Quick Answer
For power exercises (slams, throws), choose 2–5kg and move fast. For strength exercises (squats, lunges), use 4–8kg. For beginners, start at 2–4kg for everything. If the ball slows you down on a throwing exercise, it’s too heavy — speed is the point.
Why Medicine Balls Are Different From Other Training Tools
Medicine balls develop a specific physical quality that most gym training underemphasises: rotational and ballistic power. The vast majority of gym equipment — barbells, dumbbells, cable machines — works in the sagittal plane (forward and back, up and down). Running, sport, and most functional movement demands power in all three planes, particularly the transverse plane (rotation). The medicine ball is one of the few training tools that directly and naturally trains rotational explosiveness.
The ballistic element is equally important. When you slam or throw a medicine ball, you can apply maximum force through the full range of motion and follow through completely — the ball leaves your hands at maximum acceleration. With a barbell or dumbbell, you must decelerate before the end of the movement to prevent losing control of the implement. This deceleration reduces the explosive training stimulus. Research on medicine ball training has demonstrated significant improvements in upper-body power and rotational strength in multiple studies — a 2012 study (Ignjatovic et al.) found that 12 weeks of medicine ball training produced greater upper-body power gains in athletes compared to traditional strength training alone.
The practical benefits: medicine balls are inexpensive, require no rack or bench, work in a small space, and can be used for warm-up, power development, core training, conditioning circuits, and rehabilitation in a single session. A single 4kg ball and a concrete wall gives a runner, cyclist, or general fitness athlete access to an entire category of training they cannot replicate with any other single piece of equipment.
Medicine Ball Types and Weight Selection
Three types of ball are commonly called “medicine balls” but behave differently. Standard medicine balls (rubber or leather, often coloured by weight) are appropriate for all holding exercises, wall throws, and most controlled movements. They may bounce when dropped. Slam balls are heavier, non-bounce, and specifically designed for floor slams — they absorb impact and stay where they land. Wall balls are larger, softer balls designed for squat-to-press wall throw exercises used in CrossFit conditioning. Use a slam ball for floor slams, not a standard medicine ball — standard balls can bounce unpredictably or split open under repeated slamming.
| Exercise type | Recommended weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Power / throws / slams | 2–5kg | Speed drives power — a lighter ball moves faster and produces more explosive stimulus |
| Strength holds (squat, lunge) | 4–8kg | Added resistance to compound movements; form must not be compromised |
| Core work (twists, V-ups) | 3–6kg | Heavy enough to add resistance; light enough to maintain range of motion throughout |
| Floor slams (slam ball) | 6–10kg | Heavier = more force on the slam; use a slam ball, not a standard medicine ball |
| Beginners (all exercises) | 2–4kg | Build movement patterns before adding load; power exercises in particular need perfect form |
Power Development Exercises
1. Medicine Ball Slam
Muscles: Quads, glutes, lats, core, shoulders, triceps — essentially full body.
How: Stand with feet hip-width apart, hold the ball with both hands. Raise it directly overhead, rising onto the toes slightly. Drive it downward as hard as possible, hinging from the hips and following through with the arms to slam the ball into the ground directly in front of your feet. Catch the ball on the bounce (or pick it up), reset, and repeat. The goal is maximum force on every rep — not pace or continuity.
Key cue: Engage the lats pulling the ball down, not just the arms. Think of it as a full-body hip hinge with an arm follow-through, not just an overhead press in reverse.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 6–8 with full reset between reps. Use a slam ball on a hard floor. 6–10kg.
2. Rotational Slam
Muscles: Obliques, hips, shoulders, full core.
How: Stand in a slight lunge stance with the left foot forward. Hold the ball at hip height on the right side. Rotate the torso and raise the ball diagonally overhead, then explosively slam it diagonally down toward the outside of the left foot, following through with the entire trunk rotation. The power comes from the hips and trunk, not the arms alone.
Key cue: Think of the movement as a diagonal wood chop. Keep the feet planted and drive the rotation from the hips.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 6–8 per side. 4–6kg. This is one of the most effective exercises for building the rotational core strength that transfers to running arm drive, sporting movement, and trunk stability under load. Our gym exercises for runners guide covers other explosive movements that develop the power needed for faster running.
