- EquipmentOther
- PatternCore
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart holding a non-bouncing slam ball overhead.
First cueThrow with the whole body.
How to do the Medicine Ball Slam
Set up. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart holding a non-bouncing slam ball overhead.
- Slam the ball down in front of your feet, hinging and bending the knees.
- Squat down with a flat back to pick it up.
- Lift it back overhead and repeat.
Form cues
- Throw with the whole body.
- Keep the back flat when picking it up.
- Use a ball made for slamming.
Common mistakes
- Using a bouncy ball that rebounds into your face.
- Rounding the back to pick it up.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Lats and Front delts.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Medicine Ball Slam, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Woodchop Same core session: it trains the obliques.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Medicine Ball Slam first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Medicine Ball Slam 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Plank Shoulder Tap
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Cable Crunch
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
Do before it: Thoracic Rotation (upper back range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Medicine Ball Slam is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Medicine Ball Slam?
Set up: Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart holding a non-bouncing slam ball overhead. Steps: 1. Slam the ball down in front of your feet, hinging and bending the knees. 2. Squat down with a flat back to pick it up. 3. Lift it back overhead and repeat. Form cues: Throw with the whole body. Keep the back flat when picking it up. Use a ball made for slamming. Common mistakes: Using a bouncy ball that rebounds into your face. Rounding the back to pick it up.
What muscles does the Medicine Ball Slam work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the lats and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Medicine Ball Slam?
At home: Plank Shoulder Tap. In a gym: Cable Crunch. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Medicine Ball Slam with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Cable Woodchop.