legs
Medicine Ball Deadlift
You squat down to pick up a medicine ball from between your feet and stand up tall. The easiest way to learn to lift from the floor with a flat back.
beginnermedicine ball
BEFORE YOU START1
- Put the ball on the floor between your feet.
HOW TO DO IT
Get into position
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the ball between them.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to reach the ball.
- Grab the ball with both hands and flatten your back.
Check: You are crouched with a flat back, chest up, holding the ball between your feet.
Stand up
- Push the floor away with your legs and stand up tall, keeping the ball close.
- Squeeze your buttocks at the top.
Check: You are standing tall holding the ball at arm's length in front of your thighs.
Lower
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to set the ball back between your feet.
Check: The ball is back on the floor and your back stayed flat.
That is one rep. Repeat for your set.
Breathe in and brace before you lower; lower for 2 to 3 seconds; breathe out as you stand up.
MUSCLES WORKED
hamstringsglutescore
Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.
COMMON MISTAKES2
- Rounding the back to reach the ball. The habit that hurts backs with heavier weights later. Fix: Bend your knees more and lift your chest.
- Hips rising before the chest. Fix: Lift your chest and hips together.
SAFETY1
- Learn this before trying a barbell deadlift.
RELATED EXERCISES
harder: dumbbell deadlift, kettlebell sumo deadlift
variants: kettlebell swings
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