Replace your dumbbells with a slam ball for an extra-challenging workout.
Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages
Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages
- What Is a Slam Ball?
- Why Use a Slam Ball?
- How Do You Use It?
- Slam Ball Exercises for Beginners
A slam ball is similar to a medicine ball, but it won't bounce and hit you in the face.
Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages
Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages
Start with a moderately light weight until you learn proper technique and feel comfortable with the movements. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Up the weight or rep/set counts as you feel ready.
Type
Cardio and Strength
Holding a slam ball at chest level, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a semi-squat. From this position, jump up, stepping one leg forward to land in a split stance. Your front thigh should be nearly perpendicular to the floor and your knee bent to 90 degrees while the rear leg is fully extended. Simultaneously, press slam ball up above head with arms fully extended and core engaged. Jump up again, bringing feet back to center as you lower ball back to chest. Repeat move, this time with opposite leg. Continue alternating legs with each rep.
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Type
Cardio and Strength
“Focus on taking a very fast, big step with whatever foot you’re stepping with,” Dugger says. “At the same time, keep the core engaged and neutralize the spine to help alleviate pressure on the lower back.”
With a slam ball in your hands, stand with your feet together. Bending your left knee, jump as far as you can to right side, leading with your right leg and landing on the middle of the right foot with knees bent, hips hinged and a slight lean in your torso. Simultaneously, twist your torso slightly to the right. Then, bending right knee, jump as far as you can to the left side, leading with the left leg and repeating move on left side. Continue alternating sides with each rep.
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According to Dugger, you want this move to be fluid, quick and explosive.
Holding a slam ball at hip level, stand tall with your feet together. Take a step to your left, landing so your feet are flat and toes are pointed out to 10 and 2 o’clock. Curl and press the slam ball above your head. From here, squat down as you simultaneously slam the ball onto the floor. Grabbing the slam ball, bring feet together as you stand back up, curling and pressing the weight above your head again. Continuing moving to your left for desired number of reps, then switch sides and repeat on the right.
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“Remember to squat down instead of lunging when picking up the ball,” says Dugger, who also notes to keep your feet wide when you squat down and maintain a steady cadence when moving.
Holding the ball at chest level, stand with feet shoulder-width apart. With core tight, jump up, stepping one leg forward and one back to land into a lunge with both knees bent to about 90 degrees and back knee hovering over ground. Immediately, jump back up, switching legs and repeat. Continue alternating with each rep.
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“Make sure your front foot is flat on ground,” Dugger says. And don’t let your back knee touch the ground.
Type
Strength
Lie face-up with legs extended along the ground and holding a slam ball in both hands at chest level. Curl your torso up as you press slam ball straight overhead while bending your left knee and placing your left foot firmly on the ground. Lower back to start, rising up again, this time bending right knee and placing left foot firmly on the ground. Continue alternating legs with each rep.
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Type
Strength
“Watch your breathing,” Dugger says. “Inhale when lying down and exhale when sitting up.”
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a slam ball balancing on the inside of the forearms of your outstretched arms. Keeping chest high and abs tight, push your hips back to lower down, bringing thighs to just below parallel. Push into heels to rise to standing. Repeat.
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Dugger says one of the keys to this move is to inhale deeply as you lower into the squat and exhale when you rise to standing.
