Medicine balls have a way of changing the feel of a workout. Hand a client a dumbbell and they may think about reps, sets and muscles. Hand them a medicine ball and something else often happens: They reach, rotate, throw, catch, laugh, brace, react and move with a little more curiosity. For many clients, the best exercise program is not only the one that is physiologically sound. It is also the one they are willing to return to next week.

That makes medicine balls a useful bridge between structured exercise and the kinds of movement clients need outside the gym. They can help you train strength, power, coordination, balance, deceleration and cardiorespiratory fitness without making every session feel like a test of willpower. They also fit naturally within the ACE Integrated Fitness Training^® (ACE IFT^®) Model, which asks health and exercise professionals to meet clients where they are, build movement quality first and progress toward more complex, higher-demand work when the client is ready.

Used well, a medicine ball can be a coaching tool as well as equipment for a high-energy circuit. It gives clients immediate feedback about timing, posture, force and control. It helps them feel when they are using the whole body rather than isolating one body part. And, perhaps most importantly, it can make purposeful training feel playful.

The Case for Medicine-Ball Training

Daily life rarely asks clients to produce force in a slow, perfectly controlled environment. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open found that power training was associated with modest improvements in physical function and self-reported function in community-living adults ages 60 and older. This reinforces an important programming point: Clients benefit from learning not only how to produce force, but also how to produce it at the right time, in the right direction and with enough control to recover and reset.

This is one reason why medicine-ball training can be especially useful. Standing up from a low chair, catching a closing door, lifting a bag into a trunk, stepping around an obstacle or reaching to control a falling object all require a blend of timing, coordination, force production and force absorption. A medicine ball gives you a practical way to train those qualities without requiring complex barbell lifts or high-impact plyometrics. The ball can be held, carried, lifted, pressed, passed, thrown or slammed, which makes it easy to adjust the challenge while keeping the movement purposeful.

The benefits of medicine-ball training are not limited to a specific population or intensity. For example, in one small study of healthy older adults, a single session of medicine-ball throwing was associated with earlier activation of postural muscles before a predictable balance challenge, suggesting that this type of training may help the body prepare for, and respond to, changes in posture. A later study in older adults with mild cognitive impairment found similar support for ball-throwing exercise as a form of balance-challenge training, with improvements in anticipatory postural adjustments after a single session. These are small, exploratory studies, so they should not be overstated. Still, they help explain why throwing, catching and controlling a medicine ball can be more than an upper-body power drill. Done well, these movements ask the trunk, hips and lower body to coordinate with the arms, eyes and nervous system.

It’s worth noting that the load does not always have to be heavy. A 2023 systematic review with meta-analysis on power-training intensity in older adults found that low- to moderate-intensity power training and high-intensity power training produced similar gains in maximal power output in the studies reviewed, though the authors noted that the research base was limited. For many clients, especially older adults or those who are new to faster movements, speed of intent and movement quality may matter more than choosing the heaviest possible ball.

Although some clients may not want to start with a lighter ball, it’s generally a good idea to learn the moves first before progressing to heavier weights. If the client can move quickly, stay organized through the trunk, decelerate the ball safely and repeat the pattern with confidence, the exercise is doing its job. A heavier ball may slow the movement down, result in posture changes or cause the client to brace through the neck, shoulders or low back to complete the rep. Remember, good form is essential, regardless of the size of the weight.

Power, Conditioning or Both?

A common mistake when programming medicine-ball workouts is using every exercise as a conditioning drill. Timed intervals, slams and throws can raise heart rate quickly, and that can be useful. But if the goal is power, the point is not to make every rep exhausting. The point is to make every rep fast, crisp and coordinated.

Current evidence on upper-body plyometric training can help clarify how medicine-ball exercises are programmed. A 2023 systematic review with meta-analysis found that upper-body plyometric training may improve maximal strength, medicine-ball throwing performance, sport-specific throwing performance and upper-limb muscle volume in healthy youth and young adults. These findings support using throws, passes and slams with a clear purpose, with the exercise selection, load, volume and recovery matched to whether the goal is power, conditioning, coordination or play.

For a conditioning-focused circuit, a 45-, 30- or 15-second interval can work well. Clients should be able to maintain posture, breathing control and consistent rhythm for the full interval. For power training, shorter sets and longer rest periods are usually a better fit. For example, this might look like three to six high-quality throws, slams or passes, followed by enough rest that the next set looks as sharp as the first. When speed, accuracy or landing mechanics begin to fade, the set has done its job.

This distinction can change how you coach the same exercise. A rotational wall throw used for conditioning may be lighter, rhythmic and continuous. The same pattern used for power may be performed for fewer reps, with more intent, more space and more recovery. Neither version is “better.” The better option is the one that matches the client, the goal and the day.

