Medicine Ball Exercises: Benefits, Best Exercises & Usage

As a professional basketball player, I’ve used medicine ball exercises throughout my entire career to develop speed, power, and overall athletic ability.

Whether it’s explosive slams, rotational throws, or full-body dynamic movements, medicine ball training has always been a staple in my workouts.

Not only do I incorporate a ton of traditional medicine ball exercises, but I’m constantly creating unique variations and workouts to challenge my body in new ways.

In my experience, and as research supports, medicine ball exercises are one of the best ways to train for power, coordination, and functional athleticism.

They mimic real-world sports movements, making them ideal for athletes, but they’re also an incredibly fun way to work out for anyone looking to burn calories and improve overall conditioning.

While they may not be the top choice for pure muscle-building, they still stimulate muscles effectively and provide long-term benefits for physical health and performance.

From improving rotational strength and explosiveness to adding variety and intensity to a workout routine, medicine ball exercises offer a unique and effective training method.

Whether you’re an athlete looking to enhance your performance or just someone who wants to lose weight and stay in great shape, medicine ball workouts can be a game-changer.

What Are Medicine Ball Exercises?

Medicine ball exercises are dynamic, full-body movements that incorporate a weighted ball to develop strength, power, coordination, and endurance.

A medicine ball is a versatile training tool that can be used for a variety of exercises, ranging from explosive power movements like slams and rotational throws to controlled core and stability drills.

Unlike traditional weight training, medicine ball exercises focus on functional movement patterns, making them an excellent choice for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone looking to improve their overall fitness.

These exercises often engage multiple muscle groups at once, helping to enhance coordination, agility, and neuromuscular control.

Medicine ball training can be adapted for different fitness levels, whether you’re a beginner using light medicine balls for basic movements or an advanced athlete performing high-intensity power drills.

They’re commonly used in sports training, rehabilitation programs, and general fitness routines due to their ability to improve explosiveness, core strength, and overall conditioning.

By incorporating medicine ball exercises into your workouts, you can build functional strength, burn calories, and improve athletic performance—all while keeping your training fun and engaging.

What Do Medicine Ball Exercises Do?

Medicine ball exercises enhance athleticism, power, coordination, and overall fitness by incorporating dynamic, full-body movements.

Unlike traditional weightlifting, medicine ball training focuses on explosiveness, core stability, and functional strength, making it ideal for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.

Here’s what medicine ball exercises can do:

• Increase Power & Speed – Many medicine ball exercises, such as slams and rotational throws, train fast-twitch muscle fibers, improving explosive power and speed. Studies show they are particularly effective for sports requiring quick bursts of strength, such as basketball, baseball, and handball.
• Improve Core Strength & Stability – Medicine ball movements engage the core muscles in dynamic ways, enhancing stability, balance, and rotational strength. This translates to better athletic performance and injury prevention.
• Enhance Functional Strength & Coordination – Unlike machines that isolate muscles, medicine ball training involves multi-joint movements, improving how muscles work together in real-world scenarios. This makes them great for athletes and anyone wanting to move better in daily life.
• Boost Cardiovascular Conditioning & Burn Calories – Many medicine ball workouts involve high-intensity movements, increasing heart rate and calorie burn. They are an excellent tool for fat loss and metabolic conditioning.
• Support Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation – Medicine balls are often used in physical therapy and rehab programs because they allow for controlled resistance training without excessive joint strain.
• Make Workouts More Engaging & Fun – Medicine ball exercises add variety and intensity to workouts, keeping training sessions exciting while challenging the body in new ways.

Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve speed and explosiveness or someone wanting to lose weight and build functional strength, medicine ball exercises offer a unique and effective way to train.

Benefits of Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine ball exercises have long been a staple in athletic training, rehabilitation, and general fitness due to their ability to improve strength, power, coordination, and balance.

Research supports their effectiveness for various populations, from young athletes to older adults.

