Ball Slams
A conditioning move where you lift a slam ball overhead and throw it hard into the floor in front of you, hinging at the hips and knees to put your whole body into it.
- Primary muscles
- Front delts, Abs
- Secondary
- Lats, Quads, Glutes
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Slams are a simple way to get your heart rate up and train power with almost no technique to learn, so they fit circuits, finishers and warm-ups. You throw the ball as hard as you can, which makes them a tool for speed and full-body coordination rather than for building strength. Pick a slam ball that doesn't bounce, and a weight light enough that every slam stays fast.
How to do it
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a slam ball with both hands.
Lift it overhead with your arms extended, rising onto your toes.
Slam it into the floor in front of you, hinging at the hips and knees to put your whole body behind it.
Pick it up and go again. Use a slam ball that doesn't bounce; a rubber medicine ball will come straight back at your face.
Common mistakes
Using a bouncy ball
A rubber medicine ball can rebound straight back at your face. Use a dead slam ball that stays on the floor.
Slamming with just the arms
Throwing from your arms alone misses most of the power. Reach tall, then drive down by hinging your hips and bending your knees.
Rounding over to pick it up
Scooping the ball off the floor with a rounded back gets sloppy fast in a long set. Squat or hinge down with a flat back to pick it up.
Ball too heavy
A heavy ball slows every slam until you're just lifting and dropping it. Choose a weight you can throw hard and fast for the whole set.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
