Welcome to your one stop shop regarding everything health and fitness. Weekly to bi-weekly, “Training with Tara” will support our readers’ needs of fitness inspiration, workout guides, healthy meals and more. So don’t be afraid to send in requests for next week’s column; we’ll be glad to accommodate.
Medicine balls are often overlooked in gyms but it’s time to change things up. By utilizing the ball for each of these five exercises, you’ll burn some calories and sculpt your core as you engage your body to break a sweat.
Russian Twists
Grabbing a mat to sit on the floor, medicine ball in hand, lower your upper half slightly backwards pulling your stomach in towards your spine. Make sure not to round your shoulders as you turn your body to the side, making the medicine ball touch the floor to the left of you and then to the right. If you are unbalanced, securely place your feet about hip width apart on the floor in front of you while twisting. If you are able to balance, try bringing your feet up off the ground to increase the use of your core muscles. Do 15 times to complete one set.
Split Push Up/Knee Tuck
Continue using the mat by turning on to your stomach into a tradition plank position, feet a little more than hip width apart. Moving the medicine ball under one hand, bring yourself down into a semi-elevated push up. Once the push up is completed, the knee that is on the opposite side of the ball will crunch towards the elbow supporting the arm on the ball. When completing this exercise, make sure to be conscious that your abdominals are pulled in and that your hips are tucked under. Do five per side to complete one set.
Triceps Press Matrix
Lowering yourself onto your knees, you will hold the ball at your chest. Once you make sure your knees are a little wider than hips width apart, start to lean yourself back. While doing this exercise, keep your spine straight, your abs engaged and your bum tight. Once you have returned to your original position, extend your arms above your head with the medicine ball. To utilize your triceps, bend your forearms backwards, keeping your elbows pointing forward and close your head. Return to your original upfront position and start the next set by leaning back once again. Do 10 in order to complete one set.
Ball Slams
Getting into a stance with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart, have a medicine ball in hand. Make sure to have the correct weighted ball, for a slighter ball could create more of a bounce. Once in the proper stance, raise the ball above your head and then use your complete upper body to slam it into the floor in front of you, all while crunching your abs and bringing the ball towards the ground. Catch the ball once the bounces back and use the momentum to continue to the next ball slam. Do 15 to complete one set.
Toe Taps
To get your heart going, keep the medicine ball stationary while on the floor. Circling the ball, tap the weight in front of you with your toes while bringing your knees up towards your chest. Continue to do for one 45 second round to complete one set.
In order to complete this workout, you would want to complete each exercise five times.