Whether used for functional training or sport-specific performance, medicine ball exercises provide dynamic and versatile benefits that enhance overall fitness levels.

Builds Muscular Strength and Power

As I’ve experienced myself throughout my career as a professional athlete, studies have demonstrated that medicine ball training significantly enhances upper-body strength and power.

A 12-week study on young female handball players showed that those who incorporated medicine ball exercises into their routine had greater improvements in upper-body power and throwing strength compared to a control group that performed traditional strength training alone (Ignjatovic et al., 2012).

Another study on high school baseball players found that adding medicine ball drills to a resistance training program led to greater rotational strength and power gains essential for sports requiring explosive movements (Szymanski et al., 2007).

For this reason, they are one of the best exercises for baseball hitting power.

Check out these med ball exercises which you can use to help increase your vertical jump:

Improves Sport-Specific Performance

Medicine ball exercises closely mimic functional and sport-specific movements, making them ideal for enhancing athletic performance.

For that reason, I strongly believe they are one of the best exercises for basketball players and other athletes with similar physical demands.

For example, these medicine ball drop step slams simulate the exact motion I use in basketball when I go to dunk the ball in the center of the lane:

In a six-week study on female handball players, researchers found that incorporating medicine ball throws significantly improved throwing velocity without compromising throwing precision (Raeder et al., 2015).

Similarly, another study discovered that performing medicine ball wall throws with whole-body vibration increased bat speed and exit velocity in collegiate baseball players (Buso et al., 2023).

These findings highlight the benefits of medicine ball training for athletes who rely on explosive upper-body movements.

Develops Core Strength and Stability

Core activation is a critical component of medicine ball exercises, particularly those involving rotational throws, slams, and twists.

A study on trunk muscle activity during side medicine ball throws found that athletes with greater throwing distances exhibited higher activation of the external oblique and latissimus dorsi muscles (Ikeda et al., 2009).

This suggests that medicine ball training is highly effective for strengthening the core, which plays a vital role in improving athletic performance and reducing the risk of injuries.

Here is an example of one of my favorite med ball core exercises:

Develops Functional Strength and Coordination

Unlike machine-based strength training, medicine ball exercises require multi-joint and multiplanar movements, improving overall functional strength.

They engage stabilizer muscles, helping athletes and gym-goers develop better coordination, agility, and neuromuscular control.

Exercises like medicine ball slams, overhead throws, and rotational passes challenge the body’s ability to generate force efficiently in real-world scenarios.

Boosts Cardiovascular Fitness

Medicine ball workouts can also be an effective cardiovascular training tool.

A study investigating medicine ball interval training (MBIT) in children found that a 10-minute session elicited moderate to vigorous cardiometabolic responses, improving oxygen uptake and heart rate efficiency (Faigenbaum et al., 2018).

This suggests that medicine ball exercises can be used as a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) method to improve cardiovascular health while simultaneously building strength and power.

One of the reasons med ball exercises are great for cardio is that they are comfortable to work with.

For example, I couldn’t do this med ball pulse squat/jump squat as comfortably with a dumbbell or kettlebell, but with a med ball it serves as an excellent cardio-boosting exercise:

Improves Balance and Stability

Balance and stability are essential for overall athletic performance and injury prevention.

A six-week study on young adults compared medicine ball and Swiss ball exercises, finding significant improvements in both static and dynamic balance (Yu et al., 2017).

Medicine ball drills that require single-leg stability, dynamic core engagement, and reactive movement patterns help improve proprioception and functional balance, which are crucial for sports and daily activities.

Here is an example of a dynamic med ball exercise for balance, stability, and a bit of power:

Provides a Low-Cost, Versatile Training Option

Medicine balls are a cost-effective training tool that can be used in various settings, from gyms to outdoor spaces and home workouts.

Unlike complex gym equipment, medicine balls allow for versatile and full-body workouts without requiring extensive space or setup.

Whether used for rehabilitation, performance training, or general fitness, they provide an accessible way to enhance strength, power, and movement efficiency.

