Why it matters

The Medicine Ball Slam builds strength and size in your rectus abdominis and front deltoids. As a compound movement, it trains several muscles together and carries over to real-world strength and power.

How to do it

Pick a ball weight you can control and clear the space around you before you start.
Set a stable, athletic base with your feet under your hips.
Load your hips and take a breath before the explosive rep.
Be explosive on the way up, moving the load or your body as fast as possible.
Absorb the landing or return softly through your hips and knees.
Reset to a stable, balanced position before the next rep.

Coaching cues

Be explosive on the way up and controlled on the way down.
Land softly on your mid-foot, absorbing through your hips and knees.
Reset fully between reps rather than rushing the next one.
Curl your ribs toward your hips and feel your abs shorten.
Move the ball with intent and catch or reset it under control each rep.

Watch out for

Landing stiff-legged with a hard, loud impact.

A stiff landing wastes the force your legs should be absorbing.

Instead Land quietly and let your hips and knees bend to absorb the force.
Rushing reps and losing power output.

Rushed reps are less explosive, and power is the whole point of the movement.

Instead Take a full reset between reps so each one is maximally explosive.
Letting the knees collapse inward on landing.

A collapsed-knee landing is a weak position to absorb force.

Instead Land with your knees tracking over your toes and your hips back.

The detail

Tempo: Explode on the effort; land and reset under full control.
Breathing: Take a breath and brace before each rep, then exhale on the effort.
Range of motion: Complete the full jump, throw or drive, then reset before the next rep. Take the rectus abdominis through its full working range each rep.
Setting up: Pick a ball weight you can control and clear the space around you before you start.
If you are new to it: Start with lower height or lighter load and step down between reps.
Once it is easy: Increase height, distance or load only while landings stay quiet and controlled.

Safety

Reduce the load if you lose control of the movement.
Stop the set if you feel sharp pain.
When you fatigue, step down rather than jumping down between reps.

Medicine Ball Slam