How to Build Your Own Medicine Ball Out of Scraps, Sand, and Duct Tape

By now you probably know that med balls are a great tool to use in your workouts. You can do complex training, make bodyweight calisthenics harder, complete intense cardio workouts, and even build awesome athletes with them. So time to get a med ball, right?

Holy cow they can be expensive. And there's a ton to choose from. Regular sized ones (like a basketball). Big ones (like a beach ball). Little ones (like a softball). Ones that bounce. Ones that don't bounce. Light ones (2-3 pounds). Regular weight ones (~10 pounds). Super heavy ones (40-60+ pounds).

And the price - holy cow. How can a freakin' ball cost in the hundreds of dollars?

Well, let's forget all that and just build our own. It's easy, simple, and should set you back under $20.

You're going to need an old ball (basketball is good, or you could use a soccer ball, volleyball, or whatever, but a basketball will likely have the best grip). You'll also need a knife, a funnel, sand or gravel, epoxy glue, and duct tape.

First, cut an "X" in the ball with the knife. Stick the funnel in the "X", and fill the ball with sand or gravel. Let the sand/gravel settle a bit, or even bounce the ball lightly to help it settle. Finish filling the ball and pullt he funnel out.

The flaps of the "X" should be back where they started, leaving just the "X" itself. Use the epoxy to glue the "X" back shut again. Let dry for as long as needed. Now, take duct tape, and wrap around the "X" all the way around the ball. Wrap along one side of the "X" all the way around, then the other side. When you're done, the ball should look like it has a giant plus sign duct-taped all the way around it.

Depending on the size of the ball, what you packed into it, and how tightly you packed it, your ball should weigh roughly 17-21 pounds, and is ready for any abuse you're ready to dish out to it!

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Ballwall C7 - Ball control - passing and turning

the pass should be sufficiently strong and ball control good. - use both feet - vary the distance to the walls Equipment: 2 x Ballwall Large Wall ballwall.com

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Workout Shoes - Shoes for Strength Training

I've always worked out in just a plain pair of tennis shoes. Rarely to I see or even think that using special shoes would make any difference at all. However, I began to think of better shoe support when I started doing heavy squats. This prompted me to do a little research in specific type shoes for working out that would give me better ankle support and put my feet in a more level position for squats and leg presses.

After some Googling around, I came across the Otomix brand of shoes. There's virtually nothing on the net about workout shoes. There's even less in bodybuilding forums about the subject. Yet soccer players have special shoes, and so do most other athletes. Tennis shoes are great for running but they didn't seem to be wonderful when it came to squatting and doing other heavy leg exercises.

These shoes ( a few versions are available) sell for around $95 on average depending on the website you find, and the sales being offered. With some clever searching, you can find a great price. I ordered my Otomix Ultimate Trainers online and was pleased to see many e-mail and tracking notifications about my order. According to Otomix, these workout shoes were specifically for:

Ultimate Trainer has been designed specifically for weight training and incorporates the new High Performance Bodybuilding system. The HPB system provides a combination of comfort and support utilizing a special wrap around strap adjusted by our innovative lacing system. This shoe is a must for the serious bodybuilder.

Note: Their shoes run a half size small compared to your true shoe size. They suggest that you order a half size larger.

Quickly I opened the box and found everything intact and in brand new condition. I was ready for my leg workout.

Adjusting the laces properly is a must. It came from the factory like most shoes. It wasn't laced thru each of the holes. I fixed the laces and found the shoes to fit nicely and very snug. I felt ankle support and was able to tighten them like a snowboarding boot but not so tight as to be uncomfortable. I headed off to the squat rack.

Doing squats is something I enjoy. Honestly, I enjoy them a bit more now with full support for my feet. These shoes were great first time. NO break in period was necessary. They were comfortable, gave strong ankle support and allowed me to do full squats without any annoying feet issues. I felt like my feet were flat and firmly place on the floor with good traction. Moving onto the leg press, same thing. NO odd arches, no slippage, and good solid firm foot placement for a good pressing motion.

I only use these shoes on leg days. That is really where I want the support. I do not wear them outside for walking around. They are just like gym gloves. Used in that environment as appropriate. The soles of the shoe are good for traction in a smooth, flat gym environment. These particular shoes are not made to be worn as a street shoe. That would be a big mistake. You'd wear out the tread in days and be out $100 very fast. However, in the gym, where they are meant to be, these shoes were incredibly superior.

My overall reaction and opinion of my Otomix workout shoes are very favourable. I would recommend them to anybody looking for some comfortable, high quality, long lasting footwear that is designed specifically for the gym.

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