Medicine Ball Chest Pass
The medicine ball chest pass is an explosive two-handed throw from the chest, releasing the ball at full arm extension into a wall or to a partner. It trains the chest, the front of the shoulders and the triceps for speed rather than load, and is a simple upper-body power exercise.
Also called: Med Ball Chest Pass, MB Chest Pass, Explosive Chest Pass, Med Ball Push Pass · Equipment: medicine ball · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Stand facing a solid wall or a partner about 2–3 metres away, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Hold a light medicine ball at chest height with your hands on the sides and slightly behind it, thumbs pointing up and elbows down.
- Brace your trunk and sink slightly into your legs.
- Push the ball forward explosively from your chest, straightening your arms fully and aiming straight ahead at chest height.
- Follow through after release with your arms extended and palms facing the target.
- Catch the rebound or the return pass, bring the ball back to your chest and reset your stance before the next throw.
- Throw it through the wall
- Hands behind the ball, thumbs up
- Full arm extension at release
- Brace your trunk
- Reset before every throw
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Prime mover | C |
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Secondary | C |
| Quadriceps | Secondary | D |
| Serratus anterior | Stabiliser | D |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Slowing down before release
Fix: Accelerate the ball all the way through release and follow through to the target.
Ball too heavy
Fix: Choose a ball light enough that it leaves your hands fast on every throw.
Elbows flared high
Fix: Start with your elbows down behind the ball and push straight out from your chest.
Leaning back to throw
Fix: Brace your trunk, keep your ribs down and aim straight ahead at chest height.
Rushing the reps
Fix: Reset your stance and grip before every throw.
What the research says
Power · first choiceSport performance · first choiceRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEnduranceFat loss & conditioning
- Throw versus press — In a bench press with light-to-moderate loads, the bar slows down over roughly the last 40% of the push; in a bench throw the load keeps accelerating through about 96% of the range, producing higher speed and power.
- Intent — A controlled training study found the intention to move explosively, more than the speed actually reached, drove velocity-specific strength gains.
- Load — Power research finds the load that produces the most power differs between exercises and athletes, and lighter loads favour speed in ballistic movements.
- Direction — A meta-analysis found horizontally directed plyometric training improved horizontal performance more than vertical training did, which is why forward throws are often used for forward-pushing sports.
- Sets and reps — A common approach is 3–5 sets of 3–8 throws with full rest, ending each set when throw speed drops.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the medicine ball chest pass in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.