Medicine ball circles is a fundamental exercise used to activate your core stabiliser muscles and warm up your torso before a more intense core workout.
By using a medicine ball, you add resistance to a controlled circular motion, engaging the deep muscles of your core, and helps improve core stability to prepare it for more demanding exercises.
How to do it
Stand with your feet placed shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in your knees. Position your arms straight above your head holding a medicine ball.
The movement: Without bending your elbows, rotate your arms in a counterclockwise direction. Move the ball in a large circular movement to the left, then down in front of your pelvis and then out to your right, before finally returning to the starting position above your head. Complete 10-12 circles and then reverse the direction, to a clockwise movement, for an additional 10-12 reps.
Variation to the move
Combine the big circles with medicine ball slams to add a power plyometric element to the exercise. When you complete a circle and return to the starting position with the ball above your head, carry out the slam before starting your next circle.
Muscles targeted
Medicine ball circles are a highly effective exercise for targeting a wide range of muscles, both as primary movers and as stabilisers. The primary muscles engaged during this movement are the rectus abdominis and obliques, which are responsible for the circular motion of the torso. The anterior and lateral deltoids are also primary movers, as they control the movement of the arms and the medicine ball. The exercise also recruits several secondary muscles that act as stabilisers and synergists to assist the primary movers. These include the erector spinae muscles, which help to support the spine, as well as the triceps, biceps, and forearms, which work to maintain a firm grip on the medicine ball and control its movement. The exercise also engages the core stabilizers, which are crucial for maintaining balance and preventing injury throughout the motion.
Form tips
- Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the movement.
- Aim to make the circles as big as possible for each rep.
- Try to keep your arms straight throughout the entire movement.
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
