Medicine Ball Training
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2003 9:40 am
How do I incorporate medicine balls into my weekly training?
Medicine Ball Training by Tom Petranoff
Without a doubt Medicine Ball Training was the most valuable training tool I have ever used. Medicine Ball training has so many varieties and uses, every aspect of cross training,--- power, speed, strength, flexibility, rhythm, resistance and neuro-motor memory.
I would train with medicine balls 2- 3 times a week, 30 minutes a day and mix it in with my other training. We would set up 4 - 6 stations and use a variety of motions, single arm, double hand, underhand, overhand, side to side, and specific drills to train slow motion memory drills that isolate the range of motion you are trying to develop. The key mistake a thrower makes is to do quantity instead of quality; to use to much power and not find the proper rhythm or stroke that works for you at a slower pace and build up over weeks.
My strength as an athlete was doing TONS of the short isolated drills with no elbow bend. These boring short stroke isolation drills were the core to my success. Learning to not force it, learning to wait for leverage to happen instead of forcing it, learning that throwing far was at 80% max, not 110%max. The Medicine Ball drills erased bad motor memory that I had from baseball and football. The key in any training is to be smart and start slow and get the technique correct before you put more weight or resistance. Use a large range of motion to prevent injury and get your body prepared as well as getting better flexibility.
Finding where your center of gravity and leverage is what Medicine Ball training does, you "train smart" by letting your body find the stroke. Training with your non dominant side is also great for coordination and teaching your dominant side the proper motion to get leverage. Most important is to start with easy drills and build up over weeks till you can advance yourself to the next level of intensity. 4- 6 stations at 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions is best to start. Have half of the drills for range of motion and half for specific technique movements. It is also encouraged to mix Medicine Ball training with your weight training, running and plyometrics. Invent your own drills.