How to do a Medicine Ball Slam
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Medicine Ball Slam
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
A high-intensity, full-body exercise that uses the explosive power of slamming a medicine ball downward. This movement targets the arms, shoulders, core, and back, improving power, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness. It's more dynamic than traditional weightlifting, offering both strength and cardio benefits.
- Stand in an upright posture with your feet just outside shoulder-width apart and the medicine ball suspended overhead.
- Slightly flex your elbows and brace your midsection by breathing into your stomach and flexing your abdominal muscles.
- While keeping your torso rigid, quickly hinge your hips backward allowing your knees to flex in order to get the medicine ball moving downward.
- Once your elbows get to waist level, forcefully extend your elbows to slam the ball to the ground.
- Squat to pick the ball up and return to the starting position.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Medicine Ball Slam standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps15lbs1 Rep Max20lbs
- intermediate8reps17.5lbs22.5lbs
- advanced8reps20lbs25lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Medicine Ball Slam
1. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 1,259 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
2. Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly
81.9 mSCORESWAPPED 981 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. Leaning forward during the exercise allows for better isolation of the targeted shoulder muscles while also recruiting some muscle activation in the upper back.
3. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 884 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
4. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 586 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
5. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 456 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
6. Incline Dumbbell Row
90.5 mSCORESWAPPED 360 TIMESThis is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. It’s a variation on the more standard Bent Over Row, that uses an incline bench to stabilize your upper body. This added stability ensures that you can't assist yourself by recruiting other muscle groups. The added stability also allows you to focus on moving the weight rather than stabilizing your upper body in the right position.
7. Bird Dog Rows
69.2 mSCORESWAPPED 323 TIMESBird Dog Rows are a compound movement that primarily targets the back, core, and glutes. This exercise combines a row with a Bird Dog position, adding significant instability that requires strong core activation. It's particularly useful for improving balance, overall stability, and addressing strength imbalances between sides. This is an effective addition for those looking to enhance functional strength and coordination.
8. Kettlebell Alternating Row
65.1 mSCORESWAPPED 293 TIMESKettlebell Alternating Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. By alternating sides after each rep, you give your muscles a brief moment to recover in the middle of your set, while also allowing you to focus your attention on the side that’s performing the movement. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength.
9. Kettlebell Row
66.1 mSCORESWAPPED 284 TIMESKettlebell Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back. The use of a single kettlebell, and the position of your torso adds instability to the movement, and forces you to brace your core to maintain good posture. In addition, targeting one side at a time allows you to focus your attention on that side which can improve muscle activation, and help prevent any compensating for strength discrepancies between sides.
10. Straight-Arm Pulldown
81.4 mSCORESWAPPED 269 TIMESThis is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your back. Pulling the bar down in an arc with your arms straight helps to remove muscle groups like biceps from the movement, and allows you to focus your attention on your back. You can further adjust where in your back you’re targeting by moving your hands closer to the ends of the bar.