Wall Ball Shot

Also known as: Wall Ball, Wall Balls, Medicine Ball Wall Throw

ExplosivePlyometricCardioFunctionalPush

Track this exercise in SmartWorkout

Log sets, weights and progress for free, with no workout limits.

Body Part: Legs

Description

The wall ball shot combines a squat with an overhead throw. Holding a medicine ball at your chest, squat until your hips drop below your knees, drive up explosively and throw the ball to a target high on the wall. Catch it as it comes down and sink straight into the next squat.

How to Perform

Stand facing a wall about half a step away, feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly out.
Hold the medicine ball at chest height with both hands on its sides, slightly underneath, and your elbows pointing down.
Brace your core and squat until your hips drop below your knees. Keep your chest up and your heels on the floor.
Drive up explosively through your whole foot and fully extend your hips and knees.
Carry that momentum into your arms and throw the ball to the target on the wall, finishing with your arms extended overhead.
Catch the ball at chest height with bent elbows as it comes down.
As you catch it, sink straight into the next squat and repeat until the set is done.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Aim at the same spot on every rep. The standard target height is 3 m (10 ft) for men and 2.7 m (9 ft) for women.
Keep the ball tight to your chest in the squat so it does not pull your torso forward.
Look up at the target before you throw, then follow the ball with your eyes as it drops.
Breathe out on the throw and take a quick breath as you catch.
Use a lighter ball than the usual 9 kg for men or 6 kg for women if you cannot hit the target for the whole set.
In long sets, take short planned breaks before your throws start missing the target.

Common Mistakes

Squatting too shallow, with the hips staying above the knees
Letting the knees cave inward as you stand up
Lifting the heels at the bottom of the squat
Rounding the lower back at the bottom of the squat
Throwing with the arms only, after the legs have already straightened
Standing too far from the wall, so the ball flies forward and rebounds out of reach
Catching the ball with straight arms instead of bending the elbows to absorb it
Pausing upright after the catch instead of riding the ball down into the squat