The medicine ball is an old training tool that’s said to have been used by the ancient Greeks as far back as 3000 years ago. Well, they were certainly onto something because the medicine ball is a simple piece of equipment that holds a ton of benefits.

At Gloveworx, we do a lot of medicine ball work with our contenders. Medicine ball drills can help you develop punching power, core strength, and powerful rotation. When a coach creates your training program, they focus on these three athletic abilities to ensure you have a great foundation on which to build your boxing skills.

A favorite medicine ball training exercise here at Gloveworx is the Med-Ball Punch. The Med-Ball Punch is ideal for developing the power, core strength, and rotation you need to punch hard and accurately. It’s great for boxers, MMA fighters, or anybody looking to add a little rotational power to their program.

Benefits of the Medicine Ball Training

The medicine ball may look small and simple, but it’s a powerful training tool to add to your workout program. There are a host of reasons why you should add this exercise ball to your training routine, and why we use it at Gloveworx. Here are some of the benefits of medicine ball training.

1. Develop Explosive Power and Strength

Medicine ball throws, such as the Med-Ball Punch, are great for developing explosive power. Explosive power is the ability to output maximum power in a short amount of time.

This type of muscular endurance is important in the ring. You want to throw out quick, powerful punches that generate a lot of force and momentum. The medicine ball is so great for this because it’s a form of weight training, but it also builds speed, power, and strength, not just muscle.

It’s important to note that explosive training does involve risk. You want to complete each exercise with proper form and attention, and weight that is appropriate for your level. Working with fitness professionals like our Gloveworx coaches is a great way to get the individualized attention you need to perform this type of weight training properly.

2. Build Core Strength

Medicine ball work is an effective way to challenge your core. In terms of the Med-Ball Punch, you’re using your core, especially the obliques, to provide stability while throwing the ball. It’s a very practical use of your core muscles. There are a host of other medicine ball workouts you can perform specifically for your core. We’ll discuss that further down.

Core strength is important not just in the ring but in your everyday life. It helps to prevent injury, provides better balance and stability, and improves posture. In boxing, a strong core aids in better coordination and balance, transfer of power, and stronger and faster punches.

3. Improve Rotation

Rotational strength is another important component of boxing. During a match you aren’t moving just forward and backward; you rotate often. Your twisting, pivoting and moving in all sorts of directions. Both in and out of the ring, rotational strength can help you increase your athletic ability to become unstoppable.

Like general core strength, rotational power is important for balance and better punching performance. But it adds an extra layer of strength and power to rotational movements involved in hitting, ducking, pivoting, and changing direction.

The Med-Ball Punch

To supplement your boxing skills, this medicine ball exercise should be done at the beginning of your workout—especially if you’re looking to add power at the end of your workout or if you are using it with more of a conditioning and endurance focus.

Follow these instructions for proper technique:

• Stand in a lateral stance, feet hip-width apart, perpendicular to a wall or a partner. This is your starting position.
• Hold the medicine ball in front of you with your hand behind the ball.
• Maximally rotate and push the ball explosively toward the wall or your partner.

How to Perform the Med-Ball Punch Properly: Tips & Tricks

To perform this move optimally, follow these tips:

• The power for the throw should start at your feet, so make sure you have a good, square starting position.
• The initial rotating movement starts with your outer leg. Drive this leg into the floor while rotating your foot, like you’re trying to unscrew the turf under your foot.
• The move has greater benefits if your entire body is involved, so keep your back active and your chest up at all times.
• You need to reach your optimal rotation to improve rapidly. As you rotate, focus on trying to pin your back shoulder to the wall next to you.

Reaching Your Goals: Sets & Reps

Depending on your goals, you’ll need to change how you perform your medicine ball workout. If you’re looking for power development, you should perform many short sets. If you’re looking for endurance, you’ll want to perform fewer, but longer, sets.

Recommended sets and time:

• Power Development:
  • Sets: 4-6
  • Time: 1-6 seconds
• Power Endurance (Conditioning):
  • Sets: 3-5
  • Time: 1-3 minutes

Other Ways to Use the Medicine Ball

While the Med-Ball Punch is a great exercise, there are many more medicine ball drills you can add to your training routine.

Arms and Legs

The medicine ball is a great way to train your arms and legs. Try something a little different and replace your free weights with a medicine ball. You can work your arms and upper body with drills like the chest press, chest fly, shoulder press, or triceps extension. Want to work your lower body? Use the medicine ball for exercises like squats, lunches, and calf raises.

Core Work

The medicine ball is great for strengthening your core. You can amp up your core work by including the medicine ball in exercises like sit-ups, v-crunches, planks, and Russian twists. You can even make it more fun by including a partner in exercises like the crunch pass.

Full Body

The medicine ball is versatile and can be used in so many different ways to get a great full-body workout. If you want to add a little spice to your next training session, try using a medicine ball for things like lunges, lunch twists, squat jumps, burpees, and mountain climbers. You can work your upper body, lower body, core, and even build your coordination and balance.

Working with a Coach

As with all medicine ball training exercises, it’s best to perform the Med-Ball Punch under the supervision of a coach. We can correct your stance and push you to your limit to ensure you’re working at your max.

Discuss your goals with a Gloveworx coach and try the Med-Ball Punch today!