Best Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine ball exercises can be used for power, strength, coordination, and conditioning.

Here’s a list of the best medicine ball exercises categorized by their primary benefits.

There are a ton of other good medicine ball exercises, but these are just some of my favorites I think you should consider for your workouts:

Explosive Power & Athletic Performance

1. Medicine Ball Slams – Develops total-body explosiveness and core engagement.
2. Rotational Medicine Ball Slams – Builds rotational power for sports like baseball, basketball, and tennis.
3. Overhead Medicine Ball Throws – Enhances upper-body power and strength.
4. Rotational Medicine Ball Throws – Improves core strength and rotational power.
5. Medicine Ball Chest Pass – Boosts upper-body explosive power, great for sports performance.

Core Strength & Stability

6. Russian Twists with Medicine Ball – Targets obliques and core endurance.
7. Medicine Ball Sit-Up & Throw – Engages the core while adding a power component.
8. V-Ups with Medicine Ball – Strengthens the abs and hip flexors.
9. Plank with Medicine Ball Roll – Enhances core stability and shoulder control.
10. Medicine Ball Dead Bug – Strengthens deep core muscles and improves coordination.

Lower-Body Strength & Power

11. Medicine Ball Jump Squats – Builds leg power and explosiveness.
12. Medicine Ball Step-Ups – Strengthens legs and improves balance.
13. Lunge with Medicine Ball Rotation – Engages the core and legs simultaneously.
14. Medicine Ball Lateral Lunge – Improves lateral strength and mobility.
15. Single-Leg RDL with Medicine Ball – Enhances balance and posterior chain strength.

Upper-Body Strength & Endurance

16. Medicine Ball Push-Ups – Increases chest, shoulder, and core engagement.
17. Medicine Ball Wall Throws – Develops endurance and explosive upper-body strength.
18. Medicine Ball Overhead Carry – Improves shoulder stability and endurance.
19. Medicine Ball Shoulder Press – Builds upper-body strength in a functional way.
20. Medicine Ball Bent-Over Rows – Strengthens the back and improves posture.

Full-Body Functional Training & Conditioning

21. Burpees with Medicine Ball – Elevates heart rate while building strength.
22. Medicine Ball Bear Crawl – Improves core stability, shoulder endurance, and coordination.
23. Medicine Ball Squat to Press – A full-body movement for power and endurance.
24. Medicine Ball Wall Sit Hold – Builds lower-body endurance and core stability.
25. Medicine Ball Side-to-Side Slams – Increases rotational power and conditioning.

Each of these medicine ball exercises can be incorporated into workouts for strength, power, endurance, and fat loss.

Depending on your goal, medicine ball training can be tailored for athletic performance, functional strength, or metabolic conditioning.

Final Thoughts: Should You Do Medicine Ball Exercises?

Absolutely! Medicine ball exercises are one of the best ways to develop explosive power, improve core strength, and enhance overall athleticism.

Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve performance or just someone wanting a fun and effective workout, medicine ball training offers benefits that go beyond traditional weightlifting.

If your goal is to build speed, coordination, and functional strength, medicine ball exercises are a must-add to your routine.

They also make workouts more engaging while burning calories and improving cardiovascular fitness, making them a great choice for those looking to lose weight and build endurance.

While they may not be the best tool for maximizing muscle hypertrophy, they still provide valuable muscle stimulation and play an important role in long-term physical conditioning.

Plus, they’re versatile, easy to use, and can be done anywhere—no gym required.

If you want a stronger core, more explosive power, and a dynamic workout that keeps you moving, medicine ball exercises are 100% worth incorporating into your training routine.

If you want to add medicine ball exercises to your home workout routine, I believe the best medicine ball to buy is the Yes4All Slam Balls, which combine excellent quality with a relatively affordable price:

Last update on 2025-03-27 / This article includes affiliate links/Images via Amazon Product Advertising API. I may earn commissions on purchases made through these links.