tosses it back to A as he swings it back to his front. This completes one rep.
- Partner A now repeats this exercise bringing the ball to the other side and tossing it back again.
- Complete 10 reps at least or till both partners start losing their form.
7. Chest-Press Sit-ups
- Both partners sit down face-to-face with their legs folded for the normal sit-up position.
- Partner A holds the ball close to his chest and slowly goes back to touch the ground with his back while his legs are fixed in the same position.
- After he touches the ground, he then throws the ball to partner B with a firm push from his chest and brings his body back to the starting position while keeping the arms outstretched maintaining the direction of the throw.
- Partner B catches the ball, brings it to his chest level, goes back down, and throws it back to partner A and comes back up to complete one rep.
- Try to complete at least 20-30 reps before resting or changing.
- For more intensity, make overhead throws instead of chest-presses.
Medicine ball workouts like these with a partner can be really fun while providing a good workout to different muscles in your body. If you are on rehab from any injuries, exercise caution while using heavier medicine balls. Use lighter ones such as the 8pound ball while beginning and slowly increase weights as you feel comfortable with them.
Exercises 1-3 in this list are very good for strengthening your quads, adductors, hamstrings as well as your limbs.
Exercises 4 and 5 are specifically aimed at improving your body coordination and balance.
Exercises 6 and 7 are directed for strengthening your core muscles.
A combination of all these exercises performed in a series of reps and rests is recommended to cover all areas of your body and make the best use of your workout routines!