Medicine Ball Workouts

I've been doing strength training exercises out of a book (Strength Training for Women by Joan Pagano). Some of the exercises involve using a small (7") ball with suggestions that if you want to add resistance, you can use a medicine ball instead. You haven't mentioned what weight the ball is, so I'm not sure if this would be suitable to start with; you might want to use a regular sports-type ball—I was using a Nerf Soccer ball for awhile, even though it's more like 8.5" to get your form right and then move up to the medicine ball. I just started with a 4lb-er. As I get used to it, I'll get a heavier one.

The ball comes into play in my warmups:

Body-ball reaches:

• Stand with your knees bent in a crouched position, feet parallel and hip width apart. Hold ball close to your body with arms bent.
• Spring up by extending your arms and legs, reaching hte ball overhead to one side and coming up on the toes of the other side. Continue, alternating sides, until you have done 10-15 reps on each side.

Knee lifts

• Stand with feet parallel, hip width apart, knees soft. Tighten abs to stabilize torso. Hold ball overhead with both hands, elbows slightly bent.
• Lower ball to chest height and at the same time bring one knee up to touch it. Return to start position and switch legs. Repeat, alternating sides, until you have done 10-15 reps on each sid.

Plie with ball lift

• Stand with legs slightly wider than hip width apart. Shift weight onto heels and turn legs and feet out from hip as a unit until the feet are at 45 degrees. Hold ball down in front of you, arms straight.
• Inhale as you bend your knees and lift the ball to chest height. Think, "bend and lift". Exhale as you straighten your legs, pressing through your heels and squeezing your inner thighs and buttocks as you come up, lowering the ball to return to start position. Repeat 10-15 times.

Also, try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpTnyY9FyU

ETA: There's one that I've just started with a non-weighted ball, but I think I'm going to start using the medicine ball next week:

Deep abs ball transfer

• Lie on your back on a mat, knees bent at 90 degree angle, feet flat on the floor, arms stretched out behind your head, clasping the ball between your hands.
• Contract your abs. Keeping your head and shoulders on the floor, raise your arms and draw your knees up and place the ball between your knees.
• Lower your arms and feet toward the floor without arching your back. Tap the floor lightly with your hands and toes, but do not rest them, then lift your arms and draw up your knees again to grasp the ball and return to the start position. This is one rep.
• For level 1, do 5 reps, for level 2 do 10, for level 3 do 15.
• Straightening the legs increases the level of difficulty

(This week, I'm doing 15 reps with a non-weighted ball and, assuming I don't feel like I'm straining, I'll be doing 5 with the medicine ball next week.)

You're welcome!