How To Do Medicine Ball Toe Touches

Medicine Ball Toe Touches is a core exercise that uses the added weight from a medicine ball to strengthen your abdominals and gives you an added bonus of chest and shoulder work as well! Most core work relies on body weight and movement alone, but the medicine ball adds a boost that challenges you in a whole new way! By learning how to do Medicine Ball Toe Touches and adding the extra weight of the medicine ball you increase the intensity of this exercise and makes you focus more on your movement coming from your mid-section rather than your arms or neck.

Holding the medicine ball in your arms as you make your toe touch movement will definitely make you feel your abs the next day! However, you will also notice the added work of your arms, shoulders and chest in this exercise. By simply holding the ball you will feel isometric strength, but the addition of lifting of the ball is going to really make you feel your upper body too!

When you perform Medicine Ball Toe Touches, be sure to choose a medicine ball that is right for you. Medicine balls come in many different sizes from 2 pounds all the way up to over 20 pounds! Most people start with 5 or 8-pound balls and work their way up. Start lighter to avoid straining your neck or back. Another great benefit of this move is that you can add heavier weight as you begin to notice improvement in your strength. For a great introduction to the medicine ball, read the first part of our 20-Minute Total Body Medicine Ball Workout.

If you want to try this move along with other great core medicine ball exercises, try our workout 8 Medicine Ball Moves to Sculpt Your Core.

Here are the steps to performing Medicine Ball Toe Touches:

1) Begin on your back with legs together straight up above hips holding the medicine ball with two hands at your chest.

2)  Slightly curl chin forward, relaxing through the back of the neck.

3)  On an exhale, squeeze your abdominals to reach the ball up toward the toes to touch, then gently release back to start position.

Targets: core, shoulders