Fun Is a Programming Variable

Medicine-ball training also offers a behavioral advantage: It can make exercise feel more immediate, engaging and enjoyable. In one study on immediate rewards, participants who chose a workout they enjoyed completed more sets than those who chose a workout because it was useful for their health goals. The researchers concluded that immediate rewards can be stronger predictors of persistence than delayed rewards.

More recent work points in the same direction. A 2024 randomized controlled trial of non-regular exercisers found that participants who received individualized, pleasure-oriented exercise-intensity guidance had 77% higher session attendance over an eight-week follow-up than those in the control group. A 2022 health-club study also found that enjoyment was linked with exercise habit, intention to continue and exercise frequency, particularly when exercise intensity aligned with the person’s preferences and tolerance.

Enjoyment deserves a deliberate place in program design. A medicine-ball drill that allows a client to throw, react and experience success can make a session feel engaging and memorable while still supporting specific training goals. Paying attention to how clients respond emotionally to different activities can help you identify the types of movement they are more likely to approach with confidence and continue over time.

Choosing the Right Ball for the Job

Before you coach the workout, you need to choose the ball based on the task, not just the weight printed on the side. A wall ball is usually larger and softer, making it useful for passes, squats, presses and throws in which the client may need to catch or absorb the ball. A dead-weight ball does not rebound much, which makes it useful for lifts, carries, drops and slams when you don’t want the ball coming back toward the client. A slam ball is designed to tolerate impact and, depending on the model, may rebound enough to create a faster rhythm.

The safest ball is often the one that lets the client move better. If a client holds their breath, stiffens their neck, loses trunk position, twists through the knees instead of the hips or catches the ball with locked elbows, the ball is probably too heavy, the movement is too complex or the pace is too fast. Start with a load that allows the client to learn the pattern, then progress the demand by changing speed, range of motion, direction, stance, distance, number of reps or rest, not just weight.

Coach the Landing, Not Just the Throw

Medicine-ball exercises are often described by what the client does to the ball: throw it, slam it, press it or pass it but much of the value is found in what happens after the ball leaves the hands or comes back to the body. The client has to absorb force, organize posture and prepare for the next movement. That is where coaching matters.

A useful rule is this: The hands touch the ball, but the body catches the ball. The hands guide the ball’s path, but the hips, trunk, legs and shoulders absorb the momentum. Teach clients to receive the ball with soft elbows, an engaged trunk and a small bend through the hips and knees. If they are not ready to catch, remove the catch. Let the ball bounce. Use a wall pass with a lighter ball. Choose a dead ball that stays on the floor. Or, have the client release the ball into open space and reset between reps.

Safety should also stay visible. Resistance training can offer important cardiovascular and health benefits, but an American Heart Association scientific statement emphasizes the value of appropriate evaluation, monitoring and individualized programming. Clients with uncontrolled or unstable cardiovascular signs or symptoms, unexplained dizziness, chest pressure, unusual shortness of breath, acute injury, significant pain or a recent change in health status should be referred for medical evaluation before progressing to vigorous or high-velocity medicine-ball work.

Applying the ACE IFT Model

The ACE IFT Model gives medicine-ball training a structure that goes beyond “pick five fun moves and set a timer.” On the functional movement and muscular training side, you can organize medicine-ball exercises around bend-and-lift, lunge, push, pull and rotation patterns. On the cardiorespiratory side, you can use exercise intensity to determine whether the session is building an aerobic base, targeting aerobic efficiency, or enhancing anaerobic power.

For many clients, this means progressing from Functional Training to Movement Training, then adding external load and, finally, increasing speed (i.e., Load/Speed Training). For example, a beginner may start with a slow squat-and-hold with a light ball, while a more experienced client may progress to a squat-to-chest pass. An athlete or highly conditioned client may use a more explosive squat throw or jump-slam variation. The movements are similar, but the demand changes.

This approach keeps medicine-ball work client-centered. A group fitness participant may need a rhythmic, moderate-intensity version that feels successful and fun. A recreational pickleball player may need rotational power and deceleration. An older adult client may need practice standing, reaching, stepping and absorbing light force with confidence. A youth athlete may need a carefully supervised drill that develops throwing mechanics without excessive volume. The tool is the same. The application changes.

The Medicine-Ball Workout

The following workout, developed for ACE by ACE Pro Jonathan Ross, uses three training emphases: volume, load and power. Volume work uses a lighter, larger ball and emphasizes continuous, smooth movement. Load work uses a heavier dead-weight ball and emphasizes strength, control and real-world lifting patterns. Power work uses a slam ball or appropriate throwing ball and emphasizes speed, rhythm and intent.

