Wall Ball

A full-body conditioning exercise that joins a front squat and a throw: holding a soft wall ball at your chest, you squat down, drive up and throw the ball to a target high on a wall, then catch it and go straight into the next squat. The legs and hips produce the power and the arms finish the throw.

How to do it

1. Stand facing a wall about an arm's length away, feet shoulder-width apart, holding the ball at your chest with both hands.
2. Keep your elbows under the ball and your chest up.
3. Squat down until your hips are at or below knee height, keeping your heels on the floor.
4. Drive up hard through your legs and hips and, as you rise, throw the ball up to the target with both arms.
5. Catch the ball at chest height as it comes down, letting your arms absorb it.
6. Go straight into the next squat with the catch and repeat for the planned repetitions.

Tips

• Let the legs throw the ball: the push from the squat should carry it most of the way, the arms only finish the movement.
• Keep your chest up and the ball close to your body in the squat so your back stays neutral.
• Catch and squat in one movement; resting with the ball at the top breaks the rhythm and tires the shoulders.

Muscles

Primary: Glutes (max), Quadriceps

Secondary: Front deltoid, Abs, Triceps