Add these 8 amazing lower body medicine ball exercises to your fitness routine

It can be easy to forget the lower body when exercising and instead only focus on improving upper body strength. Exercise and strength training should be all about balance, and this means working out the entire body and not forgetting any groups of muscles, such as those in the legs.

Leg workouts can be performed on separate days from upper body ones, and you can always get inventive with your exercises — meaning that you do not have to rely on conventional running and gym apparatus workouts for your legs. Instead, you can use other methods, such as medicine ball exercises and fitness sandbags, that can make exercising more inventive and fun.

The lower body begins at the hips and ends at the toes. Like the upper body, it is made up of a complex mixture of muscles, bones, joints, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. The knees down to the toes are sometimes referred to as the lower extremities, but even the lower extremities can benefit from exercise.

The lower body consists of the hip joint, which is attached to the pelvic bone. The femur, or thigh bone, runs downwards from this and connects to the knee joint. Below the knee, the shin bone is attached to the ankle joint, which holds the complex bones of the feet.

Some of the lower limb muscles that help to control the movements of the lower body joints include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles.

Medicine ball training is not as restrictive as weight training when it comes to movements that the body is allowed to make during an exercise session. This ensures that joints and muscles are all worked evenly, and this can help improve strength and flexibility.

Medicine ball workouts are beneficial for the core, and they also encourage good posture and spinal alignment. Some traditional weight exercises can lead to an uneven distribution of weight on one side of the body, leading to straining and poor posture, as the body overworks certain muscles to compensate.

Barbell and dumbbell training can be a little restrictive and routine. Medicine ball training adds some fun and newness to any exercise session. This is because there are more varied, enjoyable, and versatile exercises that can be completed in groups or individually with various weighted balls.

The medicine ball squat is a good exercise for both beginners and those at a more advanced level. No matter what weight ball is used, these squats will work the muscles of the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, and adductors.

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An overhead walking lunge with a ball involves holding a medicine ball high over your head, so for safety reasons, it is best to start with a light ball. This type of lunge is good for stretching out the spine and shoulders. It also helps to build the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles.

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Ball slams keep the core tight, stretch the shoulders and spine, and depending on the speed at which each slam is completed, they can also offer a cardio workout in addition to strengthening the shoulders, abdominals, quads, and hamstrings.

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Side lunges strengthen the lower body and help to stretch out the spine.

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A single-leg Romanian deadlift using a medicine ball is a great gentle stretching exercise that helps stabilize the core and improves balance.

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A pistol squat helps to stretch and tone the legs. It also aids in improving balance while engaging your core.

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A wall sit using a medicine ball stretches the arms and shoulders and engages the core. It also utilizes the hamstrings and glutes.

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As the name suggests, a glute extension exercise works the glutes but also engages the core and stabilizes the spine.

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