Page 125 - Muscle & Fitness (December 2019)
P. 125
> There’s more than one way to slam
a medicine ball. See for yourself with
these five trainer-approved moves.
B Y K E V I N G R A Y / / / P H O T O G R A P H S B Y C H R I S N I C O L L
F ROM TRIED-AND-TRUE BARBELLS tax the whole body. They’re also one of the few tools
and kettlebells to battle ropes and steel clubs,
there’s no shortage of equipment at your
in which you can load up the implement and have
disposal in the gym. But the humble medicine
them leave your body,” he adds, noting that other
ball is the hurried man’s unsung workhorse,
power equipment like sleds require you to control the
allowing you to target multiple muscle groups
implement throughout the entire movement.
and become more conditioned in the process.
According to Piercy, slams also allow for all-out
“I love medicine balls and probably have
more in my gym than anyone else,” says Michael maximum power, and the movements translate well
Piercy, M.S., C.S.C.S., and owner of the Lab Perfor- to sports (and daily life) because they mirror func-
mance & Sports Science in Fairfield, NJ. “They’re tional athletic moves like throws and pushes. In
versatile, great for working power, and can be used to addition to firing up your muscles, they’re great for
metabolic work and yield that coveted bang-for-your-
buck efficiency—perfect if you’re pressed for time. “If
you’re doing repeated slams, you can really get your
heart rate up,” he says. Here are five slams to try.
RUSSIAN
TWIST TO SLAM
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