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Medicine Ball Scoop Throw

intermediate · throw

Medicine Ball Scoop Throw

Setup

Pick an open lane of at least 10 meters directly behind you with no people, glass or traffic anywhere the ball can land; do not run this one indoors, because the ball travels a long way. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in a half-squat, holding the medicine ball with both hands so it hangs close to the floor between your feet.

Execution

  1. Keep your back flat, chest open, eyes on the ball.
  2. Snap the hips forward fast while extending the knees, driving the force from the ground up.
  3. Swing the ball up and overhead with the momentum, arms staying straight the whole way.
  4. Release the ball at the top of the motion, letting it fly as far behind you as possible.
  5. The feet may lift slightly off the ground with the hip drive; land softly on the whole foot right after.
  6. Walk to retrieve the ball and reset the half-squat stance before the next rep.
  7. End the set the moment someone walks into the landing area, the lower back stops staying flat, or the landings stop being soft.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower the ball down between your feet, exhale hard the instant you snap the hips and release the ball.

Quick cues

  • Hips snap first, the arms follow.
  • Release the ball at the very top.
  • Keep the back flat the whole swing.
  • Picture scooping the ball up out of a well.
  • Land soft if the feet do lift off.

Common faults

  • Fault: Swinging the ball mostly with the arms while the hips stay still

    Fix: Drill the hip snap alone without the ball a few times before adding it back in.

  • Fault: Releasing the ball too early, before the arms reach full extension

    Fix: Count slowly '1-scoop, 2-rise, 3-release' to feel the correct release point.

  • Fault: The lower back rounding while bending down to load at the bottom

    Fix: Reduce the load by standing closer to the ball and bracing the core before bending down.

  • Fault: Landing heavily after a strong hip snap

    Fix: Ease off the hip drive slightly and cue soft knees the instant the feet touch back down.

Equipment

medicine_ball

Muscle groups

glutes, legs, core, shoulders