Why Medicine Balls Are A Must-Have For Every Exerciser

When it comes to strength training exercises, most of us opt for dumbbells, barbells or resistance bands. But you may be overlooking one of the most effective pieces of equipment out there: medicine balls. That’s right; this simple, easy-to-use piece of equipment can do just about everything that dumbbells and resistance bands can, and more.

Based on the number of different exercises you can do with them, they can help with everything from improving functional movement and whole-body strengthening, to developing endurance, building muscle and increasing flexibility. The bottom line is you should definitely be using this versatile exercise tool for your next workout.   

But before you start your next sweat session, here are a few things you should know about medicine balls:

They’ve been around for a very long time: While their spike in popularity is recent, their history extends as far back as 400 BC, when Hippocrates used sand-filled animal skins for medicinal purposes (hence the name medicine ball).

They come in all sizes and weights: Medicine balls come in a variety of sizes, from the size of a tennis ball to larger than a basketball, and from 1 to 50 pounds and up. But all of these options can make it tough to decide which weight is best for you. For instance, one that feels comfortable when you hold it against your chest may be too heavy for exercises done at an arm’s length away from your body.

Finding your perfect fit: To choose a ball that’s heavy enough to challenge you, but not so heavy that you can’t maintain proper form, pick one that slows down the speed at which you do the exercise (versus the speed of doing it without any weight). Don’t forget: you should be able to maintain form through 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Get started with these simple moves: There’s no shortage of options when it comes to exercises and moves to do with a medicine ball (you can even do buddy exercises), but here are a few of the basics:

·         Lunge with a Twist (whole-body): With your right foot, step out and lower yourself into a comfortable position. Keep your back straight and your feet pointing straight ahead, and make sure your forward knee doesn’t go past your toes. Once you’re comfortable in your lunge, and your forward thigh is parallel to the floor, extend the medicine ball out arms-length and twist to the right. Repeat the same step with your left foot and twist left.

·         Medicine Ball Glute Bridge (legs and glutes): There are many variations of this move, but this is a great option for beginners. Start by lying down on your back and bending your knees (with your feet flat on the floor). Next, place the medicine ball in between your knees, making sure the ball stays in place. Then, with your arms lying on either side (with your palms facing up), squeeze your knees and glutes, lifting your hips off of the ground (making a bridge). Return to start position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

·         Medicine ball V-up (core): Lie on your back with legs straight and extend your arms over your head, flat on the floor, with hands holding the medicine ball. Simultaneously raise your legs and your arms, aiming to touch the ball to your feet (your upper body and your legs lift to form a V shape at the top of the movement). Return to start position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

As you get more comfortable with medicine ball exercises, you can increase your weight, try different moves or incorporate buddy workouts. For additional ideas and expert advice, you can count on the experts at GMC’s Ellis Fitness & Performance Center. Whether you’re looking for a new exercise routine tailored to you, or you want an expert to evaluate your running and/or lifting form, GMC offers the services you want for all of your fitness needs.

Does Exercising Ever Really Sound Fun?

By: Kristie Delgado, MS, GMC’s Fitness Specialist

We all know the importance of exercise—improved circulation, healthy weight, lower cholesterol—and the benefits it offers—reduced stress and boosted energy—but there are days (and weeks) where finding the motivation to go just feels impossible.

After all, the last thing you want to do bright and early in the morning or late on a Friday afternoon is to go to work mentally and physically, which is exactly what exercise can feel like. But why does it have to feel like work? Who said exercise has to be hard and boring? You see, most of us have built exercise up in our minds to the point that stress and anxiety surround it, instead of happiness and empowerment.

So let’s change the way we talk to ourselves about exercise. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

1.            Ditch the all-or-none thinking.Getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise (30 minutes, 5 days a week) may seem daunting, so just remember that something is better than nothing. Even just 10 minutes of activity a day will make a difference—seriously. Don’t believe me? Give it a try.

2.            It doesn’t have to be miserable.You may feel like unless you’re dripping sweat after a workout, then it doesn’t really count. But that isn’t at all the case. You don’t have to pound through a long run or lift heavy weights, to get ample activity. Things like housework, dancing and playing with your kids can all count as physical activity. As an added bonus, it counts as moderate intensity if you’re out of breath while you’re doing it.