3. Chest Pass Against a Wall
Muscles: Chest, triceps, anterior deltoids, core.
How: Stand 1–1.5 metres from a solid wall. Hold the ball at chest height with both hands, elbows pointing out. Explosively press the ball directly into the wall as hard as possible — like a basketball chest pass at full speed. Catch the return and immediately reload for the next rep. The key is maximum speed on every throw.
Key cue: Don’t wind up — the movement starts from chest height. Full follow-through: arms fully extended at the moment of release.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 10–12. 3–5kg. Use a hard rubber ball that bounces reliably from a solid wall.
4. Overhead Wall Throw
Muscles: Full upper body, core, hip flexors.
How: Stand facing a wall, 1–2 metres back. Hold the ball with both hands, arms extended overhead. Drive the ball forcefully into the wall at head height or above by initiating from the core and following through with the arms. Catch the return and reset. Requires a solid wall and enough ceiling clearance.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 8–10. 3–5kg.
Core Strength Exercises
5. Russian Twist
Muscles: Obliques, transverse abdominis, hip flexors.
How: Sit on the floor with knees bent at approximately 45 degrees and feet slightly elevated off the floor (harder) or flat (easier). Hold the ball with both hands at chest height, arms extended. Lean back slightly to engage the core — maintain a flat back, not a rounded spine. Rotate the torso smoothly to the right, bringing the ball toward the floor beside the right hip, then rotate to the left. Each full rotation (left and right) is one rep.
Key cue: The rotation comes from the ribcage, not just the arms. Keep the lower back from collapsing into flexion throughout. This is the most commonly performed exercise with a medicine ball — and the most commonly performed incorrectly by rounding the lower back.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 20 total reps (10 per side). 3–6kg.
6. V-Up Toe Touch
Muscles: Rectus abdominis, hip flexors, lower back (anti-extension).
How: Lie on your back with arms extended overhead holding the ball. Simultaneously lift straight legs and arms off the floor, reaching the ball up toward the toes at the top of the movement. Lower under control. Avoid allowing the lower back to arch excessively when returning to the floor.
Key cue: Lead with the chest rising, not just the arms. If the lower back arches painfully, bend the knees slightly to reduce the lever arm.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 10–12. 2–4kg.
7. Woodchop
Muscles: Obliques, shoulders, hips, glutes.
How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball with both hands at shoulder height on the left side, arms slightly bent. In one smooth diagonal movement, swing the ball down and across the body toward the outside of the right knee, rotating through the hips and trunk. Return to start under control. All reps on one side, then switch.
Key cue: Keep the feet planted. The power drives from the hips rotating, not just the arms swinging. The rotational deceleration (the controlled return) is equally important to the driving phase.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 10 per side. 4–6kg. Our strength training programme for runners covers how rotational core exercises like this complement running-specific strength work.
Strength and Conditioning Exercises
8. Medicine Ball Squat
Muscles: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core.
How: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, holding the ball at chest height (goblet position). Lower into a squat — hips back, knees tracking over toes, chest up — until thighs are parallel to the floor or just below. Drive through the heels to return to standing, squeezing the glutes at the top. The ball at chest height acts as a counterbalance that makes it easier to maintain an upright torso throughout.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 12–15. 5–8kg.
9. Lunge with Rotation
Muscles: Quads, glutes, obliques, core.
How: Stand tall holding the ball at chest height. Step forward into a lunge with the right foot, lowering until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. At the bottom of the lunge, rotate the torso to the right (toward the front leg), bringing the ball toward the outside of the right thigh. Rotate back to centre and step back to start. Alternate legs.
Key cue: Keep the front knee over the ankle throughout — don’t let it drift forward. The rotation happens at the bottom of the lunge, not during the descent. This is a particularly effective exercise for runners, as it combines the single-leg strength and trunk rotation that occur simultaneously in every running stride.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 10 per side. 4–6kg.
10. Medicine Ball Push-Up (One Hand on Ball)
Muscles: Chest, triceps, core, shoulder stabilisers.
How: Get into a push-up position with one hand on the floor and the other on top of the medicine ball. Lower the chest to the floor in a controlled push-up, then press back up. The unstable hand position on the ball requires significantly more shoulder stabiliser activation and core engagement than a standard push-up, making it a good progression toward single-arm pressing.
