Many of you have probably suffered through your fair share of wall balls. Here’s a secret – with proper technique you don’t really have to suffer, at least as much. Try these wall ball techniques to get more of the gain with a little less of the pain.
Wall ball basics for the uninitiated
Wall ball is a great cardio conditioning exercise. Do it by taking your medicine ball to the wall. Hold the ball at chest height with arms fully extended so that the ball touches the wall. With your feet shoulder width apart, chest high and shoulders back move into a squat position. Your heels should remain on the floor. As your bottom drops parallel into the squat position drive your heels down and stand explosively as you launch the ball toward the target on the wall. Catch the ball and allow it to carry you back down into a squat, and then repeat. Wall balls sound easy – until you actually try them. The pain and fatigue in your shoulders, arms and quads, along with breath that becomes quickly labored, tells you this is an exercise to be taken seriously. Try these tips:
- Don’t let elbows flare out – keeping elbows tucked helps you shoot more efficiently and prevents shoulder fatigue
- Go for sets – unbroken isn’t for everyone, without rest breaks fatigue and pain will set in and your form will suffer.
- Build in rest breaks for your arms – bring your arms down to your sides while the ball is in the air. Keeping them extended is just energy wasted.
- Save movements – when you take rest breaks stand with the ball between your chest and the wall and arms at your sides.
- Watch your breath – inhale as the ball hits the target and exhale as you catch the ball.
- Have the right mindset – your attitude shapes your experience so while you may not actually love doing wall balls, approaching them with a good frame of mind can make them a whole lot easier.
Intense 10 minute wall ball workout
Do as many wall balls as you can in 4 minutes. Take a one minute rest break and then do as many sit ups or push-ups as you can for 2 minutes. Rest for one minute and end with a two minute jump rope session. Don’t forget to watch your form.
