By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

Exercising with other people is a great way to stay motivated. It’s nice to have someone else there pushing you, especially when you feel like giving up. Here is an exercise to do with your medicine ball and a partner. This standing, partnered torso rotation exercise works the core and obliques. . As always, prior to trying any new exercise, be sure you have the medical clearance to do so. If you ever need help with form, just let one of the Dedham Health exercise physiologists know and we’d be happy to help!

With a partner, stand back to back with feet hip width apart, making sure to keep the core engaged. One person will start holding the medicine ball close to your body with arms bent. Keeping your feet planted, twist through the waist so that your upper body is facing towards your partner, passing them the ball. Both partners will now be starting from their original position before twisting towards the other side and passing it back to your partner.

Do 15 reps, 2-3 sets. Try twisting the other way half way through each set. Remember to use a medicine ball that has enough weight to feel the benefits of the exercise, but not so much that your range of motion (R.O.M) is limited.

By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

Welcome back to our medicine ball series! This exercise – the wood chop – is more functional: it involves rotation of the body. It will strengthen your core, obliques, arms, shoulders and legs. It’s a great full body exercise. The wood chopper will also help improve athletic performance in certain sports such as golf, tennis and skiing.

As always, prior to trying any new exercise, be sure you have the medical clearance to do so. If you ever need help with form, just let one of the Dedham Health exercise physiologists know and we’d be happy to help!

• Start with your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. 
• Holding a medicine ball by the right side of your knee, rotate through the torso, bringing the ball up and across the body above your left shoulder. Your knees should be behind the toes while you rotate, with your core engaged.
• Reaching high, bring the ball towards the back of the room as far as you can, making sure to keep your body in control while pivoting slightly on the right foot. Make sure your arms are extended throughout the whole exercise. 
• Slowly bring your body back to starting position and repeat. 
• After completing 12 reps on your right side, switch to your left. 
• Complete 2-3 sets of this exercise.

By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

If you want to work on toning up your quads, hamstrings and glutes, lunges are the exercise you want to do. When we incorporate a twist into this exercise you will also be engaging your core. Not only does it tone up your lower half of the body, it also improves your balance.

To do this exercise, start by standing with your feet hip width apart while holding a medicine ball in front of your chest with elbows bent about 90 degrees. Step back with your left foot into a lunge position. Make sure you have your front knee lined up directly over your ankle and your back knee lined up with your hip. Twist at your torso towards your right knee, while keeping chest up. Be sure to only rotate at the waist line, do not twist your knees. Keep your body controlled throughout the exercise. Twist your body back forward then step back to starting position and switch sides. Do 10-12 reps on each leg, 2-3 sets. To progress, use a heavier medicine ball.

By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

The medicine ball Russian twist is a great exercise for developing the abs. This twisting exercise will help work your lower abs, oblique’s (located on the side of your torso) and lower back. Strengthening these muscles can help provide stability in your core which can help prevent lower back pain and improve everyday activities.

The Russian twist is performed by rotating the body from side to side, seated in a V position while holding a medicine ball. This exercise requires different movements such as balance, core strength and stability.

To do this exercise, find a mat and sit with a medicine ball in hands. Find your center of balance, then raise your feet off the ground. You can keep them down for modification. You will be balancing on your tailbone, while leaving back about 45 degrees, keeping chin up. Hold the medicine ball out in front of your body then twist to one side and tap the medicine ball on the floor lightly before switching to the opposite side. Perform 12-15 reps on each side.

Looking for more of a challenge? Try gently lifting one leg up off the ground. When this becomes too easy, try lifting both legs off the ground. Now you have to balance more on your tailbone, which will force you to really work those abs.

This is a great exercise to add some spice to your current abdominal routine! Have fun!!!

By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

It’s getting closer and closer to summer. Now that you eliminated the winter blues, this could be a chance to get yourself back into the gym and get some good work outs in before you hit the beach!

If you’ve been doing the same routine all winter, this is a perfect time to switch things up and add some new and fun exercises. Try adding the medicine ball to your training.

These weighted spheres help improve your muscular power which can improve sports performance. They can be thrown, caught and can improve overall athletic ability! Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve strength, or just want to improve your general fitness, these exercises will be a challenge and will improve your strength.

Before you start, make sure you chose a weight that’s heavy enough to slow down the motion, but at the same time not so heavy that you limit your R.O.M. (Range of motion) For general health benefits, do 15 reps 3-5 sets. If you would like to focus on power and speed, try using a heavier weight doing 3-5 reps 3-5 sets.

Here is an example of a full body exercise with the medicine ball. In this one move, you will be working your quads,  glutes, hamstrings, core and shoulders!

Squat to Overhead Press: Stand with feet hip width apart. Hold medicine ball right in front of chest. Sit back in heels with butt back and chest up. This is your squat. Push through the heels and exhale out of your mouth back to standing position and push medicine ball over head with arms lined up with ears. Bring ball back down to start. Do 15 reps 3-5 sets.