Some of the first things that come to mind when you think of a full-body exercise are undoubtedly the dreaded burpee, the mountain climber, and maybe even the rowing machine. However, you'll enjoy the wall ball, an exercise that gets your heart rate up and burns your entire body. Using what appears like a swollen soccer ball as equipment, wall balls are a multi-joint, full-body workout.
Boosting strength, balance, and coordination, wall ball exercises are a mainstay of any good strength training program. You will receive a full-body workout since these movements use all four limbs. You can take on the wall ball challenge if you seek a complete workout.
Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of wall ball workouts and how to include them in your regimen.
What is a Wall Ball Exercise?
The wall ball is a compound exercise, requiring maximum effort from several different muscles simultaneously.
This exercise requires you to squat using the strong muscles in your lower body while simultaneously tightening the muscles in your upper body to carry out the push-press phase by tossing a ball against a wall. You'll need a heavy wall ball and a large, empty wall for this move.
Balls are available in various weight options, the most common of which vary from five to thirty pounds in load. In most cases, the size of your body and your activity will determine which wall ball you will use. Choose balls with a lower weight for speed training and balls with a higher weight for power and strength exercises.
There are two distinct kinds of balls available to pick from: a medicine ball which is rubbery and has a high degree of bounce, and a wall ball which is bigger, softer, and has a low degree of bounce.
How to Do Wall Balls?
Following are the steps to perform a typical wall ball exercise that almost everyone is familiar with:
- Pick a wall ball with the right amount of weight, and then hold it in your hands.
- Place yourself approximately two feet in front of the wall with your feet hip-width apart, and your toes turned out slightly.
- Keep the ball at chest level in your grasp. Be careful to bring your elbows in toward your sides and tuck them in.
- Sit up straight and clutch the ball. Your core and shoulders will have to work harder as you squeeze the ball.
- Keep the ball at chest height as you start descending to a squat. Lower yourself into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Drive your body up and hurl the ball at a vertical target between 8 and 12 feet high. Maintain a long arm position. Pick a location inside this target region, and keep your gaze fixed throughout.
- After the ball bounces, catch it, hold it at chest height, and squat to perform the exercise again.
You should aim to complete 10-15 repetitions over two to three sets. Alternatively, set a timer for thirty seconds and try to complete as many as possible in that amount of time.
Muscles Worked
It is simpler to list the muscles that are not worked since it is a full-body movement. In any case, here is a rundown of the primary muscle groups that are targeted by wall balls.
Quadriceps
When you squat, your quadriceps contract to fully extend your knees. Wall balls involve a squatting motion on the lower half of the body, so your quads will be tired by the conclusion of the first set.
Shoulders & Upper Chest
As the squat reaches its full extension, the upper chest and shoulders are engaged to toss the ball overhead. Shoulder endurance may be preserved, and the triceps and chest can be worked harder if the elbows are kept closer to the body.
Related Article: What are Deltoid Muscles? 6 Best Shoulder Isolation Exercises for Men to Get Bigger Deltoids
Gluteals
When you stand up, the hips are extended by the gluteus muscles. It is beneficial to expand the hips at the top and flex the glutes to get the most out of your leg and hip drive when executing wall balls.
Triceps
Triceps work to extend elbows, allowing a wall ball to be thrown far enough overhead to strike the goal. Unlike the quadriceps and shoulders, the primary movers in an exercise, the triceps are only a supplementary muscle group.
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The Benefits of Wall Balls
When you finally get the hang of playing wall balls, you'll be able to enjoy the following four benefits.
Stronger Glutes
The additional weight enables most individuals to sink lower into the squat posture. This is true whether they use a medicine ball weighing six or twenty pounds. This variation of the squat works your glutes more than the standard squat. Similar to that of a goblet squat.
Better Core Stabilization
The powerhouse of our entire bodies, the core muscles, is activated by wall balls. Your core consists of the muscles in your abdomen, lower back, and the muscles that support and move your spine.
Whether your other fitness objectives include mastering the warrior pose, finishing a half marathon, or setting some other personal record, a strong core may help you get there. Because a strong core improves general stability and balance, implying a lower chance of injury.
Toned Arms
Arms, particularly the triceps, are rarely targeted with heavy or frequent strength training. Exercises like wall balls can improve the quality of life for your triceps.
Related Article: 10 Advanced Exercises to Take Your Arms to the Next Level
Challenging & Fun
This exercise isn’t only challenging but gives a great experience as well. You have to continue to stay focused and coordinated throughout every rep or else you could risk getting a ball to the face. This isn't an exercise that you can just complete mindlessly.
Overtraining can lead to injury, so be sure you never perform so many repetitions that you compromise form.
Wall Ball Variations
If you think this exercise isn’t challenging enough or just needs some variations to keep you excited, then we have covered you. Following are a few Wall Ball variations;
Side Throws
You can strengthen your core (especially your obliques), chest, and shoulders with this twist on the classic wall ball workout.
- Palms facing up, hold the ball in your hands.
- Stand about three feet away from the wall perpendicularly with your right shoulder towards the wall.
- Put the ball on the outside of your left hip and squat down.
- Twist and toss the ball against the wall while extending your legs to rise.
- Maintain this posture so you can catch the ball. Repeat from the original location.
Start with a standing trunk rotation if that motion is too challenging for you. Rotate your torso to the right and left while holding the ball close to your body at chest level.
Forward Underhand Toss
Try the forward underhand toss for a deeper squat that targets more adductors. You use the inner thigh muscles and rely more on your glutes for strength when you point your toes out. Your biceps and chest are drawn in during the underhand toss portion of the exercise.
- As though performing a typical wall ball workout, face the wall.
- Place the ball between your knees while still holding it in your hands.
- Put yourself in a broad squat.
- Toss the ball toward the wall by contracting your glutes and standing up.
- Grab the ball, then crouch to your starting position.
Reverse Rotations
Strong core stability and the capacity to spin to both sides are prerequisites for this maneuver. Reverse rotations should only be performed if you have mastered the fundamental wall ball exercise, have strong obliques and have adequate upper body mobility.
Your shoulders, upper back, biceps, chest, core, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are all worked out by this exercise.
- Hold the ball with your back to the wall in your hands, with your palms up.
- Step back until you are at least a body length away from the wall. For instance, if you are 6 feet tall, ensure a minimum of 6 feet between you and the wall.
- Squat and lob the ball against the wall while rotating to the right. You'll be gazing at the wall from your right shoulder.
- After the ball bounces against the wall, grab it and repeat on the opposite side.
Take Away
Any workout or strength training circuit would benefit from adding the wall ball exercise, which is suitable for intermediate to experienced exercisers.
Putting in the time and effort to complete several repetitions of wall ball workouts will increase your heart rate, enhance your cardiovascular fitness, and transform your body into a calorie-crushing machine. As a bonus, it can help you build muscle mass throughout a wide range of your body's muscle groups.
The standard wall ball squat may be modified by adding or subtracting weight from the ball, or both, to provide a greater muscular challenge.
