Chest · Compound movement
Medicine Ball Chest Pass
A compound exercise for the chest, with the triceps and shoulders working too. No equipment needed.
Working range
3–6reps
Progression: manual
- Primary muscle
- Chest
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps, Shoulders
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
How to perform the Medicine Ball Chest Pass
- Stand facing a solid wall or a partner a few feet away, holding a medicine ball at chest height with both hands.
- Load the ball briefly toward the chest, keeping the elbows in and the core braced.
- Explosively press and throw the ball straight forward, extending the arms fully like the top of a bench press.
- Catch the return at the chest and absorb it by letting the elbows bend, then reset and throw again, chasing speed on every rep.
Suggested working range: 3–6 reps. Default progression: manual.
Common mistakes
- •Pressing the ball out slowly like a strength rep instead of throwing it explosively for speed.
- •Flaring the elbows wide rather than keeping them in behind the ball for a strong straight-line press.
- •Catching the return on stiff arms instead of letting the elbows bend to absorb the incoming ball.
- •Using a ball so heavy that the throw slows down, defeating the whole point of a speed drill.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Medicine Ball Chest Pass fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize chest volume.
Browse training programs →Track your sets and reps automatically with MuscleBuddy
Free workout logging and auto-progression, with coaching that adjusts to the sets and weigh-ins you log.
Create your free account