Key cue: Keep the hips level — don’t rotate toward the ball side. The core works hard to prevent this rotation. Switch hands each set.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 8–10 per side. Standard medicine ball (not slam ball).
11. Glute Bridge with Ball Squeeze
Muscles: Glutes, adductors (inner thigh), hamstrings.
How: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place the medicine ball between the knees and squeeze it firmly throughout the entire movement. Drive the hips up by squeezing the glutes, creating a straight line from shoulder to knee at the top. Hold for 1–2 seconds at the top, then lower. The ball squeeze adds adductor activation that standard glute bridges miss, making this particularly useful for runners dealing with hip and knee stability issues. Our lower leg strengthening guide covers complementary exercises for hip and lower limb stability.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 15. 3–5kg between knees.
12. Mountain Climbers on Ball
Muscles: Core, shoulders, hip flexors, quads.
How: Get into a plank position with both hands on the medicine ball instead of the floor. Maintain a straight line from head to heels. Drive the right knee toward the chest, then return and immediately drive the left knee — alternating at a controlled pace. The unstable ball surface under the hands dramatically increases the core and shoulder stability demand compared to floor mountain climbers.
Key cue: Keep the hips level throughout — the ball will tempt you to shift from side to side. Slow and controlled is more effective than fast and sloppy here.
Sets/Reps: 3 × 20 each leg. Standard rubber medicine ball.
20-Minute Full Body Medicine Ball Workout
The following circuit covers all exercise categories — power, core, and strength — in approximately 20 minutes. Perform 3 rounds of the circuit with 90 seconds rest between rounds. Use a weight that allows good form and explosive technique on the power exercises.
Warm-up (2 min): Arm circles, hip circles, bodyweight squats, light shoulder rolls.
Circuit (perform each exercise back-to-back, rest at end of circuit):
Chest pass against wall — 10 reps
Medicine ball slam — 8 reps
Russian twist — 20 reps (10 each side)
Lunge with rotation — 10 reps per side
Rotational slam — 6 reps per side
Mountain climbers on ball — 20 each leg
Medicine ball squat — 12 reps
Rest 90 seconds. Repeat × 3 rounds.
Cool-down (3 min): Hip flexor stretch, thoracic rotation, chest opener. Our cardiovascular fitness guide covers how conditioning circuits like this fit into a broader weekly training structure.
Structure Your Training for Real Results
SportCoaching's running training plans and coaching integrate strength and conditioning sessions — including medicine ball work — alongside structured running to build the power and core stability that improve performance and reduce injury risk.
FAQ: Medicine Ball Exercises
What weight medicine ball should I use?
Power and throwing exercises: 2–5kg (speed matters more than weight). Strength holds (squats, lunges): 4–8kg. Core work: 3–6kg. Floor slams: 6–10kg (use a slam ball). Beginners: 2–4kg for everything. If the ball slows down your throwing movement, it’s too heavy.
What is the difference between a medicine ball and a slam ball?
Medicine ball: rubber or leather, may bounce, for throws, holds, and controlled work. Slam ball: heavy, non-bounce, for floor slams only. Wall ball: large, soft, for wall-throw exercises. Don’t slam a standard medicine ball on the floor — use a slam ball.
Are medicine ball exercises good for runners?
Yes — rotational slams and woodchops build trunk rotation power that drives arm swing. The slam develops full-body explosive hip extension. Core exercises develop the stability that prevents lateral sway under fatigue. Medicine ball work is a low-recovery-cost way to add power and core training alongside high-mileage running weeks.
How many times a week should I do medicine ball exercises?
2–3 times per week for general fitness. 1–2 times per week (15–20 min sessions) for runners using it as a running supplement. Explosive medicine ball work recovers faster than heavy barbell training, so frequency can be higher than conventional strength sessions.
Can I do medicine ball exercises at home?
Yes — Russian twists, V-up toe touches, squats, lunges, glute bridges, and push-ups all work on any mat. Slams need a hard floor (concrete, rubber) and a slam ball. Wall throws need a solid brick or concrete wall. A single 4–6kg ball covers a complete home workout.
