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20lb Ball Exercise #blackfitnesswomen #fitgirl #blackfitness #absworkout #womeninfitness
Strength training is beneficial for the body. It can help you build muscle and, by doing so, also help you burn more calories and shed fat. (Note: if losing weight is indeed your goal, other factors to consider are nutrition and stress management.) Weight-lifting increases your overall fitness level, too. Aside from using equipment like dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells, or machines — which aren’t always accessible — adding medicine balls to your sweat sessions is another way to up the resistance.
ACE-certified personal trainer, Juannie Jimenez, who goes by Neen, told POPSUGAR that the medicine ball is great for core strength. “As you hold it with your hands in almost any position, you’re forced to brace your core and keep your body in alignment,” she explained, adding that a strong core allows for better performance overall. Additionally, “the medicine ball can build muscle mass and strengthen your arms, shoulders, and legs depending on the exercise you are performing.”
Jimenez posted a TikTok showcasing four dynamic moves done with a 20-pound medicine ball: skaters, a combo of one ball slam with two plank jacks, jump lunges with torso twists, and squats. See all four of these moves demonstrated in the video above, and try incorporating them into your next workout.
Strength-Training Medicine Ball Workout From Juannie Jimenez
If you’re interested in doing the moves as a full workout on their own, Jimenez suggests doing four rounds total of the following:
- Skater: 20 reps
- Ball slam with double plank jack: 10 reps
- Jump lunge with torso twist: 20 reps
- Squat: 20 reps
Rest for 15 seconds between each exercise and one to two minutes between rounds.
If you don’t have a medicine ball but still want to take on these challenging moves, you can perform them as bodyweight exercises. (Ever tried a ball slam without an actual ball? It gets your heart pumping.) We know what circuit we’re doing later!