Medicine ball slam: how to do it, muscles worked and variations
Dynamic ball throws for full-body power.
- Main muscles
- Deltoid, Latissimus dorsi, Rectus abdominis, Gluteus maximus
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps brachii, Quadriceps
- Equipment
- Medicine ball, BOSU balance trainer
- Variations
- 4
All 4 variations
Medicine ball slam
Explosive vertical medicine ball throw against the floor that combines trunk, shoulders and hips.
Form. Raise the ball with controlled ribs, slam it into the floor in front of you and pick it up with a safe hinge or squat.
Common mistake. Hyperextending the lower back at the top, throwing near other people, or rounding the back when picking up the ball.
Kneeling medicine ball slam
Medicine ball slam against the floor from a kneeling position, which concentrates the effort on the trunk and shoulders without leg help.
Form. Kneeling with an upright trunk, take the ball overhead stretching your body and slam it hard into the floor in front of you flexing the trunk; pick it up and repeat.
Common mistake. Arching the lower back at the top, throwing only with the arms, using a ball that bounces toward your face, or sitting on your heels.
Single-leg medicine ball slam
Explosive slam on one leg that adds balance to the power work of the shoulders, trunk and hips.
Form. Master the two-leg slam first, keep a slight bend in the standing knee and lower the load until you can pick the ball up in balance.
Common mistake. Using a load that shifts the trunk, locking the standing leg, chasing the ball without control, or straining the lower back.
Kneeling medicine ball slam on a BOSU
Medicine ball slam from a kneeling position on a BOSU, which adds instability and demands more trunk control.
Form. Kneel on the dome of the BOSU, raise the ball overhead and slam it into the floor in front of the BOSU while keeping your balance; pick it up and repeat.
Common mistake. Losing balance when throwing, arching the back at the top, slamming too close to the knees, or using a ball that bounces.
