How to make your own medicine ball

This instructable will show you how to make your own medicine ball, for use with all different kinds of exercises, for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one!

Step 1 Get a basketball!

I bought my basketball from Wal-mart for $6, so you can definitely find one for under $10.
To fill the basketball, you have a few choices:

1.) I cut two slits in the ball, making a triangular flap.
I then taped the flap back, and filled my ball with sand.
Closing a flap is a little messy, but I had intended on taping the ball anyway, so it made my filling quicker.

2.) You could use an awl or a drill to put a hole in one of the black stripes on the ball.
Fill the ball with a small funnel, and then patch with a radial tire patch kit.

Comments

[The Locksmith]

oh yesh, this is awesome. I love to do 'ABCs' with a medicine ball, but my 6lb ball us getting too easy, and I can't afford a heavier one. Fortunately I have the materials for this! I will post photos when it's all done.

[HEY YOU]

Nice work

If you have access to a metal stamping shop, try asking for some small metal slugs to fill the ball... My basketball is only 3/4 full and weighs about 25 pounds, I find the ball pretty easy to hold.

Cheers

[chipfernandez]

Just a tip for your consideration....apply a back massager (or anything that vibrates) to the side of the ball while filling it up. This way the air will work it's way out and more sand can fit in.

[kelsium]

Thanks for the great instructable. I have been looking for a cheap medicine ball and this is perfect.

[samthor]

I've found cutting the top of a soda/ water bottle works well as a funnel.

[spivurno]

Awesome, awesome instructable! Saved me a mess load of money!

[jamiesoncostello]

Hey, anytime! That's what I'm here for haha

[stephenniall]

you should fill it to nearly the brim with sand then miz with some water the sand will expand making it Alot heavier

[DEFDOM DELTA]

I followed this instructable a couple months back with a deflated basketball I found while on a run. My ball came out to exactly 20lbs. I use it for ab work mostly. Great job!

[benthekahn]

What if the ball was filled with water through the normal air inlet?

[jamiesoncostello]

I thought about it, but haven't tried it yet. The ball would be lighter (I think) since common sense makes me think the density of sand is more than the density of water. But I sure wouldn't want to risk any of the seams bursting if it WERE filled with water.

[benthekahn]

sand is more dense then water, but water fills more area. Something "filled" with sand is probably about 1/3 air.

[jamiesoncostello]

True. I still don't think you'll be able to cram 3 and 1/8 gallons of water into one basketball though. So the sand will still be heavier, air and all.

[myth-bstr225]

awsome instructable, I can't wait to do this over thanksgiving break I think that if someone is smart enough to make one of these for themselves then they should be smart enough to know not to drop it on thier foot. LOL

[taokodr]

Awesome entry! My medicine ball turned out to be ~25 lbs. Now I just need to figure out what to do with all the extra Gorilla glue ;-) Peace! GB!

[jamiesoncostello]

You can never have "extra" gorilla glue in my book! Consider it an incentive for a new project! ahaha glad you liked the instructable.

[Darkshot]

wow....you say haha before you say you should put a disclaimer...wow...lol..........enyway is hockey tape just regular ol' electrical tape?

[jamiesoncostello]

I had to laugh, I assumed it was a joke. As with all weights and exercise equipment, among other things, dropping it on your foot will hurt.
Theres my disclaimer :)

[Darkshot]

rofl.... i like you man :) your cool and yeah i droped a 25 pound weight directly on the center of my foot one time in weight trianing... lets just say it left a dent in the foot but not a bruse....which is weird :)...the dent came out after a few days but it hurt for like 3 days after that =/

[BlindTreeFrog]

No. It's a soft tape kind of like athletic tape. It's designed to givea rough, but still somewhat soft, surface to the handle of hockey sticks so that they can keep grip during the game. Lacross and field hockey sticks would use the same stuff. Worst case, athletic tape might work too.

[sgt.paper]

awsome i droped it on my foot and broke my toe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jamiesoncostello]

Haha i should put a disclaimer then huh?