How to do a Partner Medicine Ball Chest Pass
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Partner Medicine Ball Chest Pass
Instructions for Proper Form
Partner Medicine Ball Chest Pass is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By working with a partner, you add an element of coordination and timing to the movement. This is an excellent exercise for developing explosive power and functional strength, making it a great addition to any workout focusing on upper body dynamics.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart 8-10’ in front of a wall or a partner.
- Hold the medicine ball just below chest height with your elbows tucked to your sides.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing your abdominal muscles.
- Explosively extend your arms forward evenly distributing equal force through both arms.
- Retrieve the ball after it impacts the wall or have your partner pass it back.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Partner Medicine Ball Chest Pass 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.
- beginner8reps12.5lbs1 Rep Max15lbs
- intermediate8reps17.5lbs22.5lbs
- advanced8reps20lbs25lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Partner Medicine Ball Chest Pass
1. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 12 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
2. Medicine Ball Slam
16.6 mSCORESWAPPED 11 TIMESA 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.
3. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 8 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
4. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 6 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
5. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 5 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
6. Partner Medicine Ball Full Twist
20 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESPartner Medicine Ball Full Twist is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core, particularly the obliques. Performing this exercise with a partner adds a dynamic element, encouraging you to pass the medicine ball back and forth while twisting your torso. This exercise helps in enhancing rotational strength and coordination, making it effective for athletes and anyone looking to improve core stability.
7. Dumbbell Floor Press
73.8 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESThe Dumbbell Floor Press targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders, offering a safer alternative to the bench press by limiting the range of motion. This exercise is effective for strengthening the upper body, with a focus on the lockout portion of the press, enhancing tricep strength and reducing shoulder strain. Ideal for those with limited equipment or seeking to minimize shoulder stress while still engaging the chest and arms.
8. Hammerstrength Chest Press
94.3 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESHammerstrength Chest Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Bench Press. Similar to Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a Hammerstrength machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion. This can help you either learn the movement, or focus your efforts on exertion rather than stability.
9. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
10. Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up
48.1 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESAlternating Medicine Ball Push Up is a more challenging variation on the standard Push Up. This compound movement primarily targets your chest, shoulders and triceps. The use of a medicine ball forces you to shift most of your weight to one side or the other, this can help you address strength imbalances between sides. Balancing on the medicine ball can also help you develop more stability for this and other pushing exercises.