Nearly anyone who has ever lifted weights or worked out in any kind of exercise setting, from the scrawny kid in the back of the gym class drowning in his uniform to the professional bodybuilders of enormous bulk, is familiar with the phrase “six-pack abs.” Essentially, this phrase is used to describe a condition in which the abdominal muscles of the stomach develop so much tone and definition that they separate into six well-defined areas. This look is considered one of the hallmarks of peak physical fitness, and many people slave away for hours in the gym to perfect their abdominal muscles, or abs for short. One piece of fitness equipment that is extremely useful to have when one is trying to tone abdominal muscles is a medicine ball.

The medicine ball is a spherical workout tool, and it can weigh anywhere from two to twenty pounds or more. Several different companies produce variants of the medicine ball, but the basic concept is the same: a round object useful for helping to tone the abdominal muscles of the stomach. Some medicine balls have handles on the sides to make it easier to grip them, but the ones that are perfectly round provide a better workout, as well as increasing the amount of effort put forth by the arms in gripping the medicine ball, thereby giving those muscle groups an effective workout, too. Medicine balls are a very economical way to get in shape, as they are not very expensive, especially in relation to the amount of work that one can do with them.

Traditional sit-ups and crunches are great to tone the frontal abdominal muscles, but are nearly worthless for working out the oblique muscles on the side of the stomach, the very place where many people develop the dreaded “love handles” from lack of use. Medicine balls are an excellent way to work these muscle groups. One of the most common medicine ball exercises is the “touchdown” wherein one grips the medicine ball, raises his or her legs off the ground, and twists back and forth, touching the ball to one side of his or her body, then the other. If done properly, this exercise is great at working the oblique muscles, and is noted for its ability to tone up otherwise flabby muscles there. The touchdown is just one of the many ways to work a medicine ball into an exercise regimen. Plenty of other variations of using this piece of fitness equipment exist, and there are several websites and magazines dedicated to the use of a medicine ball while exercising. A medicine ball is not strictly limited to working the abdominals, though, and if used properly, medicine balls can be utilized to work almost every part of the body. Many professional bodybuilders, as well as just about everyone who has a good physique, has a medicine ball workout built into their routine.

Medicine balls are a great way to tone one’s abdominal muscles, but their use is not limited to that. For an economical and efficient way to build that beach body, a medicine ball is the way to go.

Author Bio: I write for TIR Massage Stone about hot stone massage and massage stone therapy including hot stone therapy.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: medicine ball,workout tool,abdominal muscle,professional bodybuilders