MEDICINE BALL

THEORY AND APPLICATION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Define medicine ball training and list the four primary components

Identify and describe each sub-component within the four primary components of
medicine ball training

Describe the performance and injury prevention benefits associated with

medicine ball training

Identify and design effective medicine ball programming relative to individual

differences and session demand

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 What do we think about when we hear
rotational power and kinetic linking?

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Transfer to light objects…

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 Transfer to heavier objects…

Transfer through an implement…

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 Transfer into an opponent…

MEDICINE BALL: DEFINED

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 DEFINING MEDICINE BALL TRAINING
Drills involving implement propulsion, aimed at linking optimal
strength and speed during fundamental movement patterns

Characterized by the projection of

an implement in a ballistic manner
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Ballistic movements involve the transfer

of force into an object, implement, or
opponent

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 Ballistic movements are dependent on the
generation and transfer of force from
proximal segments to distal segments

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MEDICINE BALL COMPONENTS

Dictates the complexity of the

STANCE motor task and magnitude of force
that can be generated

Dictates the dominant force

DIRECTION vectors and sequence of force
transfer through the body

Dictates contraction type and the

INITIATION resulting speed-strength quality
adaptation

Load/type of ball is associated with

BALL the initiation and speed-strength
quality adaptation

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 MEDICINE BALL: STANCE

TALL Action takes place from a kneeling position

KNEELING where both knees are on the ground

HALF Action takes place from a position where the

back knee is on the ground and the front foot is
KNEELING on the ground in a linear orientation

BASE Action takes place from a position where

POSITION feet are parallel and shoulder width apart

SPLIT Action takes place from a split squat position

POSITION where the feet are split forward and back

Action takes place with one leg on the

SINGLE LEG
ground an the free leg in a flexed position

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01 STANCE

Tall Kneeling Horizontal Chest Pass Base Position Horizontal Chest Pass

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 01 STANCE

Split Position Horizontal Chest Pass Single Leg Horizontal Chest Pass

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MEDICINE BALL: DIRECTION

Action takes place within

sagittal plane with an
LINEAR
emphasis on vertical or
horizontal motion

Action takes place within

ROTATIONAL transverse plane with a
Parallel parallel orientation to a wall
and horizontal emphasis

Action takes place within

ROTATIONAL transverse plane with a
Perpendicular perpendicular orientation to a
wall and horizontal emphasis
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 02 DIRECTION: LINEAR HORIZONTAL

Tall Kneeling Lin-Horiz Base Position Lin-Horiz

Overhead Pass Overhead Pass

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02 DIRECTION: LINEAR VERTICAL

Squat to Lin-Vert Throw Lin-Vert Granny Toss

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 02 DIRECTION: ROTATIONAL-PARALLEL

Base Position Parallel Split Position Parallel

Rot-Horiz Throw Rot-Horiz Throw

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02 DIRECTION: ROTATIONAL-PERPENDICULAR

Base Position Perpendicular Split Position Perpendicular

Rot-Horiz Throw Rot-Horiz Throw

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 MEDICINE BALL: INITIATION

NON No lengthening action prior to

COUNTER- shortening action
MOVEMENT (Concentric only)

Rapid lengthening action prior to

COUNTER-
an immediate shortening action
MOVEMENT (SSC)

Linking multiple SSC repetitions

CONTINUOUS
together in quick succession

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MEDICINE BALL: BALL

Impacts speed of movement and

LOAD resultant speed-strength
adaptation

Ball type that has minimal reactive

NON- qualities and is best used for
REACTIVE concentric dominant
progressions

Ball type that has strong reactive

REACTIVE qualities and is best used for SSC
dominant progressions

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 CHECK FOR LEARNING 01

List the 4 primary components of medicine

ball training and the associated 3-5 sub-
components

Write down 3-5 different medicine ball

training movements using the appropriate
labeling

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OPTIMIZING TRANSFER

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 PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT

