Valeo medicine ball feature sturdy rubber construction with a textured surface for superior grip. The ball's durable construction allows it to bounce off hard surfaces. Includes an exercise wall chart. Helps develop core strength and improve coordination, balance, and endurance.

This is my first medicine ball purchase. Thanks to the other positive reviewers, I decided to purchase it. I am picky when it comes to adding exercise equipment to my collection since a lot of exercise equipment out there is either poorly made or ends up not being used thus taking up space in the home. Because of this I seek quality and simplicity in my exercise equipment yet having the versatility for various exercises. I found this medicine ball to be a good fit. In the past, I have used different medicine balls in the gym occasionally as a supplement to my workout. However, these days I am training to become quicker by doing more explosive exercises. A few resources out there recommended a medicine ball for this kind of training so I bought it.

I'm very happy with this medicine ball. It seems well made, and its deeply textured surface and medium/small size (8.5" in diameter) make it very easy to handle. When I bought this Valeo 8-pound ball, I also ordered a TKO 12-pound ball, which has some distinct differences. The TKO turned out to be much larger: at 11" in diameter, it's even bigger than a basketball, and the texturing on the TKO is not as deep.

All in all, I'm glad I ended up with the combination of one smaller, lighter medicine ball and one bulkier, heavier medicine ball. The larger size of the TKO makes it harder to handle - which is a good thing, because it makes it more of a workout to manipulate it. For exercises like the squat press or medicine-ball curl, I prefer the larger size of the TKO ball, while for exercises more focused on range-of-motion, the smaller Valeo ball is a great tool. If you're considering a pair of these, this might be an option to explore. They both seem equally well made, despite their differences.

urface Material:

The grip is superb due to its sticky rubber construction but I will need to see how quickly the surface fades over time. At less than $30, I think this is worth the cost if it lasts me at least 5 years. The textured surface and grooves also increases the grip and I did notice some soreness on my skin and finger tips after using it as one reviewer mentioned. As soon as you take it out of the box, you will notice that the ball has a strong rubber smell and after you use the ball you will notice a somewhat sticky/slick feeling on your hands which can be washed away with soap. If you plan to bounce it off a wall, make sure the wall surface is hard such as brick material and not drywall material. Also, the ball may leave scuff marks on certain surfaces. I like the black and blue color and it looks just like the picture featured on Amazon.

Size and Specs:

Like a few reviewers have mentioned already, the medicine ball has the similar size of a basketball but to me it looks smaller than an official men's basketball. It looks more like a junior/youth size basketball. The box states that the actual weight may vary by + or - 5%. My ball weighed in at 9.5 lbs which is acceptable to me. The inflation was good but I do not know how long it will be until I need to pump more air. I emailed Valeo's customer service and they told me that they did not have a specific PSI recommendation and suggested that "the ball should be inflated until firm as a basketball". I appreciated their quick response. The medicine ball is made in China.

There are a lot of exercises that you can do with dumbbells as a substitute for a medicine ball. However there are also lots of things you can only do with a medicine ball that you cannot or should not do with dumbbells. Thanks to the rubber and bouncy feature of this medicine ball, I can throw it up in the air and catch it without worrying too much about accidentally dropping it and causing damage to myself or the floor as a dumbbell would. However at 10 lbs. it is still a heavy object and you should not underestimate it and focus on catching it properly. This medicine ball is also great for basketball training such as increasing your vertical jump and agility but it is not for practicing your shots and despite its bounce, it is too heavy for dribbling. I appreciate the fold out sheet for suggested exercises but I recommend that you also research for different exercises to make the most use of it.

But if you're just looking for a mid-weight, easy-to-handle ball, definitely get yourself the Valeo.