Standing Power Throw

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your back toward the throwing area, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the medicine ball with both hands using a firm grip, arms extended downward.
3. Position yourself with a neutral spine, chest up, and a slight bend in the knees.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you hinge at the hips and lower the ball between your legs to load the hamstrings and glutes.
2. Exhale explosively as you drive through your feet, extending your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously (triple extension).
3. Swing the ball in a powerful arc upward and release it overhead and backward at the peak of your extension.
4. Follow through with the arms and land with soft knees to reset for the next rep.

Form checklist

• Keep your back flat and core braced during the initial hinge to protect the spine.
• Ensure the power is generated from the legs and hips rather than pulling primarily with the arms.
• Release the ball when your arms are fully extended overhead to optimize the flight path.
• Maintain balance and avoid falling backward after the release.

Pro tips

• Think about 'jumping' through the floor without leaving the ground to ensure maximum hip drive.
• Keep your arms relatively straight throughout the swing to create a longer lever, which increases the velocity of the ball.
• Focus on a rapid transition from the bottom of the hinge to the upward throw to utilize the stretch-shortening cycle.

Make it harder

• Increase the weight of the medicine ball to build higher levels of absolute power.
• Perform the throw for maximum vertical height to emphasize explosive upward force.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the standing power throw work?

The standing power throw primarily targets the adductors, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps, and also works the rotator cuff and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the standing power throw?

The standing power throw uses medicine ball.

Is the standing power throw good for beginners?

The standing power throw is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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