MEDICINE BALL: PRIMARY GOAL

Develop three dimensional power using integrated upper body

and total body movements that emphasize the ability to
generate and resist rotational forces

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 MEDICINE BALL: PERFORMANCE BENEFIT

Improved coordination in movements demanding high rate of force development

in three planes of motion (i.e. rotational power)

Improved ability to control and decelerate rotational forces in a diversity of

positions

Improved kinetic linking through enhanced ability to generate and transfer force
through the body

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Force:
7000N
(1500lbs)

Velocity:
7.1m/s
(16mph)

(Sidthilaw,1996)

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 Bat Speed:
31m/s
(69mph)

Shoulder:
9370/s

Hip:
7140/s

FT = 984N
(221lbs)

180lbs = 81.81kgs = 800N (Welch et al., 1995)

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Adding total body/rotational med-ball

training to a periodized resistance
program results in superior rotational
strength and rotational med-ball
throwing performance compared to
the same program without

(Szymanski et al., 2007)

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 During conventional barbell training
the last 24-52% of the movement can
be spent decelerating the bar. This
does not occur during medicine ball
training due to the ballistic nature
and the ability to release the ball.
(Newton & Kraemer, 1994; Newton et al., 1996)

INJURY PREVENTION

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 MEDICINE BALL: SECONDARY GOAL

Decrease risk of injury through increased tolerance to stretch

loads at various speeds, loads, and directions

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MEDICINE BALL: INJURY PREVENTION BENEFIT

Improved ability to transfer energy through the joints and minimize energy leaks
- Prevents movement compensations and optimizes sustainability

Improved ability to control rotation and decelerate during total-body rotational

movements
- Striking, Throwing, Kicking, Cutting, Running

(Boden et al., 2000 and Stodden et al., 2008)

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 ↓ Energy leaks = ↑ kinetic linking
(optimal transfer of force)

Trunk control and the ability to

re-stabilize after a lateral force has
been removed is predictive of knee
injuries in collegiate athletes

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(Zazulak et al., 2007)

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 CHECK FOR LEARNING 02

Write down 3-5 sentences describing the role of

medicine ball training in improving performance
in rotation dominant movements (ex. throwing)

Write down 3-5 sentences describing the role of

medicine ball training in preventing non-contact
injuries (ex. ACL injury)

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PROGRAMMING

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 PROGRAMMING CONSIDERATIONS

Frequency
Volume
Intensity
Movements

FREQUENCY, VOLUME & INTENSITY

FREQUENCY VOLUME INTENSITY MOVEMENTS

Weekly: x2 Sets/Reps:
Throws (L/R): Mov/Stance: 3-5
(15-20min) 2-3sets/8-10reps
90-120/session Directions: 1-2
Initiations: 1-2
Focus: Rest Set/Session:
Total: ≤240/wk Ball: NR or R
Speed-Strength <90s/72hrs

Weekly: 4x Sets/Reps:
Throws (L/R): Mov/Stance: 2-3
(5-15min) 1-2sets/8-10reps
50-60/session Directions: 1-2
Initiations: 1-2
Focus: Rest Set/Session:
Total: ≤ 240/wk Ball: NR or R
Activation <90s/24hrs

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 METHODS
LINEAR ROTATIONAL ROTATIONAL
Vertical to Horizontal Parallel Perpendicular

SINGLE LEG Lin-Horiz Chest Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip

POSITION Lin-Horiz Overhead Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld
INTENSITY

Lin-Horiz Chest Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip

SPLIT POSITION
Lin-Horiz Overhead Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld

Lin-Horiz Chest Pass

Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip
BASE POSITION Lin-Horiz Overhead Pass
Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld
Lin-Vert Squat to Throw

TALL KNEELING Lin-Horiz Chest Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip Rot-Horiz Throw-Hip

HALF KNEELING Lin-Horiz Overhead Pass Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld Rot-Horiz Throw-Shld

