Medicine Ball Toss (Overhead Backward)

ExtrasSlam

An explosive backward overhead throw where the ball is tossed behind and over the head using a hip-hinge-driven triple extension, similar to a kettlebell swing's power source but with a full release.

Demo: Medicine ball training demo

Sets

4

Reps

5-8

Rest

1:30

Contraindications

Avoid with acute low back pain. Requires solid hip hinge mechanics — regress to a kettlebell deadlift pattern if hinge form breaks down under the ballistic demand.

Setup

Stand with the ball held between the legs in a hinged position, facing away from the throw direction.

Execution

  1. 1Hinge at the hips, swinging the ball back between the legs
  2. 2Explosively extend the hips, knees, and ankles, driving the ball forward and up
  3. 3Release the ball fully overhead and behind, letting it fly backward
  4. 4Finish in a tall standing position, arms extended overhead
  5. 5Retrieve the ball and reset for the next rep

Key cues

  • Hinge deep, load the hips like a kettlebell swing
  • Explode through triple extension
  • Release fully — don't hold on too long
  • Finish tall with arms overhead

Common faults

  • Squatting instead of hinging to load the throw
  • Using arms to muscle the ball instead of hip drive
  • Releasing too early or too late, reducing throw distance
  • Rounding the back at the bottom of the hinge

Tweaks

  • Measure throw distance to track power output over time
  • Use as a competition/team-building conditioning drill
  • Combine with KB swings in the same session for hip-power emphasis

Progressions

Medicine Ball Scoop Toss

Muscles

Primary: Glutes, Hamstrings, Erector Spinae

Secondary: Shoulders, Core, Lats

Notes

Primary energy system: alactic. Shares the same hip-hinge triple-extension power source as the kettlebell swing, but the full release trains uninhibited power output without needing to control the object afterward.

Sources

Attribution: Onnit Academy