6 Core Slam Ball Exercises You Should Be Doing

Abdominal workouts are not everyone’s favorite. While the results can make you look and feel great, the journey is long and filled with a variety of exercises and equipment. But when training your core, it is important to remember that it’s more than just the abs. It also includes deep trunk muscles, the hips, and more. Your core is your body’s foundation that allows you to build strength, stability, and balance. However, just because you’re working with a variety of complex muscle groups it doesn’t mean that your training needs to be complex. Whether you’re new to the world of fitness, or if you’ve been training for years, the changing regimes and techniques can be confusing. It’s easy to get incorrect information online, especially if it’s paired with “studies” to back up their case.  At Archon Fitness, we believe that you don’t need complicated equipment or insane exercises to build your best body. We believe that simplicity is key for effective and efficient fitness practices. On days that you focus on building your core, try out these 6 slam ball exercises that are super simple and crazy effective. 

What Are the Core Muscles?

When working on your fitness, it’s important to remember that your core helps support all of the other areas of your body. Building a strong foundation (core) is going to allow you to strengthen all of the other parts of your body. 

It’s not a secret but isn’t commonly known that building bigger arms, chests, shoulders, etc.,  needs to be supported by a solid foundation. Otherwise, the body can easily get pulled out of balance and lack genuine strength. Core training is the key to whatever your fitness goals are.

Fitness beginners and seasoned gym patrons have heard the term “core”, but what is it? The largest misconception is that it is simply the abs, but the core is a collection of complex muscles in the midsection, the front, back, and sides. The muscles of the core are the traverse abdominis, erector spinae, obliques, and lower lats. These core muscles are a group of stabilizer muscles for the entire body. When you train and strengthen these muscles, you’re helping to build a strong and balanced body. 

Why is Core Training So Important?

Apart from building strength and balance, the core is crucial for your quality of life. People who have a weak core, or who don’t practice using their core when they’re doing certain movements are more susceptible to injuries. These injuries are often the result of straining a part of the body, or putting the body in a position that it cannot tolerate. This is especially true when it comes to exercise and weight training. 

Whether you’re focusing on cardio exercises like running and jumping, or doing heavy lifting exercises like deadlifts or squats, you need to be sure your core is strong so you can prevent spinal compression and strain. A common physical ailment in people with a weak core is lower back problems. This is because most of our daily movement, at the gym and in everyday life revolves around using the back/core. With weak stabilizer muscles, parts of your body can give out easily in comparison to someone with a conditioned core. 

How To Build Your Core Muscles with Slam Ball Exercises

If you have a stronger core, you can support more weight. So, how do you build your core? There are dozens of quality and effective core workout options. However, remember that the core is about balance: front, back, and sides. Be cautious of over-doing certain workouts that only target one angle of your core. You should also be wary of “so-called” core workouts that focus too much on the superficial muscles such as the front abs and obliques.  

As we mentioned before,  simplicity and effectiveness are key to any workout regimen, especially for beginners. One piece of equipment has been at the focal point of that idea. A medicine ball or a slam ball is simply a weighted ball, ranging from 3 pounds up to over 100 pounds. They are amazing and effective for not just core, but full-body workouts. 

The slam ball does something that a lot of equipment does not do; it gives the athlete complete control of the movement all while having to deal with the resistance. This directly encourages engagement from the core and other stabilizer muscles. The slam ball has allowed many people to get in great shape with very little space and also little money. This is why every professional, public, and home gym should have slam balls. 

6 Slam Ball Exercises for Building Your Core

As we continue to mention, building a truly strong core means conditioning it from all angles. It doesn’t hurt if other parts of your body are being worked out simultaneously. Here are some effective exercises to do with a slam ball for core and full-body work:

Overhead Slams

1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, knees and hips slightly bent, holding a slam ball in both hands at your torso. 
2. Squat down slightly, inhale, then stand, pressing into heels, rising to the balls of your feet and lift the medicine ball overhead. 
3. Using the core and arms,  slam the slam ball straight down between your feet with as much force as possible, bending hips and knees helps to add more force.
4. Squat down to pick up the ball from the floor, repeat. 
5. Start with 3 – 4 sets of 10 – 12 reps.

Squat/Press and Throw 

1. With a slam ball, stand with feet about hip-width apart and toes pointed slightly out.
2. Place hands under the ball, and hold it at chest/neck level.
3. Squat down until thighs are parallel with the ground – make sure knees do not pass the toes.
4. Stand from the squat and toss the slam ball straight overhead so that the ball leaves your hands.
5. Catch the ball and squat/repeat from step 3. 
6. Start with 3-4 sets of 8 -10 reps

Lunge w/ Twist (Slam Ball Edition)

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the slam ball in front of you with elbows bent about 90 degrees. 
3. Step forward with right foot into a basic lunge position.
4. Twist your upper body to the right, engage the core, squeeze the glutes.
5. Outstretch the arms to the right.
6. Slowly and controlled, bring your arms, then midsection back to the center.
7. Step the forward foot back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
8. Start with 2 sets of 10 reps per side.

Lunge w/ Overhead Press

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the slam ball in front of you with elbows bent about 90 degrees. 
3. Step forward with right foot into a basic lunge position. 
4. Outstretch the arms straight overhead.
5. Slowly and controlled, bring your arms back to the center.
6. Step the forward foot back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
7. Start with 2 sets of 10 reps per side.

Slam Ball Push-Up

1. Get into a standard push-up position and balance with both hands placed on the Slam Ball.
2. Your body should be in a straight line from ankles to shoulders.
3. Lower the entire body until the chest nearly touches the ball.
4. Pause then push up back to the starting position.
5. Start with 2 -3 sets of 8 -10 reps.

Weighted V-Up 

1. Start by lying on your back, extend your arms overhead, legs straight, feet pointed.
2. Simultaneously lift the upper body and legs off the floor, keeping  legs straight,
3. Engage the core as you reach for your toes with your hands.
4. Slowly lower back to the starting position.
5. Start with 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps

This is just a small list of course, but one that can kickstart your fitness journey to a stronger, more agile you. You can designate one day a week as a “core day” where all you do is core movements. 

Archon Slam Balls Will Be Your New Favorite Workout Accessory 

Core training is a critical component to anyone looking to get into shape for a sport or improving their lifestyle and functioning. Unfortunately, effective core training is often neglected and most people simply focus on sit-ups and side bends. The stronger your core is, the more strength you can have in the gym, on the field, and in your daily life. 

Slam ball training isn’t just for your core, most of the exercises we mentioned here work a variety of other muscles as well. Training with a slam ball will give you more opportunities to get in shape without a ton of workout equipment. Since we believe that the best way for people to form a fitness habit is with simplicity, Archon offers a variety of slam balls ranging in weight so beginners and pros can get in on all the slam ball action. If you want a fitness regimen that’s simple and cheap, get into slam ball training, your body (and wallet) will thank you for it! Check out Archon’s collection of slam balls and other fitness equipment at www.fitarchon.com.