Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Exercise of the Week: Medicine Ball Wood Chop (w/ Squat)

The Medicine Ball Wood Chop (w/ Squat) is an awesome exercise that combines the hamstring and glute burning of a squat with the core flexibility and strength training of a wood chop. This can be done on the ground, on a balance disc or on one leg (for an obvious increase in difficulty).

Instructions:

1. Take a medicine ball of moderate heaviness and hold it with both hands. Raise the medicine ball above your head, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Take a stance with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointing forward.

2. Ease into a squat by bending at the knees and lowering your butt towards the ground. Keep your back straight and a slight inward curve in your lumbar spine.

3. Lower the medicine ball from overhead down towards your knees as you squat so that by the time your thighs are parallel to the ground your arms are all the way down. Hold the down squat position for a second and then stand back up as you raise the ball up and back overhead.

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