30 Minute Medicine Ball Ab Workout (15 min. Option Available)

Tired of the same Russian twists to tighten and tone your abs with a medicine ball? Not to worry, below you'll find multiple new movements you can mix and match to create your perfect medicine ball ab workout.

The way it works is by engaging your abdominals to control the exercise, you’re working and strengthening those muscles. Not only are you achieving defined abs but you’re performing the exercise with the right form which is just as important. 

This 30-minute medicine ball ab workout will help you tighten and tone your upper, middle, and lower abs and obliques along with other muscles such as your quadriceps and latissimus dorsi. 

Plus, if you don't want an entire thirty minutes or have that much time, simply split the exercises below and you'll have two 15-minute medicine ball ab workouts to keep your routine fun and challenging for your core.

Pullover Crunches

Reps: 8  Sets: 3  Rest: 60 seconds

 

 

These pullover crunches will work your rectus abdominis and your transverse abdominis while also targeting your arms, lats, and shoulders.

1. Lie on a yoga mat faceup with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your arms overhead holding your medicine ball with both hands. 
3. Lift your hands, shoulders, and lower back off the floor, reaching your toes.
4. Reverse to starting position, holding medicine ball overhead and legs extended. 

 

Spiderman High Planks

Reps: 30 seconds  Sets: 3  Rest: 30 seconds

 

 

Keep your plank game strong by adding these Spiderman High Planks to your workout.  These planks will strengthen and tone your arms, back, rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis.

1. Start in a high plank position, but placing your hands on your medicine ball instead of the floor.
2. Drive your left knee forward toward your left elbow.  Stop before you reach your elbow.
3. Step back into the plank position. 
4. Drive your right knee towards your right elbow.
5. Step back into the plank position. 
6. Alternate back and forth.

Pro tip: Perform this exercise at a more rapid pace to get your heart rate up and make it more difficult.

Medicine Ball ABC’s

Sets: 3  Rest: 45 seconds

 

 

Don’t let these ABC’s throw you a curveball; this ab exercise will challenge your rectus abdominis and obliques.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Start with your medicine ball at your chest level and slowly start writing the cursive alphabet in front of you. 
3. Use abdominals to keep your body from twisting. 

Pro tip:  To make this more difficult, try this while standing on a balance trainer.

Leg Drops

Reps: 15  Sets: 3  Rest: 30 seconds

 

 

These leg drops will work your rectus abdominis and obliques by using them to control the movement.

1. Lie flat on the floor with arms on your sides and hold your legs straight up.
2. Place the medicine ball between your feet.
3. Slowly lift your legs up and lower them as low as you can, using your abdominals then lift back up for the prescribed reps. 

Medicine Ball Roll-Outs

Reps: 10  Sets: 3  Rest: 30 seconds

 

 

Let the good times roll with these rollouts that will shape your rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis.

1. Start in a pushup position with your feet hip-width apart. Keep knees on the floor to modify. 
2. Place your hands on top of the medicine ball.
3. Slowly push your hands forward, rolling the ball. 
4. Reach as far out as you can while still keeping your body in a straight line. This is where your abdominals work to keep yourself stable and controlled. 
5. Once you’ve gotten as far as you can, roll the medicine ball back, stopping at the shoulders.

Pro tip:  To make this more challenging, start with your feet closer together.

 

Dead Bugs With a Medicine Ball

Reps: 5  Sets: 3  Rest: 30 seconds

 

 

Un-bee-lievably, dead bugs will target all of your core muscles but especially your transverse abdominis!

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and above your hips.
2. Hold the medicine ball up with both hands against both thighs close to your knees.
3. Extend your right arm back while simultaneously extending your left leg.  You should be holding the medicine ball with your left hand and right leg.
4. Reverse the movement and return your right arm and left leg to their starting positions. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps then switch to the other side. 
5. Extend out your left arm back while simultaneously extending your right leg.

And that’s it!  Now you have plenty of new moves to challenge yourself with your new 30-minute medicine ball ab workout.