Sometimes it seems everything old is new again. That's certainly the case when it comes to fitness.
Medicine Balls that have been around for decades are being rediscovered by fitness fans of all ages. They work the core muscles we hear so much about, but that's not all they do.
With a Medicine Ball, a basic exercise like a lunge becomes much more for Jessica Iodence. It doesn't take long to feel it.
Jessica says, "It's just kind of another tool in your tool belt. If you're looking for something that you're not used to, it definitely gets you to work muscles that you're looking for."
Better still, we can do that while moving the way we do in real life, to make what we do in life work better for us whether it's reaching for things; twisting from side-to-side or even throwing, all while strengthening what certified fitness trainer Lori Johnson calls critical muscles.
Lori says, "It's all about core these days. You're going to hear that over and over and over. If your workout isn't incorporating core activity in some way then it's not really a full workout. So that's one of the things I like. It creates an instable surface for a bench press. It makes you activate your core and I like it because it does change it up a little bit."
It's hard to get bored when you're trying to balance on a Medicine Ball. The challenge keeps Jessica coming back for more and because the weight of Medicine Balls vary, they're good for children, elite athletes, even seniors -- anyone who wants a good workout.
Medicine Balls vary in weight from two to 30 pounds. An 8 to 15 pound ball gives a good abdominal core workout. A four to 10 pound ball is good for tossing exercises while a 15 to 30 pound ball can be used for leg exercises.