How to Make Your Own Medicine Ball

Exercise gets expensive quick.  Not to worry a little innovation can go a long way.

Step 1: Items You Will Need

As with all things, there is certainly more than one way to do things.  Here you will notice I have an old basketball I picked up at a yard sale for 10 cents, play sand, funnel, scissors, rubber cement, shop towels and patches.

There are a few different acceptable ways to seal the ball.  I will go over the method I used and why I chose to do it.

Step 2: Make a Hole in the Ball

I put an air nozzle in the ball to drain the air.  I then chose to puncture the ball with a scissors.  The object here is to make a hole large enough to get your funnel in but not too large that you will have difficulty sealing it.

Step 3: Insert Funnel and Fill Your Ball

I used a small funnel.  If I had a larger one I most definitely would have used it.  Once your funnel is inserted you can begin to add your filler.  I wanted a pretty heavy medicine ball to work with so I chose play sand as my filler.  I have also made them with pea gravel and rubber mulch.  The various fillers will of course give you different weight combinations.  I have also combined fillers for in between weights on different items I have made for my garage gym.

It takes a little time and patience to get all of the sand into your ball. 

Step 4: Sealing the Ball

This is definitely the tricky part.  We need to seal the ball.  We also want the ball to be able to take a pounding after all that is what its intended for.  That being said, lets take a look at the method I chose to accomplish this.

1.  Insert shop towels.  This will provide a sand free environment to work with to allow your seal idea to have the best chance to work.  I repeat this step until most of the leftover area that i could not get sand into is taken up. 

2.  Squeeze in some rubber cement to fill the void.  Note: there is certainly cheaper brands you can use that will work just fine.  Don't get hung up on the exact rubber sealant I used. It doesn't matter that much.

3.  Clean the area and Patch the hole.

Step 5: Decide Whether or Not You Have to Make More :)

My 5 year old lovse to practice and train for wrestling.  So If you have a little fitness freak like i do, don't put the equipment away just yet.  Almost everything I make I make a smaller version for my little wrestler so he can participate if he chooses.

Enjoy your medicine balls!!!