Wallball – A horrible exercise that doesn’t allow you to rest – constant motion is required to keep efficiency up. Nobody is sure which is better – to keep pushing through the burn or drop it and rest for :10s before continuing – as picking that damn ball back up and squatting is just as bad when fatigued.
All jokes aside, the wallball is a tough movement. Between hitting depth, hitting target height and not blowing your heart/legs out, there is a lot going on.
Squat Phase:
– Head forward, looking at wall or ball.
– Force knees out and hips back, remaining vertical to reduce back stress.
– Hit the bottom of your hole (aka hitting parallel or below) and use that bounce to quickly return to standing, being ready to launch the ball.
Throw Phase:
– As you reach lockout, use your legs to help your shoulders to propell that ball overhead to the target.
– Be sure to squeeze your butt to help just a bit more and insure hip lockout.
– Do not throw too hard against the wall – it takes a few throws when first doing this movement to figure it out.
Catch Phase:
– As the ball begins to return towards your face, be ready for impact (on your hands).
– As you catch the ball, absorb impact and continue squatting to absorb more.
– This is much like a KB Swing – you must absorb the energy of the weight to do the next movement.
– As you drop into the squat, return to the Squat phase above.