INTENSITY

EXAMPLE PROGRAMMING: MEDICINE BALL

MED-BALL: Linear Emphasis MED-BALL: Rotational Emphasis

Novice Athlete (4x per week) Advanced Athlete (2x per week)
Movement 1: Movement 1:
-Lin-Vert Squat to Throw -Base Position Parallel Rot-Horiz Throw
-CM/Non-Reactive Ball -NCM/Non-Reactive Ball
-2 x 10 repetitions -2 x 10 repetitions each
Movement 2: Movement 2:
-Base Position Lin-Horiz Chest Pass -Split Position Parallel Rot-Horiz Throw
-Single/Reactive Ball -Continuous/Reactive Ball
-2 x 10 repetitions -2 x 5 repetitions each
Movement 3: Movement 3:
-Split Position Lin-Horiz Chest Throw -Base Position Perp. Rot-Horiz Throw
-NCM/Non-Reactive Ball -Continuous/Reactive Ball
-2 x 5 repetitions each -2 x 10 repetitions each
Total Throws: 60 Total Throws: 100

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 CHECK FOR LEARNING 03

Create a single 10 min medicine ball program

with a rotational emphasis based on 4x week
volume load considerations
(Note: Only create the medicine ball portion and
include as much detail on volume and intensity as
possible)

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CLOSING

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 GUIDELINES

Stance (Tall Kneeling – Base – Single Leg)

- More Stable to Less Stable
Direction (Linear – Parallel - Perpendicular)
- General to Specific (Vertical & Horizontal)
Initiation (NCM – CM – Continuous)
- Low Force to High Force (Progression & Continuum)
Ball (Non-Reactive Ball – Reactive Ball)
- Low Load (4-6lbs) to High Load (18-20lbs)

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STANCE

Stance is selected based on the

level of athlete and the specific
movement characteristics in
need of development (movement
skills & sport)

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 DIRECTION

Movement directions are selected based on the

level of athlete (linear to rotational) and the
specific directional force characteristics in need
of development (movement skills & sport)
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INITIATION/BALL

Movement initiations (NCM to Continuous) and ball (Non-

Reactive to Reactive) are selected based on the level of
athlete and the specific speed-strength characteristics in
need of development (strength & movement skills)
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 APPENDIX
Boden, B. P., Dean, G. S., Feagin Jr, J. A., & Garrett Jr, W. E. (2000). Mechanisms of anterior cruciate
ligament injury. Orthopedics, 23(6), 573-578.
Newton, R. U., & Kraemer, W. J. (1994). Developing explosive muscular power: Implications for a
mixed methods training strategy. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 16(5), 20-31.
Newton, R. U., Kraemer, W. J., Häkkinen, K., Humphries, B. J., & Murphy, A. J. (1996). Kinematics,
kinetics, and muscle activation during explosive upper body movements. Journal of Applied
Biomechanics, 12, 31-43.
Sidthilaw, S. (1996). Kinetic and kinematic analysis of Thai boxing roundhouse kicks. Oregon State
University Dissertation.
Stodden, D. F., Campbell, B. M., & Moyer, T. M. (2008). Comparison of trunk kinematics in trunk
training exercises and throwing. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22(1), 112-118.
Szymanski, D. J., Szymanski, J. M., Bradford, T. J., Schade, R. L., & Pascoe, D. D. (2007). Effect of
twelve weeks of medicine ball training on high school baseball players. The Journal of Strength &
Conditioning Research, 21(3), 894-901.
Welch, C. M., Banks, S. A., Cook, F. F., & Draovitch, P. (1995). Hitting a baseball: A biomechanical
description. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 22(5), 193-201.
Zazulak, B. T., Hewett, T. E., Reeves, N. P., Goldberg, B., & Cholewicki, J. (2007). Deficits in
neuromuscular control of the trunk predict knee injury risk a prospective biomechanical-
epidemiologic study. The American journal of sports medicine, 35(7), 1123-1130.

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