You've probably seen it before: this big ball that often lies in the corner of the gym or flies off the wall in CrossFit. But why do so many swear by the wall ball?
It's simple: it adds variety, challenges your whole body, and fits into any workout – whether you want to build muscle, improve endurance, or just go full throttle.
The best part? The wall ball is suitable for everyone, from beginners to professionals.
Let's find out together what you can do with it – spoiler: it's more than you think!
What is a wall ball and what makes it so special?
A Wall Ball is a large training ball, usually covered with fabric or synthetic leather, designed for functional training.
It usually weighs between 3 and 15 kilograms and is designed to be thrown, caught and moved.
Compared to a classic medicine ball, which is often smaller and harder, the Wall Ball is characterized by its soft outer shell and grip.
This is what characterizes the Wall Ball:
Soft and safe: Ideal for dynamic exercises such as throws, as it does not bounce hard.
Size diversity: Different weights allow you to adapt the ball to your fitness level.
Robust and durable: Perfect for intense workouts.
Which training goals does the wall ball support?
The Wall Ball is a real all-rounder and supports a variety of training goals.
Here is an overview:
Exercises such as wall ball shots, medball cleans and thrusters primarily work the large muscle groups such as the legs, buttocks, back and shoulders. The dynamic movements ensure intense muscle work and the combination of explosiveness and repetitions promotes muscle growth.
Why the wall ball is effective for building muscle:
It activates many muscles at the same time.
By integrating functional movements, not only individual muscles but also muscle chains are trained.
Exercises such as thrusters or cleans add variety to your training plan and challenge your muscles differently than classic dumbbell exercises.
One of the biggest advantages of the wall ball is the ability to train strength and endurance at the same time. Exercises like wall ball shots or overhead lunges are perfect for getting your heart rate up while your muscles work intensely.
Why it works:
High repetition exercises challenge your muscles and get your cardiovascular system going at the same time.
Your body learns to work more efficiently under stress, which is reflected in your overall fitness.
3. Explosiveness and elasticity
The Wall Ball is an ideal tool for training explosive movements. Exercises such as ball slams, medball cleans or dynamic throws will help you develop your speed and power – a skill that is crucial in many sports.
How the Wall Ball promotes explosiveness:
Explosive movements such as throws or slams activate the fast-twitch muscle fibers.
The ball forces you to develop your strength to the maximum in a short moment, which gives you more power in sports and everyday life.
4. Core stability and balance
Whether it's Russian twists, overhead lunges or dynamic rotational movements, the wall ball is an excellent way to train your core muscles. A strong core is the basis for strength, balance and stability.
Why core training with the wall ball is so effective:
Many exercises automatically help to stabilize your core.
Rotational movements with the ball activate both the deep and superficial abdominal muscles.
A stable core protects you from injuries and improves your posture.
5. Improved stamina
The wall ball is guaranteed to make you sweat – especially during high-intensity workouts. Exercises like wall ball shots or ball slams get your heart pumping and improve your aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
Why the wall ball improves your stamina:
It combines strength and endurance training in one movement.
High repetition rates or short breaks help you build up your resilience.
It is perfect for high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
In which sports is the wall ball used?
Whether for competitions, functional training or specific athletic training – the Wall Ball helps you become more explosive, more enduring and more precise.
Here is an overview of where and how it is used:
Sport-specific training
Circuit and HIIT workouts
Rehabilitation and injury-prevention training
1. CrossFit
In CrossFit, the wall ball is one of the absolute classics. Wall ball shots are one of the standardized exercises in many workouts of the day (WODs). In particular, the infamous workout “Karen”, in which 150 wall ball shots are completed in a limited time, pushes athletes to their limits.
Why CrossFit uses the wall ball: This dynamic combination of a squat, throw and catch exercises the entire body – legs, buttocks, core, shoulders and arms. At the same time, the high number of repetitions gets the heart rate up and improves fitness.
2. Hyrox
Hyrox, the competition for functional fitness training, is hardly imaginable without the wall ball. At the end of the competition, there are the infamous 100 wall ball shots, which have to be completed with 4 or 6 kg (women) or 6 or 9 kg (men). After the previous stations, which demand strength and endurance, these final throws are often the deciding factor for success or failure.
Why the Wall Ball is part of Hyrox: The exercise combines strength, explosiveness, and endurance. It also challenges your mental toughness after an intense competition – which is exactly what Hyrox is all about.
