BALLS TO THE WALL. MEDICINE BALLS – SIMPLE TIPS FOR COMPLEX CONDITIONING

 

 January 13, 2013

 

By Ryan Purdoe
Photography Nicole Bedard

One of the popular exercises used in Crossfit is ‘Wall Balls’. Wall Balls are both very simple and crazy hard. Wall Balls are a full body weight bearing exercise and are great for rapidly strengthening the core muscles of the abdomen and lower back while improving overall conditioning. Done right, wall balls are a great all-around conditioning movement and can yield quick results in over metabolic conditioning. In Crossfit workouts Wall Balls are often done as part of a couplet or triplet series along with sit-ups, pull-ups, or some Olympic lift such as push-press in a 21-15-9 sequence. For example a triplet of 21 Wall Balls followed by 21 pull-ups and 21 weighted push-presses, 15 Wall Balls, 15 pull-ups, 15 weighted push presses, and finally 9 Wall Balls, pull-ups, and weighted push presses.

THE DRILL

Start and see how long you can continue hitting these milestones:

30 seconds: 12 shots
1 minute: 25 shots
1 minutes: 37 shots
2 minutes: 50 shots
2 minutes: 62 shots
3 minutes: 75 shots
3 minutes: 87 shots
4 minutes: 100 shots
4 minutes: 112 shots
5 minutes: 125 shots
5 minutes: 137 shots
6 minutes: 150 shots

Work out courtesy of www.crossfit.com

TIPS

• On failure (falling behind), rest and try again. Over time you want to get where you can do 150 shots in 6 minutes or less.
• The drill can be made as difficult as needed by increasing the weight of the ball, moving back from the target, or raising the target.