A simple interval structure works well as a conditioning-oriented medicine-ball circuit: 45 seconds for volume, 30 seconds for load and 15 seconds for power, with 30 seconds of rest between sets. Complete three sets of each row before moving to the next row. Use the talk test and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) to keep clients in the right zone. During volume work, clients should be able to talk comfortably (zone 1). During load work, talking may become somewhat uncomfortable (zone 2). During power work, speech may be limited to short phrases or single words, but the work interval should be brief enough that movement quality stays high (zone 3).

Workout at a Glance

Note: RPE = Rating of Perceived Exertion

When power is the primary goal, use the same movement ideas but change the structure. Instead of timed intervals, perform three to five sets of three to six fast, high-quality reps with enough rest to repeat the effort. This version is especially useful when you want throws, slams or rotational drills to stay explosive rather than become a fatigue challenge.

Sample Exercise Progression

Exercise Guide: How to Perform the Movements

Use the sample progression above to group exercises by row. For the conditioning-oriented version, complete 45 seconds of volume work, rest 30 seconds, complete 30 seconds of load work, rest 30 seconds, then complete 15 seconds of power work and rest 30 seconds. Repeat the three-exercise row three times before moving to the next row. Adjust the ball, range of motion, pace and catching demands to match the client. You can find video demonstrations of all these exercises here. Also, exclusively for ACE Certified Professionals, download the bonus Exercise Guide for a printable, at-a-glance reference featuring step-by-step instructions and programming and coaching tips for every exercise in the workout. Just click on the bar at the top of this page. 

* When power is the primary training goal, replace the 15-second interval with three to six high-quality repetitions and allow enough recovery for the next set to remain fast and precise. Note: RPE = Rating of perceived exertion

Coaching the Workout

For the volume exercises, emphasize rhythm before intensity. For example, in the squat and wall press, ask the client to coordinate the lower-body drive with the upper-body press rather than pressing only with the arms. In the lateral wall ball, slow the pace if the client begins to rush the catch or lose trunk position, and in the overhead throw-clap-catch, choose one clap before trying two, and remove the catch if the client looks tense or unsafe.

For the load exercises, connect the pattern to everyday life. The rainbow deadlift can teach clients to hinge, lift and move a load across the body while staying connected to the floor. The shifted overhead press mimics asymmetrical tasks, such as placing an object on a shelf with one side doing more work than the other. The backpack squat recreates the familiar act of slinging a bag over one shoulder, which makes it easy to talk about posture, stance and control without overcomplicating the cueing.

For the power exercises, keep the dose low enough that the client can stay fast and accurate. A two-bounce squat thrust should look springy and coordinated, not frantic, while a 180-degree lunge slam should come from the hips and feet, not a twist through the knees. Reserve the jump slam with apex catch for clients who have already shown they can squat, jump, land and catch without losing control. There is no need to force the most advanced version. A simpler version performed well is better training than a dramatic version performed poorly.

Regressions That Still Train the Goal

One of the benefits of medicine-ball training is that regressions can still feel purposeful. A client who is not ready to catch a moving ball can perform a chest pass to a wall and let the ball drop. Similarly, a client who is not ready for rotational throws can practice a standing cross-body press or a slow scoop pattern, while one who has shoulder discomfort with overhead work can use a lower chest pass, side pass or ball carry. And a client who feels uneasy with speed can start with a dead ball pick-up, press, carry and controlled drop.

This is especially relevant for older adult clients. The WHO 2020 guidelines recommend varied multicomponent physical activity for older adults that emphasizes functional balance and strength training. Medicine-ball work can fit that idea when it is scaled appropriately. For an older adult client, the goal may not be to throw harder. Instead, the goal may be to stand from a chair more confidently, carry groceries with better control, rotate safely while reaching or practice a quick step-and-press pattern in a way that feels successful.

Start with lighter balls, predictable patterns and plenty of recovery. Encourage clients to maintain a stable stance before narrowing their base of support, and use a wall before partner passing. A controlled drop should be mastered before attempting a rebound catch, and only add speed only once the client can demonstrate control. Keep in mind that power training does not have to look aggressive to be effective. A light ball moved with clear intent can be a powerful stimulus for the right client.

The Takeaway

Medicine balls can help clients develop power, coordination, rhythm, deceleration and confidence in ways that feel connected to sport, recreation and everyday life. They can also make training more enjoyable, and enjoyment can support the consistency that so many clients are trying to build.

The key is to match the tool to the purpose. Use timed intervals when conditioning is the goal, and coach the catch, the landing and the reset with as much attention as the throw or slam. And always keep the client’s experience at the center of the session.

A medicine ball is simple. The programming doesn’t have to be. With the ACE IFT Model as a guide, it can become a practical, flexible and surprisingly joyful way to help clients move with more power and control.