What is a stuffed ball
A stuffed ball (wall ball) is a sports projectile weighing from 2 to 14 kg, consisting of a PVC shell with lacing and a filler of crumb rubber or other materials.
Such balls are larger than medicine balls – about 35 cm in diameter. At the same time, they are not so tough, they are easier to catch and can be thrown into the wall without fear of breaking through it.
Most often in the gyms there are shells weighing 6 and 9 kg. They are used in crossfit complexes for throwing at a wall or at a target.
What qualities can be developed by working with a stuffed ball
Depending on the exercises, the medicine ball allows you to increase:
- Power. First of all, the projectile is used for various throws. Such exercises develop the power of the upper limbs – the ability to apply maximum effort in minimum time. This quality is useful in almost any sport, including team sports like American football or basketball, weightlifting, martial arts.
- strength endurance. Working with a moderately heavy projectile with a large number of repetitions develops the ability of muscles to stay under load longer.
- General endurance. If you use the ball in combination with other movements, such as burpees, running, pedaling on an airbike or working with a kettlebell, you can pump your heart and lungs well. And the more intense the complex, the faster you will develop overall endurance.
- The strength of the muscles of the body. With a stuffed ball, you can do a lot of effective movements aimed at strengthening the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles.
In addition, wall‑ball‑complexes allow you to burn a lot of calories, and for beginners, they can have a positive effect on muscle strength.
What exercises to do with a medicine ball
1. Throwing the ball at the target
This functional movement works well on all muscle groups, including the hips and buttocks, arms, shoulders, and abs. In crossfit, the ball is thrown at a special target set at a height of 3 m (for men) or 2.7 m (for women). If there is no such equipment in the hall, you can aim the projectile high into the wall, as far as the ceilings allow.
Stand at arm’s length from a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a medicine ball and hold it in your bent arms in front of your face.
Squat down below thigh parallel to the floor, then straighten up and use the momentum gained during the lift to throw the ball up. Catch the projectile and go into a crouch again. At the bottom point, make sure that the heels are pressed to the floor, and the back is not rounded.
2. Throwing the ball from the side
This exercise develops the explosive strength of the upper limbs and perfectly loads the body, including the oblique muscles of the abdomen.
Stand sideways to the wall, turn around and throw the ball so that it bounces and returns to your hands. Work sharply and powerfully, as if trying to break through the surface with a projectile. Perform an equal number of times on both sides.
You can also try throws with a change of position – after each change side, taking two steps to the side.
3. Throws from the knee or sitting
Such a performance partially or completely excludes the legs from work, so that the entire load falls on the body, arms and shoulders. Perform throws while standing on your left knee and turning your right side to the wall.
If this option is easy, try sitting on your ass sideways to the wall to completely eliminate the hips from the work. Bend your knees and place your heels on the floor.
4. Throws with a crease
This exercise provides a good load on the abdominal muscles.
Lie on your back 1-1.5 m from the wall, feet towards it. Extend your arms with the ball over your head. From this position, throw a projectile at the wall, then sit down to catch the bounced ball and start again.
5. Passing the ball from hand to foot
A great move for pumping the muscles of the core – it loads both the rectus abdominis muscle and the hip flexors.
Lie on your back, take the ball in your hands and stretch them over your head. At the same time, lift the body and legs, bending at the hip joints. Place the ball between your legs and straighten up on the floor again. During the next fold, pass the projectile back to your hands.
6. Rock climber with hands on the ball
Performing the exercise in this way, you increase the load on the muscles of the body due to the instability of the support.
Place your hands on the ball and take turns pulling your knees to your chest.
7. Throwing the ball in pairs
Perfectly pump the upper body and body muscles.
Sit on the floor 2 m apart, bend your knees slightly and lift your heels off the floor. Every time after you catch the ball, carry it over the body on the other side of the hips – this will extinguish the momentum, give you scope for the next throw and pump the obliques.
8. Gallop with throws
A good exercise for warming up or relaxing in an intensive complex.
Move with a side step along the wall, accompanying each jump with a throw.
9. Push-ups with change of hands on the ball
A cool exercise for pumping arms and chest from different angles.
