The skipping rope and medicine ball are must-haves for your training. They’re so versatile that you can take them anywhere and do any number of exercises with them.
Skipping is perfect for cardio health and a great way to start a new training program. Medicine balls are useful for improving strength, power and coordination, and can also be used for a cardio workout.
Medicine ball
Seated shoulder press: sitting up, back straight, start the ball at your chest and press it up on a slight angle above your head, arms straightened, then lower back down.
Medicine ball slams: seated or standing, raise the ball above your head then throw it hard into the ground. When picking up the ball, bend at your knees, keep your back straight and stand up straight.
Medicine ball sit-ups: set yourself up for a regular sit-up, feet close to your bottom, hold the ball on your chest, rise so the ball touches your knees, then lower back down.
Medicine ball push-ups: place the ball on the ground in line with your chest, place your hands on top of the ball and lower your body to the ball, keeping your back straight (either a full push-up or modified on your knees).
Medicine ball throw and run: hold the ball at your chest, one leg forward and have your knees slightly bent; throw the ball forward as far as you can, run to it, pick it up and throw again.
Medicine ball standing twist: stand with your back around 30cm from a wall and hold the ball at your waist. Bend your knees, twist at your waist around to the left and touch the ball to the wall then return to the centre, twist around to the right; repeat.
Skipping rope
If you feel like you’re not good at skipping, try out these tips for learning how to skip:
- Stand with your feet together, raise up onto your toes and lower back down so your heels touch the ground
- Raise up onto your toes and bounce up off your toes
- To work on your coordination, hold a rope in one hand on the outside of your body, and start to swing the rope like you’re skipping; time your jump as the rope hits the ground.
- Rope speed is a key to skipping; keep the rope moving at a steady speed.
Workout
- 30 secs skipping
- 10 x medicine ball slams
- 30 secs skipping
- 10 each side x medicine ball standing twists
- 30 secs skipping
- 10 x shoulder presses
- 5 x 10m shuttle run
- 30 secs skipping
- 10 x medicine ball sit-ups
- 30 secs skipping
Tips
- When choosing a weight for your medicine ball, the ball should be a medium weight so you can do all of the exercise; so not too heavy!
- You can increase your workouts with lots of different exercises by adding the medicine ball. Be sure to hold the ball correctly and keep your back straight.
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