3.            No gym or equipment? No problem. You don’t need any fancy equipment (it can be super expensive) or a gym membership (because it’s not always convenient) to reap the benefits of physical activity. You can do tons of exercises at home: march in place for cardio, do core-strengthening exercises in your living room or go up and down the stairs. 

If you’re struggling to get the minimum amount of physical activity, you are not alone! Only 20% of the American population meets those guidelines. If you need help with creating an exercise program that will maximize your benefits in the time you have available, reach out to the personal trainers at GMC’s Ellis Fitness & Performance Center.

4 Cold-Weather Exercising Problems—Solved

When the winter months arrive, bringing with them colder temperatures and fewer hours of daylight, it’s enough to make even the toughest exerciser head indoors. But for those of you that are tough enough to endure the chilly weather—you know who you are—you’ll likely encounter at least a few of the season’s unique difficulties. Between tight muscles, stiff joints, sniffles and toes that are numb, staying active in the cold is anything but easy.

So, despite your dedication to staying active, if you think exercising in the cold bites, listen up. Kristie Willhoit, MS, Fitness Specialist with GMC’s Sports Medicine Program, provides easy ways to overcome some of the most common cold-weather annoyances.

   1. You’re either too hot or too cold. When it’s chilly outside, layers are your best friend—you can take things off or add on as needed. However, even when you dress in layers, it’s still hard to find that perfect temperature.

Solution: It may sound obvious, but before heading out for your activity, make sure to check the weather. This doesn’t just mean looking at the temperature. Check to see what the humidity is and whether or not it’s overcast, as both of these things will make it feel colder. To avoid a cold start to your workout, warm up indoors to get your blood flowing.  And don't forget to throw on a sleeveless vest while you’re at it.

   2. The cold air hurts your throat. If your throat is moist and warm, rapidly breathing in cold air comes as quite a shock to your body. Surprisingly, though, it isn’t actually the coldness of the air that’s the problem—it’s the dryness. When you’re mouth-breathing instead of nose-breathing your body doesn’t have a chance to filter, warm or humidify the air. This can irritate your throat and cause coughing for hours after.

Solution: If you’re not battling the sniffles and can handle breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, that’s the best way to minimize throat irritation. But if you’re a tried and true mouth-breather, try wearing a scarf or bandana around your nose and mouth to keep in some of the moisture and warmth.

   3. Your runny nose just won’t quit. The same magic your nose uses to warm and moisturize the cold winter air for your lungs is the same thing that causes it to run. So, when the air is especially cold and dry, your nose is working overtime to create moisture.

Solution: While it isn’t exactly glamorous, one of the best things to do to battle a runny nose is to bring tissues with you. But if that feels like a nuisance, you can try putting some petroleum jelly around your nose; this will give your nose the illusion of more moisture and will prevent chapping.

   4. Your muscles and joints feel tighter than normal. No—it isn’t just your imagination. The cold temperatures cause muscles to tighten up and lose elasticity, both of which can make injury more likely. On top of that, it isn’t just your muscles that feel the chill; your nerves are affected, too, making it difficult to sense pain or discomfort at the first sign.

Solution: You’ve already heard it, but it’s worth saying again: take the time to warm up. Not only will you have a better, more enjoyable workout, but it will prevent injury. By doing a gradual warm-up for at least 10 minutes, starting indoors and continuing outdoors, you’re helping to up blood flow to your muscles, tendons and joints, which will minimize your risk for injury.

The key is to perform movements that utilize all your major muscle groups and take your joints through their full ranges of motion—think body weight squats, straight-leg kicks, torso twists, arm circles and side lunges.

Conquer the cold.

GMC’s established Sports Medicine program is focused on transforming the way you exercise. Our experts work to shift your focus away from difficulties to goals, from discomfort to confidence, from injury to strength. This is made possible with our extensive range of services, our knowledgeable specialists and numerous resources. You don’t compromise on exercise, so don’t compromise on care.