Is there a recommended size for medicine balls? In workouts that prescribe medicine ball slams/throws/etc are you supposed to progress through different weights or use the same one?
I'm looking at purchasing one for home, but they are expensive so I want to get it right the first time. I'm looking at the Nike or TKO 8 or 10 pounders. Or should I be getting multiple ones? Like an 8, 10, and 12?
I just stole an old soccer ball from my kids and filled it with sand. Cheap and effective. I, more or less, followed these instructions (PDF). If I want a heavier one, I'll just steal another ball
It's not lopsided, but the sand in it moves around. My costs were significantly less then what you've outlined: I had a ball, sand and funnel, the other stuff wasn't all that expensive. If I recall correctly a good med ball would easily run $40 and some went up over $100.
Is there a recommended size for medicine balls? In workouts that prescribe medicine ball slams/throws/etc are you supposed to progress through different weights or use the same one?
I'm looking at purchasing one for home, but they are expensive so I want to get it right the first time. I'm looking at the Nike or TKO 8 or 10 pounders. Or should I be getting multiple ones? Like an 8, 10, and 12?
There's not a right or wrong about the sizes. You pick what you need to use it for. For slams you want one that doesn't bounce. For rotational wall throws you would probably prefer one that bounced back to you. Different companies make them smaller or bigger and I don't know that it matters all that much. Again, depending on the exercise you want to do, you might need different sizes. You can slam a really heavy ball, but some of the overhead motions (like one-arm bounces into the wall) would call for something lighter, maybe 4 lb. For lots of movements you just hold the MB, so it wouldn't matter if it bounced or not.
One program might ask you to increase loading, but another might just have you increase reps at the same weight. It all just depends on what you're going to be doing with them.
I can't really recommend specific brands or comment on quality (maybe someone else can), except to say that the First Place MBs we have at my gym have been there forever and have held up to a lot of abuse. These are the bouncy kind. We have them in 2 lb increments (2, 4, 6, etc.). We have a couple of heavier ones (10 and 12 lb) that don't bounce, but I'm not sure what brand they are.
I picked up a 6lb Nike-branded medicine ball at Dick's. The cover is tacky and rubbery, which means it's less likely to slip, especially when I take it outside to a ballfield or something, plus it's a very durable cover material. I didn't much care beyond that except that I made sure to get a weight that was challenging for me yet could also be used with other people just starting out with medicine ball and plyometric work.
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There's not a right or wrong about the sizes. You pick what you need to use it for. For slams you want one that doesn't bounce. For rotational wall throws you would probably prefer one that bounced back to you. Different companies make them smaller or bigger and I don't know that it matters all that much. Again, depending on the exercise you want to do, you might need different sizes. You can slam a really heavy ball, but some of the overhead motions (like one-arm bounces into the wall) would call for something lighter, maybe 4 lb. For lots of movements you just hold the MB, so it wouldn't matter if it bounced or not.
One program might ask you to increase loading, but another might just have you increase reps at the same weight. It all just depends on what you're going to be doing with them.
I can't really recommend specific brands or comment on quality (maybe someone else can), except to say that the First Place MBs we have at my gym have been there forever and have held up to a lot of abuse. These are the bouncy kind. We have them in 2 lb increments (2, 4, 6, etc.). We have a couple of heavier ones (10 and 12 lb) that don't bounce, but I'm not sure what brand they are.
I agree and highly recommend the First Place med balls, they are very durable. Also take into consideration the actual height of the ball, and this really only applies to doing any type of push ups using med balls. Obviously a higher med ball makes the push up easier.
Chaney
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I picked up a 6lb Nike-branded medicine ball at Dick's. The cover is tacky and rubbery, which means it's less likely to slip, especially when I take it outside to a ballfield or something, plus it's a very durable cover material. I didn't much care beyond that except that I made sure to get a weight that was challenging for me yet could also be used with other people just starting out with medicine ball and plyometric work.
Do the Nike ones bounce? I'm leaning towards a bouncing one, and I have $100 in gift cards to Dick's. I was going to get 50 and 55 lb DBs to add to my collection, but unfortunately they've raised their price to $0.69 per pound.
personally, i think medicine balls can be a good tool, but for the price that they are, i don't think they're worth it. I put them in the same category as kettlebells. They are cool, but are they REALLY worth all the money for what benefits you get from them?
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personally, i think medicine balls can be a good tool, but for the price that they are, i don't think they're worth it. I put them in the same category as kettlebells. They are cool, but are they REALLY worth all the money for what benefits you get from them?
You might need a rack of KBs, but you really only need one med ball. Two, if you want one that bounces and one that doesn't. I saw an 8lb bouncer for $22, yesterday (Walmart).
A sledgehammer costs about the same, but you also need a tire or sandpit to hit.
Med ball give you similar explosive/aggressive movements, but more value if you're only going to get one thing or just don't have space for a old tire.
I got my Sparq med ball from eastbay before Sparq became as big as it is now. It was about $28 with shipping and everything. Its 5 kg so about 11 pounds. Works for me. It bounces.
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Medicine Ball questions
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