Medicine Ball Chest Pass

ExtrasSlam

An explosive two-hand chest pass thrown against a wall or to a partner, training upper-body pushing power in a ballistic, releasable format that a standard bench press cannot replicate.

Demo: Medicine ball training demo

Sets

3

Reps

10-12

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

Low risk overall; avoid with acute shoulder or wrist pain.

Setup

Stand facing a solid wall a few feet away, ball held at chest height with both hands.

Execution

  1. 1Hold the ball at the chest, elbows bent
  2. 2Explosively extend the arms, driving the ball forward and releasing it fully
  3. 3Follow through with the arms toward the target
  4. 4Catch the rebound off the wall and immediately reset
  5. 5Repeat for the prescribed reps or time

Key cues

  • Fully release the ball at the top of the extension
  • Drive from the chest, not just the wrists
  • Follow through toward the target
  • Reset quickly to keep a rhythmic pace

Common faults

  • Not fully releasing the ball (turning it into a controlled push instead of a throw)
  • Leaning back excessively to generate power instead of using the chest/arms
  • Standing too close to the wall, disrupting a clean catch
  • Rushing the catch and rounding the shoulders forward

Tweaks

  • Add a small step or scoop of the legs for a full-body power pass
  • Increase distance from the wall for a longer power output demand
  • Use as a superset with bench press for a strength-power contrast pairing

Progressions

Overhead Slam Ball

Muscles

Primary: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders

Secondary: Core, Forearms

Notes

Primary energy system: alactic. One of the few upper-body movements that allows true ballistic release, making it valuable for developing rate of force development in pressing patterns.

Sources

Attribution: Onnit Academy