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To the surprise of many, medicine balls have made quite a comeback in the past few years. However, rather than the smelly leather medicine balls that were a staple item in school gyms in the past, modern ones come in a variety of materials and designs.
One of the biggest uses of the new medicine balls is for working the core muscles (abs, obliques, and lower back). Without strong core muscles you will struggle in any activity, from unloading groceries to swinging a tennis racket.
The other advantage of working out with medicine balls is that they train your body for sports and activities that are ballistic - i.e. that require movement. Unlike regular weight training, which typically uses fixed planes of movement, you can train using a variety of explosive and ballistic throwing, swinging, and rotational movements.
There are two main types on the market - bouncing and non-bouncing.
- Bouncing balls, as the name suggests, can be bounced against a wall or the floor, and are good if you are working out alone.
- Non-bouncing balls are usually softer on the hands, and don't roll far when they get away from you.
While you can still buy leather balls, the new rubber balls tend to retain their shape better, have non-slip coatings, and last longer than leather ones.
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