It’s an excellent go-to move that allows you to target every muscle in your body. It’s a power-boosting exercise that can improve your balance, coordination, and strength.
While wall ball exercises are considered a staple to strength training, it can also be an excellent cardio workout.
Below, we’ll tackle everything you need to know about this exercise. We’ll share tips, benefits, and 7 of the best wall ball exercises you can do for a full-body workout.
Table of Contents
What Are Wall Ball Exercises?
A wall ball workout can be an effective way to boost your stamina, endurance, and strength.
It is a compound exercise that targets all major muscle groups in your body like the Chest, Arms, Core, Legs.
It also targets areas like the shoulders, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and triceps.
The principle of this exercise is simple. Generally, it involves a squat, throw, and catch method. The movement has different variations.
Wall balls come in different weights and sizes. Before you start, it’s vital to know the different types of weighted balls to avoid picking the wrong one.
Types Of Exercise Ball
Three types of workout balls are commonly used for fitness routines: the wall ball, the medicine ball, and the slam ball.
Each serves its use based on its size, weight, and material. Here are as follows:
Medicine Ball
Medicine balls and lightweight medicine balls are usually for lifting exercises, strength building, and conditioning training.
The materials for medicine balls are from plastic, rubber, or leather. They are sometimes built with handles to make holding easier.
They bounce high. With a weight range of 1kg to 10 kg, medicine balls are useful for interactive workouts with training patterns.
Slam Ball
The material of slam balls is both heavy and durable. Slam balls are from rubber. They can withstand the wear and tear of constant throwing to the ground.
The slam ball is the smallest out of the three. It doesn’t rebound. People who use slam balls can throw it hard without the risk of it bouncing up.
With its massive weight range of 4kg to 100kg, slam balls are great for strength training and cardio.
Wall Ball
Generally used for wall ball exercises, wall balls can absorb and withstand impact. They are much bigger than medicine balls and slam balls.
Wall balls have a softer shell and bounces slightly since it is out of vinyl. They have a weight range of 4kg to 15kg.
Wall balls are for throw variations, explosive movements, and High-Intensity Interval Training.
Tips To Wall Ball Exercises Before You Start
- Pick a Ball Based on The Size of Your Body and The Type of Exercise You are Doing.
- Choose Heavier Balls for Strength Training and Lighter Balls for Speed Training.
- Pick a Smooth, Wide Wall for Your Workout.
- Get Into The Right Position: Keep a 2 to 3 Feet Distance Between You and The Wall.
- Set Your Target 8 to 12 ft. High From The Ground: Mark Boundaries.
How To Do A Wall Ball Exercise
- Pick a wall ball with the right weight.
- Stand around two or three feet away from the wall. Ball in hand, keep your feet a hip’s width apart. Move the ball at the height of your chest. Tuck your elbows in.
- Use some pressure and squeeze the ball as you prepare yourself to throw. Keep your breathing in check the entire time.
- Keep your core engaged as you lower yourself to a squat. Tuck your belly button in, move your butt back and keep your eye on the target.
- Once you’ve positioned yourself correctly, drive your body upwards and toss the ball simultaneously towards the target.
- Keep your eyes there the entire time. Catch the ball once it bounces back. Keep it again at chest height before squatting down again.
- Repeat.
The Benefits Of Wall Ball Workout
1.Burns Plenty of Calories In a Short Amount of Time
Total body workouts often make the best calorie-burners. Wall ball exercises engage multiple muscle groups at once.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll be able to burn at least 30% more calories in a wall ball exercise than other traditional workouts.
Wall ball exercises also increase your body’s ability to burn fat. A study has shown that the metabolic rate after HIIT workouts would significantly increase after exercising.
2.Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Wall ball workouts are also great for your cardiovascular health. Due to its high-intensity, wall ball workouts can work your lungs and increase your heart rate.
Both of these combined promote better circulation in the body. It would be more efficient in distributing the oxygen and nutrients your muscles need to grow.
You can use a lighter ball if you’re going to lean more towards a cardio workout.
3.Boosts Balance and Coordination
Wall ball exercises have multiple variations that can all effectively boost your stability and coordination.
Our balance relies heavily on core strength. Wall ball exercise engages the core muscles and helps improve the body’s stability.
The method of the exercise also requires deep focus and accuracy. Doing this workout can improve your hand-eye coordination and your functional movement altogether.
4.Builds Total-Body Strength & Explosive Power
Increasing your strength and power output is vital to athletes, weight lifters, and bodybuilders. Wall ball exercises can help you fully utilize your body’s strength.
It activates your muscles and amps your physical performance. You can find yourself generating more power output into your movements as you progress with this exercise.
5.Improves Stamina & Endurance
It’s easy to get out of breath when you are used to living a sedentary life. Doing wall ball exercises can help you remain stable under fatigue.
The cyclical movement of squats and overhead throws can help improve your stamina and muscular endurance.