The wall ball is a valuable tool in functional training because it promotes complex movement patterns that are required in everyday life or in other sports. Exercises such as medball cleans, overhead lunges or Russian twists simulate movements that challenge strength, stability and coordination at the same time.
Why the wall ball is so popular in functional fitness: it helps you combine strength and stability, and it trains entire sequences of movements instead of isolated muscles. This not only makes you fitter, but also more resilient in everyday life.
4. Sport-specific training
Ob Fußball, Basketball, Handball oder Kampfsport – der Wallball hat seinen festen Platz in der athletischen Vorbereitung vieler Sportarten.
Basketball: Wall ball training improves explosiveness and precision. Exercises such as slam-dunks and shots on target improve speed and strength, and help with jumping ability and ball control.
Handball and football: Dynamic rotational movements with the ball, such as Russian twists, strengthen your core muscles – a crucial factor for shooting and throwing power.
Martial arts: Explosive movements such as medball cleans or wall ball shots promote speed and agility. At the same time, you train your reaction skills and stability.
5. Circuit and HIIT workouts
The wall ball is also a star in circuit training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Thanks to its versatility, you can incorporate it into numerous workouts that challenge your strength and endurance at the same time.
Why the wall ball is perfect for HIIT: It keeps your heart rate high while your muscles work intensely – a real all-rounder that gets the best out of you.
6. Rehabilitation and prevention training
The wall ball can also be used in rehabilitation and prevention training, especially for lighter weights. Exercises such as controlled overhead lunges or core twists help to promote stability and mobility without overstraining the body.
Why the Wall Ball is useful here: Thanks to its soft surface and controlled movements, it is also suitable for people who want to carefully get back into training.
What are the best Wall Ball exercises?
The wall ball is not just for one exercise – it offers endless possibilities:
Wall ball shots: The classic exercise: Bend your knees, throw the ball at a mark on the wall (about 2.7–3 meters high) and catch it in a controlled manner. This exercises your legs, buttocks, shoulders and endurance.
Medball Cleans: Here, the ball is used like a barbell. You explosively lift it off the floor, pull it up and catch it in a deep squat position. This is great for strength, explosiveness and coordination.
Ball slams: Lift the ball above your head and slam it to the ground with full force. Perfect for improving your speed and power. But be careful: not every wall ball is suitable for slams – check that your ball is robust enough.
Russian twists: Sit on the floor, hold the ball in front of your chest and twist it to both sides, alternating each way. This exercise is great for your obliques and core stability. Want to make it harder? Lift your feet to challenge your balance.
Overhead lunges: Grab the ball overhead and do lunges. This exercise works your legs, buttocks and shoulders and challenges your stability. You can also incorporate a rotation of the upper body during the lunge.
Thrusters: A combination of a squat and an overhead press. You do a squat and then push the ball above your head as you stand up.
Weighted Wall Sit: How about a relaxed round of sitting – just without a chair and with a wall ball as extra weight? No problem, take a seat!
How do I integrate the wall ball into workouts?
Whether you're looking to build muscle, endurance, explosiveness or full-body fitness, the ball fits into almost any training format:
HIIT workouts are known to get your heart rate up in record time – and the wall ball is the perfect partner for this. It is ideal for exercises that require short, explosive bursts of effort.
Example: Wall Ball HIIT (Tabata style)
Exercise 1: 20 seconds of wall ball shots, 10-second rest.
Exercise 2: 20 seconds of Russian twists with ball, 10-second rest.
Repeat: 4 rounds (8 minutes in total).
Circuit training
Circuit training is a great way to use the wall ball, as you can combine it flexibly with other exercises. Whether alone or in a group, the ball adds variety to the circuit.
Example: Wall Ball Circuit Training
Exercise 1: 15 wall ball shots.
Exercise 2: 10 overhead lunges per leg.
Exercise 3: 20 Russian twists with ball.
Exercise 4: 10 ball slams.
Rest: 1 minute between rounds.
Repeat: 3-4 rounds.
Hyrox-Style Workouts
If you are preparing for a Hyrox competition or just want to experience the typical Hyrox feeling, the Wall Ball is a must. The combination of running and wall ball shots challenges your stamina and mental strength.
Example: Hyrox Wall Ball Workout
Run 500 meters.
Perform 20 wall ball shots (4-9 kg, depending on your fitness level).
Repeat: 5 rounds.
The Wall Ball has it all!
Whether you want to build muscle, push your endurance, or just add a little variety to your workout, the wall ball is perfect for you.
It challenges your entire body, gets you sweating, and is so versatile that it never gets boring.
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