If you are searching for great medicine ball exercises for MMA, then you will find this article incredibly valuable because we are about to mention some of the best medicine ball exercises for MMA.
These medicine ball drills are beneficial in developing tremendous explosive power and athleticism. Additionally, it helps in providing additional speed to your kicks and punches and power to your fighting ability.
With med ball drills, you will also learn rapid movement, body controls, quick reactions, and hand-eye coordination. Therefore, these medicine ball exercises for MMA give your training a serious upgrade without expensive free weights.
5 Medicine Ball Warm-Up Exercises
But before starting these exercise medicine ball workouts, you need to have a great warm-up. These warm-ups raise your body temperature and stimulate your blood flow to your muscles. It is also advantageous in reducing muscle soreness and preventing you from getting injured.
Upper body Twist: (15 seconds)
Stand straight, slightly wider your feet, higher your elbow, and hold the med-ball at your chest. Now slowly start twisting from side to side.
Lat Stretch: (15 seconds)
Raise the med ball above your head and steadily swing it down to your hips. Also, don’t hurt yourself; just hit yourself, and don’t forget to bend your knees slightly as the med ball comes down.
Skyscrapers: (15 seconds)
In the same standing position, start bending forward and taking the med ball to your knees, toes, and back to your knees then bring the med ball above your head.
Knees Bend Circle: (5 seconds)
Hold the med ball at your chest, raise your 1 leg with knee bend, and rotate it outwards. Repeat this with the other leg.
High Knee: (10 seconds)
Again hold the Med ball at your chest and start on high knees.
Now put down the medicine ball and take 15 seconds to rest to get prepared for medicine ball exercises for MMA.
7 Medicine Ball Exercises for MMA
Here are 7 simple medicine ball exercises for fighters that anyone can do regularly. For newcomers, 3lb medicine ball exercise and workouts are suggested; otherwise, anyone can do it with any of the maximum weighted med balls.
Med Ball Slam and Sprawl
This exercise is excellent for developing speed, explosiveness, and cardio conditioning. You have to throw the ball from above your head and down to the ground. The ball bounces back to your hands, place it on the mat, put your hands on it and jump the legs towards the back to make a plank position. Now jump forward, grab the Med ball, raise the ball above your head, and repeat.
Med Ball Explosive Push-Up With A Mountain Climber
Put down the med ball at the front of your mat and create a high plank position by putting both your hands on the med ball. Now start push-ups and do a mountain climb four times.
Make sure that your knees move towards your elbows. You can also skip this step if you feel uncomfortable.
Moreover, this is one of the excellent medicine ball exercises for the upper body. The explosiveness, strength, and balance of your upper body develop.
Med Ball Squat With Press Up
Hold the med ball and keep it at the chest then start the squat and change the position by raising the med ball high through the glutes in a fluid motion. Continue the squat action to raise the med ball and ensure that you go deep into a squat.
Furthermore, this medicine ball exercise workout is great for any fighting like boxing, MMA, or combat.
Med Ball Russian Twist
Sit down, feet up, stay balanced, hold the med ball at the chest and start twisting side by side. Make sure your legs keep still.
In addition, these rotational movements with the med ball help increase your endurance level. This is also the best medicine ball exercise for boxers and MMA fighters.
Med Ball Jump Lunge And Twist
Hold the med ball to your chest and start jump lunge and then twist one side. Again make the same jump lunge and then twist the other side. Doing lunge is tough, and adding twisting with it, makes it killer overall.
Moreover, this explosive jump lunge and twist movement with the med ball is beneficial in developing explosive power for kicks and punches. This exercise is highly valuable that’s why it is added to one of the best medicine ball exercises for MMA.
Med Ball Burpees
Burpees are the best exercise, and doing it with a med ball makes it more powerful. Throw the med ball down to the mat, place both your hands on it and throw your legs at the back of the mat. You can also do one push-up if you can bear it; this will add significant value to this exercise. Now stand up, raise the med ball above your head, and jump.
Med Ball Reverse Crunch
Last but not least, in this medicine ball drill, you need to place the med ball between your legs and hold it tightly. Now raise the hips and pelvis off the floor instead of raising the head and shoulder. Then slowly let the hips down by keeping the knees upholding the med ball.
That was all about valuable medicine ball exercises for MMA, boxing, and combat fighting.
NOTE: Perform each exercise for 20 to 30 seconds and take 15 seconds to rest after each exercise.
Benefits Of Medicine Ball Exercise
There are various medicine ball exercises benefits; some are as follows:
- Increase Explosive Power and Strength:
A Medicine ball is advantageous in increasing explosive power and strength. You were able to give maximum power in a short time if you used these med balls in your workouts.
- Great for weight training and build muscle mass
A Medicine ball is also a great form of weight training and helps build muscle mass.
- Build Core Strength
Core strength is essential in every fighting exercise. Further, it helps protect you from getting any damage and provides you with stability and balance.
- Improve rotation
In any fighting sport, rotational strength is an essential component. You need to be active in all sorts of directions like twisting, pivoting, and moving backward and forward. Moreover, a medicine ball helps in improving your rotational strength and increases your athletic performance.
- Improves Body Posture
A medicine ball is also beneficial in improving the posture of your body.
- Maintain different parts of the body
A medicine ball works effectively through different body parts like arms, shoulders, legs, core, etc.
Conclusion
Finally, we will provide you with the answer to your question about what are the medicine ball exercises and tell you the best 7 medicine ball exercises for MMA. We also suggest to new users that before using the medicine ball, get proper guidance from any fitness professional to prevent any risk and injury.
Frequently Ask Questions:
Q1: How heavy of a medicine ball should I use?
It entirely depends upon your strength level. According to the American Council of Exercise, the medicine balls weighing from four pounds to fifteen pounds are recommended med ball sizes to use.
Q2: What is the alternative exercise for medicine ball slams?
Medicine ball slams are beneficial in full-body and workouts exercise. But if you don’t have enough space to use this med ball, you do these alternative exercise med ball slams.
- Dumbbell slams
- Cable slams
- Dumbbell thrusters
- Kettlebell swings
- Woodchops
- Battle rope slams
- Sprinting
- Sledgehammer swings
- Kettlebell snatches
Q3: Can you build muscle with a medicine ball?
Yes, medicine balls also help in building muscle mass and strength.
Q4: Are medicine ball workouts effective?
Yes, research shows that training and workouts with medicine balls are more effective than conventional strength training.
