How to Order and Train With Crossfit Wall Balls

Step 1

Wall Ball Exercise: Once you have purchased or made a medicine ball at the appropriate weight (see other post on homemade equipment--use between 12-20lbs), then you need a stable wall that is at least 10-15 ft high. If you are a male, place a mark using tape or any other marking tool and place at 10 ft to designate the height on the wall (female use 8-9 ft).

Step 2

Once wall is found and height is made, to complete the exercise, simply hold the ball underneath your chin, above your chest (like a front squat position), and keep your hands and arms underneath ball.

Step 3

Next, stand a about a foot away from the wall in an upright positon with feet positioned about shoulder width or a bit wider just as if you were going to complete a front squat. Squat while holding the ball in the previously mentioned position keeping your body upright and with good posture.

Step 4

Next, drive upward with the ball in the same position and power through your heels. At the top of your stance, push or shoot the ball with both hands up to the wall marked at 10ft. As the ball taps the target and returns downward, catch the ball in the same position and repeat for another rep and so forth.

Step 5

You are basically squatting and using your power from your legs to drive the ball upward and further extending your arms to shoot the ball to the target. NOTE: to complete a rep, you must continue the squat and shot in one full motion. You are not allowed to squat, then stop, and then jump and shoot the ball to the wall, separating it into two movements. You can also complete wall balls over a pull-up bar and catch it on the other side and return and repeat to offer a more difficult and mobile exercise.

Step 6

Med Ball Slams: Make sure you have a medicine ball that bounces very little or not at all. Begin by finding an open area and a hard, sturdy floor that is able to sustain at least 20lbs of weight thrown onto the floor.

Step 7

Place the ball on the floor and stand over top, once again in a good squat stance with your feet. Squat down to pick up the ball with both hands on either side of the med ball. Pick the ball up over your head in one quick motion to complete a full extension of the body with arms straight above the head, hoisting the ball.

Step 8

At the peak of the lift, keeping your core and abs engaged, slam the ball to the floor as if you were trying to throw the ball through the floor itself. Remember to bend at the hips and use as much of your core as possible to generate the force, not only your arms. Your arms should stay relatively straight as you proceed to the floor with the ball.

Step 9

As soon as you drive the ball to the floor, quickly pick the ball up off of the bounce and repeat back through the rep. Try and go as fast as possible, using proper upright posture from squatting and not bending over with a bent back. The more you can use your core to bend and propel the ball downward, the better your results.

Step 10

Turkish get-ups: Lie on the floor on your back with the ball extended beyond you head and held in your arms. While keeping your arms straight and above your head, move your body and focus on your core to stand up to complete extension without using your arms.

Step 11

You may use momentum and any other way possible to get up onto your feet. Once standing, carefully return back to the floor on your back and repeat. You can also complete a modified version of this placing your feet against a wall and doing a sit-up and throwing the ball against the wall, catching the rebound as you proceed back to the ground to complete the sit-up.

Step 12

These are just a few exercises that can be completed using a medicine ball. Again, wall balls are the typical Crossfit medball exercise and can be incorporated into many workouts as a great full body workout that dramatically increases endurance and stamina. Medballs are also effective when thrown for distance using your hips and core to launch the ball down a football field. There is even class Crossfit workout named "Karen," which is 150 wall balls for time. The entire workout is wall balls to 150 full reps as fast as possible. The best athletes in Crossfit complete the workout in roughly 5-6 minutes!