04
Apr
If you want to get into shape but don’t have a gym that’s located near you, or simply don’t want to go to one, then you will need to get some training equipment that you can use in your home. The problem is that most beginners don’t know what to get since they aren’t sure what would give them the best results. Honestly, it isn’t very difficult, since because most people don’t have the room in their home or enough money to afford to get a huge workout machine, you will be looking for something that is compact, relatively inexpensive and can be used for a variety of workout routines. One of the best items that are capable of meeting all of these requirements are the heavy slam balls.
The heavy slam balls are weighted balls that can range in size but typically are about as big as a standard basketball, but wildly fluctuate in terms of weight and depending on the exercise and how much you yourself can handle can come in anything from difficult to lift to backbreaking. When I say weighted ball used for exercise, your mind probably goes immediately to medicine balls, and yes they are remarkably similar. The difference between them lies in the much denser and more durable rubber that the slam balls are made out of in order to withstand high-velocity impact, which is the type of workout they are centered around. Speaking of workouts, there are three main exercises that revolve around these balls that can produce some incredible results.
First, you have the titular slam. You stand in front of the ball with your legs apart and your feet parallel to each other, and with a flat back you pick up the ball off of the ground, lift it over your head and slam it onto the ground as hard as you can. The slam should be done in one fluid motion, and you shouldn’t worry about any bounce back since that is specifically what these balls are designed to negate.
Next comes the wall ball. Take a shoulder-width stance and hold the ball to your chest, then start throwing it as high as you can against a wall without overly exerting yourself. When the ball descends (and be careful as it will do it fast because of its density) catch it with your outstretched arms, bring it to your chest and at the same time lower your hips at the same rate and bring them below your knees in a crouch stance. Lift up from that stance and use the momentum to throw the ball again and repeat.
And finally, we have the classic ball squat. Start with your feet at a hip-width distance, holding the slam ball at chest height. Bend your knees, send your glutes back and lower into a squat. Pause. Push through your heels and return to the starting stance. This may seem simple, but it’s a classic for a reason and will give you much more of a workout that you would think.
Regardless if you’re using light or heavy slam balls, you will need to be careful doing any of these workouts. All of them are designed to activate and use all of the major muscles in your body and will leave you more worn out than you may anticipate at first. If you are just starting, always always go for half of what you think you can do. Overestimating and overexerting yourself can in the better cases result in having sore muscles for days, and in worse cases in torn ligaments and strains.
