How many reps of the medicine ball half-kneeling overhead slam should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?

Do 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 slams per leg, resetting the brace fully before every rep rather than chaining them together. Add a set before adding reps, since keeping the hips still through fatigue matters more than the total count.

What can I use instead of a medicine ball for the half-kneeling overhead slam?

A half-kneeling cable or band chop, pulled from overhead down to the floor, trains the same braced, hip-still pattern without a ball. A kneeling medicine ball slam, without the half-kneeling stance, is a simpler substitute if getting into position is the main obstacle.

What is the medicine ball half-kneeling overhead slam good for, and when should I skip it?

Removing the legs from the equation makes it a strong way to teach a stable, braced overhead position and to train core control under explosive load. Skip it, or switch to a standing slam, if kneeling is uncomfortable on a hard surface or your knee doesn't tolerate sustained loaded flexion.

Intermediate

Medicine Ball Half-Kneeling Overhead Slam

Kneeling on one knee removes the legs from the power equation and forces the abs and lats to slam the ball while resisting the pull into an arched back. It is a strong choice for teaching a stable, braced overhead position and for athletes who need core control under explosive load. Keep the volume moderate and the intent high.

Equipment: Medicine Ball
Body part: Abs, Lats
Type: Functional, Plyometric
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi, Upper Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace, Vertical Pull

How to do it

1
Kneel in a half-kneeling stance, one knee down and the opposite foot flat in front.
2
Squeeze the down-side glute and brace so the hips and spine are stacked and neutral.
3
Raise the ball overhead with both hands without letting the ribs flare.
4
Slam the ball to the floor in front of you using a hard lat pull and trunk flexion.
5
Retrieve the ball, return to the tall braced position, and repeat before switching legs.

Tips

Do not let your lower back arch as the ball goes overhead; keep the ribs down.
Drive the slam from the lats and abs, keeping the hips still.
Keep the front shin roughly vertical for a stable base.
Reset your brace before every rep.

Variations

Common mistakes

The ribs flare up as the ball goes overhead instead of staying stacked down, arching the lower back right before the slam even starts.
The hips shift or rock during the slam instead of staying still, letting the legs sneak into a movement designed to remove them.
The front shin leans forward past vertical, narrowing the base and making the kneeling position less stable under the slam's force.
Skipping the brace reset between reps carries fatigue from one rep into the next until the spine stops staying neutral at all.
The down-side knee slides backward on the floor as force builds through the set, quietly changing hip position rep to rep.
Rushing the reach to overhead before the ball has cleared the chest cuts the range the lats pull through on the way down.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the medicine ball half-kneeling overhead slam should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?: Do 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 slams per leg, resetting the brace fully before every rep rather than chaining them together. Add a set before adding reps, since keeping the hips still through fatigue matters more than the total count.
What can I use instead of a medicine ball for the half-kneeling overhead slam?: A half-kneeling cable or band chop, pulled from overhead down to the floor, trains the same braced, hip-still pattern without a ball. A kneeling medicine ball slam, without the half-kneeling stance, is a simpler substitute if getting into position is the main obstacle.
What is the medicine ball half-kneeling overhead slam good for, and when should I skip it?: Removing the legs from the equation makes it a strong way to teach a stable, braced overhead position and to train core control under explosive load. Skip it, or switch to a standing slam, if kneeling is uncomfortable on a hard surface or your knee doesn't tolerate sustained loaded flexion.

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