MEDICINE BALLS.

(this may seem like a really random topic, but i used a medicine ball in netball training yesterday.)

DEFINITION:

A medicine ball (also known as an exercise ball, a med ball, or a fitness ball) is a weightedball roughly the diameter of the shoulders (approx. 14 inches). Often used for rehabilitation andstrength training, it serves an important role in the field of sports medicine. It should not be confused with the larger, inflated exercise ball.

CONSTRUCTION:

medicine balls are generally constructed of a leather or vinyl covered nylon cloth, and filled with impact absorbing materials to give them weight. Vinyl covered medicine balls typically are sand filled and are not used for exercises requiring bouncing. Sand or steel shot filled neoprene bags are also used for medicine ball exercises not requiring bouncing.

Some medicine balls have an inner half sphere of dense material in varying thicknesses and seamed together with an outer rubber shell. Other medicine balls have a thin rubber bladdercovered by a thick rubber outer surface. Medicine balls that are constructed with an inner rubber bladder and rubber outer surface incorporate an air valve to pump up the ball and increase the bounce. The outer rubber surface has indented designs for easy handling. Over time the rubber surface may wear down if the medicine ball has been used on rough surfaces.

Other types of medicine ball include balls made of gel-filled polyvinyl chloride shells, balls made of solid polyurethane, and neoprene bags filled with sand or steel shot. The materials can vary depending on the desired weight and density.

A basketball can be filled with sand, stitched shut, and used as an effective low-price medicine ball where resources are scarce, and is popular in, for example, home "garage" gymnasia.