How to Do Wall Balls: Form, Benefits, and Common Mistakes

Master the wall ball with our expert strength coach guide. Learn the proper squat-to-press technique to build shoulder power and lower body endurance.

How to Perform

  1. Stand facing a solid wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ball at chest height with your elbows tucked in.
  2. Lower your hips back and down into a full squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor while keeping your chest upright.
  3. Drive upward explosively through your heels to return to a standing position.
  4. Use the momentum from your legs to throw the ball upward toward a target on the wall, typically 9 or 10 feet high.
  5. Catch the ball on the rebound at chest height and immediately sink back into the next squat to begin the next repetition.
  6. Maintain a fluid rhythm between the catch, the squat, and the throw to maximize efficiency.

Common Mistakes

  • Rounding the lower back during the squat phase
  • Letting the elbows flare out wide instead of staying under the ball
  • Stopping the movement between the catch and the descent
  • Short-changing the depth of the squat

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

  • Shoulders

Stabilizers

  • Quads
  • Glutes
  • Triceps
  • Core

Related Guides

Shoulders · Shoulders