How many reps of the lateral bound to chest pass should you attempt when you are new to the exercise?

Cap it at 3 sets of 3 to 4 bounds per side, well short of fatigue, since this is an advanced landing-and-throw skill rather than a volume drill. Only add a bound or a set once every landing looks identical to the one before it; if it does not, spend more time on the plain lateral bound first.

What can you do instead of the lateral bound to chest pass without a medicine ball?

Do the lateral bound on its own, sticking the landing and holding it for a two-count instead of throwing, which trains the same reactive landing without any equipment. Add a plyometric push-up afterward from standing if you still want a throw-like upper-body finisher.

Who is the lateral bound to chest pass for?

It is for trainees who already own a stable standing chest pass and a clean lateral bound and want to combine reactive lower-body power with pressing speed in one athletic sequence. It is the wrong choice for anyone new to plyometrics or currently managing a knee or ankle issue, since a bad landing here is punished immediately.

Advanced

Medicine Ball Lateral Bound to Chest Pass

This combines a side-to-side plyometric jump with an explosive push, so you train reactive lower-body power, single-leg landing control, and pressing speed in one athletic sequence. It is an advanced drill best reserved for trainees who already land bounds cleanly and pass the ball with intent. Keep quality high and stop the set when landings get sloppy.

Equipment: Medicine Ball
Body part: Chest, Glutes
Type: Balance, Plyometric
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Medius, Pectoralis Major Sternocostal
Browse by movement: Horizontal Press, Lunge

How to do it

1
Stand facing a wall a few feet away, holding the ball at your chest, weight on one leg.
2
Push off that leg and bound sideways, parallel to the wall, landing on the opposite foot.
3
Stick the landing under control on the outside leg with a soft, stable knee.
4
As you stabilize, drive the ball off your chest into the wall.
5
Catch the rebound, bound back to the start, and repeat, alternating directions.

Tips

Land the bound quietly and stable before you throw; balance comes first.
Keep the landing knee tracking over the toes, not caving inward.
Time the chest pass to the moment you stabilize for a connected sequence.
Reduce the bound distance if landings become unstable.

Variations

Common mistakes

The ball drifts away from the chest during the airborne phase of the bound, forcing a reset before the throw and breaking the connected sequence the drill is built around.
The trunk twists to help generate momentum for the bound instead of the push coming from the takeoff leg, turning a lateral power drill into an arm-assisted hop.
The stronger leg ends up doing most of the takeoff work if you are not careful, which leaves exactly the side-to-side power gap this drill is meant to close.
Rushing back to the start before your balance resets leaves the return bound weaker and sloppier than the rep before it.
This drill is a bad fit before you can stick a simple lateral bound on its own; stacking a throw onto an unmastered landing multiplies the risk of both.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the lateral bound to chest pass should you attempt when you are new to the exercise?: Cap it at 3 sets of 3 to 4 bounds per side, well short of fatigue, since this is an advanced landing-and-throw skill rather than a volume drill. Only add a bound or a set once every landing looks identical to the one before it; if it does not, spend more time on the plain lateral bound first.
What can you do instead of the lateral bound to chest pass without a medicine ball?: Do the lateral bound on its own, sticking the landing and holding it for a two-count instead of throwing, which trains the same reactive landing without any equipment. Add a plyometric push-up afterward from standing if you still want a throw-like upper-body finisher.
Who is the lateral bound to chest pass for?: It is for trainees who already own a stable standing chest pass and a clean lateral bound and want to combine reactive lower-body power with pressing speed in one athletic sequence. It is the wrong choice for anyone new to plyometrics or currently managing a knee or ankle issue, since a bad landing here is punished immediately.

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