A great workout that you can do at home before going to work. A medicine ball is a great piece of kit that’s been around since the time of Hippocrates. He would get his patients to throw them at each other and catch them to improve their health. Physical exercise was considered an intrinsic part of the approach to maintaining good health. So in case you ever wondered how they got such a name now you know!

Ok here’s the workout. I do this with a 20lb (9 kg) ball but anything you can handle will do. Try not to go for anything less than 5 kg if possible. Warm up with 5 mins or so of shadow boxing before beginning and stretch all parts of your body afterwards. No resting between exercises but take 60 secs at the end of each circuit before beginning again. Go around at least twice but 3 times is better!

1. Start with ball under chest in push up position, hands either side, explsove push up to balance on ball with both hands, back to hands either side - repeat 10 times
2. Crunches with the ball held over your head - 15 reps
3. Squat and rise explosively throwing the ball straight up, catch it, drop straight into squat- repeat 20 times
4. Tricep push ups both hands on ball - 10 reps
5. Side lunges holding ball to chest - 10 each side
6. To push up position, right hand on ball left on the ground, push up explosively, keeping the ball still place both hands on the ball. Place the right hand on the ground and keep the left on the ball. Push up explosively and balance with both hands on the ball again for a moment. Put the left hand on the ground and keep the right on the ball. Thats constitutes 2 reps - do 10 reps
7. Turkish get ups - 5 reps with the ball in the left hand; 5 reps with it in the right.

Rest for 1 minute then start the circuit again.

This circuit hits just about everything cardio, explosive strenght for striking, the ability to push with the entire body against someone else when forced to deal with grappling.

Enjoy!