There is plenty of medicine out there to make us healthier when we are sick, but how about a special type of medicine to make us fitter and stronger when we are feeling lethargic and out of shape?

The type of medicine we shall examine today comes not in the form of a capsule, powder or gel, but rather a large sphere. They used to be large, brown, covered in leather or felt, and could be found in old school physical education halls and gymnastics gyms.

Today they come in all sizes and colours, and can be seen rolling around private, home and commercial gyms, used for a wacky array of cool exercises and drills. In case you haven’t guessed it yet, the piece of kit bouncing off this page today will be none other than the good old fashioned medicine ball.

For new visitors to the gym, or those of you starting out a brand new exercise programme at home or anywhere else, fun is possibly the most important element that will determine success or failure to adhere to your new regimen during this delicate phase.

So many new gym members train through their first week or two, only never to be seen again. If you are training with a partner or friend and embarking on those first crucial steps together, today we will see just one of the ways in which we can ensure you don’t just enjoy yourselves, but have a ball; a medicine ball to be precise.

Before you climb all over treadmills, cross-trainers and bicep machines, or advise your trainer you will only follow the latest Hollywood celebrity workout and not a repetition less, here’s an alternative plan for the first two weeks of your noble gesture to feel and look healthier.

All we need is two willing participants, and a medicine ball weighing one to two kilograms for ladies, or anywhere from two to five for the gentlemen. If you get this sequence right, you can halt your ever-failing fitness endeavours from going round in circles once and for all, and roll on to a beach body that will have heads spinning this summer.

Grab the medicine ball and stand back to back. The first drill in the sequence will mobilise your spine and target your core rotational muscles.

Pass the ball round your side with both hands to your partner at about tummy height. You’ll have to twist at the waist while keeping your feet firmly planted right where they are.

Your partner receives the ball, and hands it back to you round the other side. Count a pass every time the ball changes hands. After 10 passes, change direction and repeat.

Take a half step forward, still back to back, open up your stance so your feet are about double shoulder-width apart, and this time you will pass the ball over and under, rather than around.

Bend over and feed the ball to your partner through both sets of legs, while your partner lifts the ball to hand it back to you above both your heads. Repeat 10 passes and change direction, repeating on the other way round.

Here you are working your hamstrings, butt, lower back and shoulders when raising the ball up to pass over head, and your upper back, abdominals and hip flexors when passing the ball down through your legs.

Onto our third drill, stand facing each other anywhere from three to five metres apart. Pass the ball to your partner by bringing it in towards your chest, and forcefully extending your arms straight out.

Fully straighten the arms and follow through with your finger tips with a movement that resembles opening a closed set of curtains. Upon receiving the ball again, do so with outstretched arms and open palms, and draw the ball back into your chest as you catch it.

This is a great move for strengthening and toning the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Ladies, that includes the area on the back of your upper arms you may or may not have already grown to despise. Perform 10 passes each and we can flow seamlessly onto drill number four.

Proceed as before; however, upon receiving the ball, perform a squat movement with the ball pulled in close to your chest. Keep your weight on your heels, sit back, and descend until your thighs are as close as possible to parallel with the floor. Stand up and throw the ball back.

Another 10 passes each and your butt and thighs will be crying for mercy. Squats here can be substituted for alternating forward or rearward lunges.

For the bravest of you, over and above the squat, drop down and perform one press-up immediately after passing the ball, jumping straight back up to receive it again.

Down to the core issues for drill number five; it is time to finish off those abdominal and oblique muscles. Immediately upon completing the previous drill, sit down on the floor with your knees slightly bent.

Lean your upper body back slightly keeping your tummy tight to generate tension in your abdominal region; the upper body and thighs should resemble a ‘V’ shape. Chest pass the ball to each other 10 times each, and with no rest proceed to another 10 passes with a slight modification.

With ball in hand, twist and touch the ball against the floor on the left side of your hips, repeat to the right, and then pass; so the rhythm is, ‘touch, touch, pass’.

That is the sequence, now repeat it from start to finish three times, and you’ve just completed a full body workout. Don’t let the body of our dreams pass you by, grab a medicine ball and start passing today!

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