Can children use medicine balls? Which weight is suitable?

Friday, April 26, 2024

In a world where it’s increasingly normal for children to look at screens for hours on end each day, there is a determined group of parents intent on introducing the joys and health benefits of exercise from a young age. The goal is simple: for exercise to become ingrained in their kid’s daily lives so that they become naturally active and healthy adults.

There’s never been a better time to gift your child the love of exercise. But how do you create a desire to look after your body and a love of keeping fit? That’s easy – you make it both challenging and fun. And we’ve got just the tool for the job.

It’s crucial to build stabilization endurance so that your kids will have a successful transition into more strength training as teenagers and beyond.

To establish a good foundation, focus on balance, accuracy, agility and coordination. These skills will help them master the art of the medicine ball and get the most out of their training.

Can medicine balls be incorporated into children’s exercise regimes?

When used safely, under supervision, and at a weight that is appropriate for their strength and skill level, weighted medicine balls are a fantastic workout aid for kids. They’re a great resource for PE teachers to introduce a more varied routine into their fitness classes.

While it’s considered a low risk, high reward training tool, selecting the right medicine ball is essential to keep your child interested and injury-free.

Starting at age six, we suggest starting with a soft-shell 2lb medicine ball, increasing in weight and size as your child grows in both size and strength.

Alternatively, as your child develops their strength and coordination, you can gradually introduce more challenging exercises with your medicine ball to promote continued progress. Up to 6Ibs is typically recommended for pre-teen children up to the age of 12.

Benefits of medicine balls for kids

Aside from improving cardiovascular health with routine full-body workouts, medicine balls contribute to the development of stable core muscles in children, which is key for improving balance and stability. Medicine ball exercises often involve throwing and catching, assisting the development of hand-eye coordination in kids.

Interesting games provide the perfect bonding opportunity for the family and keep exercise firmly in the ‘fun’ category – an essential requirement when building a life-long passion for fitness. Introducing games when throwing the ball between partners is a great place to start; add in squats or rotations when they’re ready, and challenge each other with planks and repetitions.

To get younger children engaged in resistance and strength training, throw in some fun sequences of squats, throws and rotations. We recommend overhead throws, chest passes, catches and wall throws, all of which make great partner work for parents to enjoy with their child and for children to work together in PE class.

Keep fitness at the forefront of your child’s mind with a 2lb medicine ball – shop the Dynamax store now for durable medicine balls, hand-crafted in the USA and approved by athletes.