Exercise guide
Medicine Ball Roll Plank
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Waist
The Medicine Ball Roll Plank is a dynamic core stability exercise that challenges the abs and obliques to resist rotation while building shoulder and tricep endurance. By moving the ball between hands, you force the upper body to stabilize against an uneven surface, enhancing functional strength.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet slightly wider than hip-width for a stable base.
- Place a medicine ball under your right hand, keeping your left hand flat on the floor.
- Engage your core, glutes, and quads to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
How to do it
- Inhale to brace your core, then exhale as you roll the medicine ball across the floor to your left hand.
- Catch the ball with your left hand and stabilize your weight, ensuring your hips do not tilt or rotate.
- Pause for one second in the single-arm supported position before rolling the ball back to the right side.
- Maintain a slow, controlled tempo, focusing on keeping the torso perfectly parallel to the ground.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips square to the floor; do not let them rock side-to-side as the ball moves.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid letting your lower back sag or your hips hike upward.
- Keep your neck neutral by looking at a spot on the floor about 6 inches in front of your hands.
- Ensure the stationary hand is pushing actively into the floor to stabilize the shoulder.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'anti-rotation' by imagining a glass of water sitting on your lower back that you cannot spill.
- Squeeze your glutes as hard as possible to provide a secondary anchor for your pelvis during the weight shift.
Make it harder
- Narrow your foot stance to decrease your base of support, significantly increasing the core stability requirement.
- Perform a single-arm push-up (staggered) with one hand on the ball before rolling it to the other side.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the medicine ball roll plank work?
- The medicine ball roll plank primarily targets the abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals, and also works the erector spinae and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the medicine ball roll plank?
- The medicine ball roll plank uses medicine ball.
- Is the medicine ball roll plank good for beginners?
- The medicine ball roll plank is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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