D-Ball Medicine Ball Guide
D-Ball medicine balls come in a variety of colors, sizes, and weights to train a variety of physical modalities. In general, smaller and lighter balls should be used to train for speed and agility, while heavier medicine balls are used for strength-based or power training.
- Determine whether the ball will be used for throwing, catching, or simply added resistance as this will determine whether you should select a standard ball or a specialty ball.
- Choose a weight that is heavy enough to slow the motion but not so heavy that accuracy, control, or range of motion are lessened. Fatigue at the end of a workout will diminish motor skills, therefore choosing a ball that allows you to maintain control even when tired is imperative.
- For power training, it is recommended you choose a ball that is 30-50% of the one rep max of a similar weight training exercise.
- To ensure progressive training over time, be sure to choose a medicine ball set that allows you to continually increase the weight for various exercises you will be performing while still maintaining control.
- It is often better to choose a lighter ball and gradually increase the resistance over time. This ensures proper technique is learned and maintained.
- Choose the size of medicine ball based on the specific movements that you will be doing. For example, medicine ball throws and slams may require a medium sized ball, while medicine ball cleans may work better with a much larger ball.