7 Best Wall Ball Exercises To Work Your Full Body
If you want to switch up your workout routine, here are a couple of wall ball exercise variations you can do:
1.Ball Slams
Ball slams can help improve speed, power, and strength. Slams can elevate your heart rate and help you burn a lot of calories.
Targets: Abdomen, Shoulders, Triceps, Back, Glutes, Quads, & Calves.
How to Do It:
- With your wall ball in hand, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Don’t forget to tighten your grip and put pressure on the ball.
- Keep your eyes forward. Lift the ball over your head, arms extended. Inhale and tighten your core.
- Bend forward and throw the ball to the ground as hard as you can with an exhale.
- Keep your balance in check. With your knee still slightly bent, catch the ball once it bounces off the floor.
- Return to your starting position by lifting the ball and repeat.
2.Wall Ball Chest Pass w/ Lateral Shuffle
This is an elevated form of the standard wall ball exercise. Adding lateral shuffles in between passes helps bring more intensity and cardio to the workout.
Targets: Chest, Shoulders, Arms, Core, Back, Glutes, Quads, Calves, & Triceps
How to Do It:
- Ball in hand, press it close to your chest and stand two or three feet away from the wall.
- Move to a half squat position with your feet a hip’s width apart. Keep your core engaged and squeeze the ball tight.
- Throw the ball against the wall with an exhale. As soon as you catch it, begin to shuffle to the side for about five yards in length.
- Once you’ve reached the one end, throw the ball again. Repeat shuffle to the other side.
3.Split Stance Lateral Toss
This exercise variation can help you improve your balance. It is also a great way to target your obliques, along with many other major muscle groups.
Targets: Obliques, Glutes, Chest, Shoulders, Arms, Back, Triceps, Quads, & Calves.
How to Do It:
- With the ball in both hands, stand sideways two or three feet away from the wall. Bring one foot forward and bend your knees into a 90-degree Lunge.
- Maintain a firm hold onto the ball and bring it to the outside hip. Keep your balance in check.
- Twist your torso to the side and toss the ball against the wall as hard as you can.
- Once you catch the ball, twist your torso back and place the ball outside the hip.
- Repeat.
4.Wall Ball Side Slams
Side Slams keeps your core engaged. It’s more of an upper-body workout. This variation can improve your hand-eye coordination.
Targets: Core, Obliques, Chest, Shoulders, Arms, & Back.
How to Do It:
- Ball in hand, stand sideways two or three feet away from the wall.
- Keep your stance straight and extend your arms forward. Hold the ball in front of you, a few inches below your chest.
- Relax your elbows and twist your torso away from the wall, towards the opposite side.
- Keep your breath in check. Twist your upper body back to the wall as you throw the ball against the wall hard. Maintain your position.
- Catch the ball once it bounces back. Turn your torso away again from the wall.
- Repeat.
5.Crunch Throws
Crunch throws are great for building your endurance. It can also be an effective power exercise.
Targets: Core, Back Chest, Shoulders, & Arms.
How to Do It:
- Sit on the ground at least a few feet away from the wall. Keep your legs extended in front of you.
- With the ball in both hands, lie on your back against the ground. Hold the ball against your sternum.
- Before you begin, keep in mind to throw the ball as you sit up. Keep your posture in-check and tighten your core as you propel your body forward to throw the ball.
- Catch the ball upon rebound and lie down again.
- Repeat.
6.Reverse Rotations
Reverse rotations help elevate your focus, coordination, and flexibility. It’s a little tricky to do for beginners. However, if you have already mastered the standard wall ball exercise, you can breeze through this workout.
Targets: Core, Obliques, Glutes, Chest, Shoulders, Upper Back, Arms, Quads, & Hamstrings.
How to Do It:
- Ball in hand, face your back against the wall. Keep at least a body-length distance away from the wall to be safe.
- Once you are situated, place your feet hip-width from each other before bending into a half-squat.
- Next, rotate your body to the side and toss the ball against the wall. Keep your eyes over your shoulder.
- Catch the ball once it bounces back before squatting down again. Repeat.
7.Forward Underhand Toss
This exercise variation mainly engages both your glutes and hip adductors. It’s a great exercise you can do to tone and sculpt your butt.
Targets: Core, Adductors, Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings, Chest, Shoulders, Back, & Arms
How to Do It:
- Ball in hand, stand in front of the wall. Keep at least a two or three feet distance between yourself and the wall.
- Place the ball in your hands between your legs. Descend into a full squat position. Keep your core and glutes engaged.
- Once you stand up, simultaneously toss the ball towards the ball.
- Catch the ball once it bounces back. Squat down again to your starting position.
- Repeat.
The Bottom Line
Wall ball exercises are a fast and effective way to get a full-body workout. It can switch things up a bit in your workout regimen.
If you want to lose weight, build strength, and add more power to your athletic ability;
Try these different wall ball exercise variations to see what works for you.
On a final note, wall ball exercises may be hard at first. But after a few weeks on this fitness routine, you’ll reap the fruits of your hard work.