Stand in push-up position with your left hand on the ball and your right hand on the floor and do a push-up. Then raise your right hand to the projectile, and, on the contrary, lower your left hand to the floor and repeat the exercise.
Alternate limbs every other time and follow the form of movement: tighten the press so that the body remains rigid.
10. ABC bar
The exercise will properly pump the muscles of the body and load the shoulder girdle.
Get into a plank position with your forearms on the ball, tighten your abs so that your body is extended in one straight line. Imagine that you draw the letter A with your elbows on the floor, then draw B and C and start again.
11. Russian twists
Movement on the press and hip flexors with an emphasis on the oblique muscles of the abdomen.
Sit on the floor, straighten your back, bend your knees and lift your heels off the floor. Turn your body to the side and touch the medicine ball to the surface next to your thigh. Then move the projectile over the body and do the same on the other side.
Do not lower your legs to the floor until the end of the exercise and try not to bend your back too much.
12. Lumberjack
A popular exercise for pumping the core.
Holding the ball in outstretched hands, carry it diagonally from top to bottom, while turning the body. Straighten up at the top, lower into a lunge at the bottom.
13. Lunges in a jump with the transfer of hands
Such a bunch of movements will simultaneously load both the upper and lower body, quickly accelerate the pulse and pump strength endurance. Great option for an intense short workout.
With a jump, alternate legs in a lunge while carrying a medicine ball over your head. Lower the projectile to the hip that is currently in front.
14. Lunge with a throw to the floor
In this exercise, the legs are tensed isometrically – without movement, and the arms and body work in an explosive manner.
Drop into a lunge, spin the ball in a semi-circle, gaining momentum, and drop it to the floor to the side of your body. Catch the projectile and repeat the movement. Perform the same number of times on both legs.
15. Jump into a squat with a ball throw
Another explosive exercise for developing the power of the limbs.
Take the ball in your hands, put your legs on your knees in turn, and then abruptly jump into a squat. Raise your hands with the ball above your head and hit the floor with force as if you were about to punch a hole. Catch the bouncing projectile and repeat again.
16. Throws on the floor
With intensive performance, this exercise loads the muscles of the whole body, develops the power of the arms and back.
Position your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and tighten your abs to ensure the rigidity of the body. Raise the ball over your head, bring it a little further back and stand on your toes. Then with a powerful exhalation, throw under your feet, while bending them at the knees.
Catch the bouncing projectile and repeat the exercise from the beginning. Imagine that you are going to make a hole in the floor or break a medicine ball. Do your best to do it.
You can also increase the load on the oblique muscles of the abdomen by doing the exercise with a turn.
Before you throw, turn your body and hips to the right and try to pierce the floor next to the toe of your right foot with the projectile. After catching the bounced ball, pass it in a circular motion over your head and do the same on the other side.
17. Spinning shot
In this exercise, you not only develop power, but also work on coordination of movements.
Stand sideways to the wall, catch the ball, take a step to the side and hit the wall as fast and hard as possible.
18. Throws and sprints
These exercises are useful for athletes in team sports such as basketball or American football. They will develop the explosive strength of both the upper and lower limbs, as well as the speed of reaction.
Try different options: with a straight and low throw, a preliminary jump and a side throw from one knee. You can choose any one variety or alternate them through the lesson.
How to add ball exercises to your workout
It all depends on your goals, the intensity of training and the exercises you are going to use.
Movements for pumping the press like Russian twists, “woodcutter” or passing the ball from hand to foot can be added to the program at least every day. Explosive exercises – no more than once or twice a week, so as not to overload the nervous system.
You can also try intensive complexes, performing them separately from strength training twice or thrice a week. Below we give some examples.
Throws and lifting legs to the horizontal bar
Run in a row, trying to finish as quickly as possible:
- 30 ball throws at a wall or target (women – 6 kg, men – 9 kg).
- 30 leg raises to the horizontal bar.
- 20 ball throws.
- 20 leg raises to the horizontal bar.
40/20 with the ball
Set a timer and do each exercise for the first 40 seconds and rest for the rest of the minute.
- Throwing a ball against a wall or target.
- Burpee.
- Jump rope (double if you can).
- Russian twists with a ball.
At the end of one circle, rest for the prescribed 20 seconds and start again. Make five circles.