Seated Medicine Ball Chest Throw

Purpose. Measures and trains upper-body explosive output with the legs taken out of the equation. Sitting with the back supported prevents the athlete from generating force through the lower body, so the result reflects trunk and upper-limb power.

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How it fits the system. Used both as a test and as a training exercise. It appears in standardised assessment batteries, including the seated power throw used in military physical assessment, because it is simple to standardise and repeat.

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Primary muscles

Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii

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Secondary muscles

Latissimus Dorsi, Serratus Anterior, Core

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Movement pattern

Horizontal Upper-Body Throw

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Equipment

Medicine Ball

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Difficulty

Beginner

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Technical detail

Standardisation is the main reason to use the seated version. With the back against a fixed support and the legs extended, the athlete cannot add leg drive or trunk extension, so repeated measurements are comparable over time.

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Ball mass changes what is being measured. A lighter ball shifts the result toward velocity, a heavier ball toward force. For tracking purposes the same ball mass should be used every time.

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The throw should be a push from the chest rather than an overhead or side action. Keeping the elbows in and the ball at chest height keeps the movement pattern consistent between repetitions.

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1. Sit on the floor with the back flat against a wall or a fixed support and the legs extended forward.
2. Hold the medicine ball at the chest with both hands, elbows tucked.
3. Keep the back in contact with the support throughout the throw.
4. Push the ball forward and slightly upward as forcefully as possible, extending the arms fully.
5. Note the distance if testing, retrieve the ball, and reset against the support.

• “Back stays on the wall”
• “Push from the chest”
• “Elbows in, then extend”
• “Throw through, do not lob”
• “Same setup every rep”

• Letting the back come away from the support, which reintroduces trunk and leg contribution.
• Throwing overhead or from the shoulder instead of from the chest.
• Changing ball mass between sessions when tracking progress.
• Aiming too high so the throw becomes a lob rather than a fast push.