Medicine Ball Backward Overhead Throw
Quick Information
Category
Ballistic Training
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Medicine Ball
Primary muscle group
Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps, Erector Spinae
Secondary muscle groups
Latissimus Dorsi, Deltoids, Core
Movement pattern
Ballistic Overhead Extension Throw
Training goal
Power, Triple Extension
Sport
Track and Field, Football, Rugby, General Athletic Development
Overview
Purpose. Swing a medicine ball between the legs and throw it back over your head, producing a full triple-extension effort with no landing to absorb.
How it fits the system. An intermediate-level ballistic overhead extension throw entry in the Ballistic Training section, programmed to develop power, triple extension. Related work in the library: Overhead Medicine Ball Slam and Medicine Ball Overhead Throw.
Primary muscles
Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps, Erector Spinae
Secondary muscles
Latissimus Dorsi, Deltoids, Core
Movement pattern
Ballistic Overhead Extension Throw
Equipment
Medicine Ball
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to Perform
- Stand with the back to an open area and hold a medicine ball with both hands.
- Hinge and swing the ball down between the legs.
- Extend the ankles, knees and hips explosively and release the ball back over the head.
- Let the momentum carry you up onto the toes, then reset.
Coaching Cues
- Hinge at the hips, do not squat down.
- The throw comes from the legs; the arms just guide the ball.
- Finish tall with the hips fully extended.
- Make sure the landing area behind you is clear before every throw.
Common Mistakes
- Turning the movement into an arm swing.
- Rounding the low back at the bottom of the hinge.
- Using a ball heavy enough that the throw becomes slow.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Increase ball weight slightly, or measure throw distance as a power test.
Regressions
Overhead Medicine Ball Slam, or Kettlebell Swing.
When to Use It
When to use
As a power primer, or in a throw-and-jump complex early in a session.
When not to use
Indoors with low ceilings, in crowded spaces, or with current low-back pain.
Programming
4 to 6 sets of 3 to 5 throws with 90 seconds to two minutes of recovery.
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